Phillies MiLB Recap: O'Hoppe has Grand Weekend

The Philadelphia Phillies minor league affiliates had themselves an exciting weekend. Big wins, promotions, and lots of power were all on display Saturday and Sunday.

Lehigh Valley swept the RailRiders, while Reading themselves were swept, and Clearwater and Jersey Shore managed to split both of their weekend series. It made for a jam-packed week of exciting minor league baseball, so here's everything you missed from around the Phillies' farm:

Top Stories:

Triple-A: OF Matt Vierling - 5-for-9, HR, 2 2B, 3 R, 3 RBI, BB, 2 K

While there hasn't been much chatter abound about him, Vierling has quietly gotten off to a strong start in Lehigh Valley.

He began the season with the major league club, and while a fair bit of poor batted ball luck played into his rough go, he looked overmatched at times. A demotion was the right call.

Now, after 21 games with the Iron Pigs, Vierling is cresting an .800 OPS, and hitting .271 with a .459 slugging percentage. He's also hit two home runs, and has swiped eight bags, striking out only 15 times and walking 10.

The most apparent flaw in Vierling's game has been his knack to mash the ball into the ground, a problem the Phillies are most definitely aiming to remedy while the 25 year-old continues to see regular time in center field, and on the outfield corners in Triple-A.

Double-A: C Logan O'Hoppe - 2-for-7, 2 HR, 2 R, 5 RBI, BB, 3 K

Logan O'Hoppe is dangerously close to encroaching on Top-100 MLB prospect territory, if he's not there already.

There's not much more to say about him that hasn't already been said. He has been a shocking development for the Phillies over the last three years, and has shown no signs of slowing from a breakout 2021 campaign.

He has been beyond impressive in 2022, and will surely be a hot name at the trade deadline.

High-A: RHP Ben Brown - 5.0 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K

As long as Ben Brown continues to allow one run or less in concurrent starts, he's going to continue as the 'top story' at Jersey Shore every five days.

The right-hander has now managed four consecutive starts allowing one run or less. In those 21.1 innings, he's struck out 33, while walking just three batters. For those keeping score at home, that's an 11:1 K:BB ratio.

This isn't the first time the Phillies have seen Brown exhibit breakout tendencies, though his preliminary emergence was cut short by Tommy John Surgery in 2019.

Brown has been on an absolute tear, and is quickly working himself up the ladder of Phillies top prospects.

Single-A: RHP Andrew Painter - 6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 9 K

This will, unfortunately, be Andrew Painter's swan song as the 'top story' for Clearwater... because he's been promoted to High-A Jersey Shore!

Painter has had an unbelievable start to his career. A 1.40 ERA across 38.2 innings in Single-A, alongside 69 strikeouts. He allowed six earned runs.

Perhaps the craziest part: Painter's hits-per-nine (4.0) only just exceeded his walks-per-nine (3.7). An absolutely absurd feat, and another notch on the belt of a historic start to his Minor League career.

Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs vs. SWB RailRiders: W 12-4, W 2-1

Notable Performances:

C Rafael Marchan - 2-for-7, 2 2B, 2 R, 2 BB, 0 K

2B Scott Kingery - 2-for-5, 3 R, 4 BB, 1 K

Reading Fightin' Phillies vs. Hartford Yard Goats: L 5-7, L 2-7

Notable Performances:

OF Jhailyn Ortiz - 1-for-4, R, BB, 2 K

RHP Braden Zarbnisky - 2.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K

Jersey Shore BlueClaws vs. Brooklyn Cyclones: W 3-2, L 4-8

OF Johan Rojas - 3-for-8, 2B, 2 R, 2 K

RHP Matt Russell - 6.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 5 K

Clearwater Threshers vs. Dunedin Blue Jays: W 6-3

OF Wilfredo Flores - 2-for-8, 2 K

RHP Rodolfo Sanchez - 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K

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