Rising Phillies Prospect's Swing Tweaks Offer Immense Offensive Upside

Keep an eye on this Philadelphia Phillies prospect with incredible power potential for his position.

Apr 12, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; A view of the helmet of Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto (10) displaying the City Connect logo before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citizens Bank Park. | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

A lot of credit needs to go to the Philadelphia Phillies for the excellent job their front office and scouting departments have done keeping the organizational depth stocked with high-upside talent.

Normally a team that is in win-now mode as the Phillies are, seeking a World Series, can deplete their depth to try and sustain success at the highest level. It is something the Houston Astros are working through after making the ALCS seven straight years, a streak that ended last season.

Philadelphia hasn’t had that kind of postseason success, but they are annually one of the best teams in the regular season.

It puts them in a great spot because they not only have the means to be competitive right now, but they can ride that success for years to come because they have some high-upside players in their minor league system developing nicely.

One of the players who is most intriguing is second baseman Aroon Escobar.

Aroon Escobar Is a Prospect To Watch for the Phillies

An international free agent signing out of Venezuela in 2022, it took him some time to showcase the potential that he possessed.

Only 17 years old, it isn’t too surprising that he didn’t show a ton early on. 

However, a legitimate breakout occurred at the Florida Complex League in 2024 when Escobar produced a .338/.495/.481 slash line with three home runs, two doubles and 17 RBI to go along with nine stolen bases in 24 games and 104 plate appearances.

This year, while making his Single-A debut with the Clearwater Threshers, he has taken his game to another level, showcasing some real power potential at the plate.

He already has eight home runs and eight doubles in 42 games and 199 plate appearances with a stellar .329/.432/.521 slash line.

As shared by Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com, there is a lot to like about Escobar’s game and approach at the plate, which is where he will be most valuable.

“But they found some things in the underlying data that pointed to the idea that what he was doing down there was somewhat sustainable. He doesn't swing and miss or chase a lot. They tweaked his mechanics at the plate and thought we might see the evidence of that this year, and so far, so good. He has a chance to be an offensive-minded second baseman with a ton of thump,” he wrote.

A second baseman offering this combination of power and speed is rare at the Major League level and something that would be incredibly valuable to the Phillies.

There are some questions about how their middle infield will look in the future, especially with Trea Turner locked in long-term.

But, in an ideal world, it will be Escobar and their other top prospect, Aidan Miller, turning double plays as the middle infield combo together.