Jhailyn Ortiz Stays Hot, Johan Rojas Returns for Reading

Jhailyn Ortiz cannot be stopped right now. He lashed another two hits for Reading in their loss to Erie, lifting his season average to a solid .259, alongside a .791 OPS.

His month of July has been nothing short of astonishing, and it comes at the perfect time. The Phillies are shopping for upgrades to the big league club, and Ortiz is sure to be a name brought up in trade conversations.

Meanwhile, Ortiz's outfield-mate Johan Rojas returned from paternity leave on Thursday and muscled a single thanks to his newfound 'dad strength.'

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Triple-A: Mark Appel Allows First MiLB Earned Run Since May 31

Phillies fans were disappointed to see Mark Appel sent down in mid-July, but roster constraints somewhat forced the move, and thus the former first overall pick returned to Triple-A.

He picked up right where he left off, tossing two straight clean appearances but eventually allowed an earned run in Thursday night's loss to the Durham Bulls. The run was Appel's first earned run in the minors since May 31, spoiling his 10+ inning scoreless streak with Lehigh Valley.

Still, Appel projects to be a commonly called on reserve arm for the Phillies, both this season and in years to come. His short trip to the majors was just the tip of the iceberg of what has evolved into a fantastic story.

Double-A: Muzziotti Homers in Second Straight Game

A man not exactly known for his power, Simón Muzziotti homered for the second time in two games on Thursday.

The center fielder's 2022 has been plagued by injury, but things are beginning to turn around for the 23-year-old, who made his major league debut with the big club earlier this season.

Muzzy still has a great chance to develop into an everyday major leaguer. He's quick and boasts a plus glove in center field, where the Phillies truly need the depth. Regardless of whether or not the hit tool comes around, (it should) Simón’s struggles are far more related to his health than anything else. Here's hoping he continues to flourish as the second half proceeds.

High-A: Ben Brown Fires Four Scoreless Before Suspension

Over the last few weeks, Ben Brown has been brought up in the same sentences as Mick Abel, Andrew Painter, and Griff McGarry. That should tell you how highly the Phillies value the 22-year-old's talent.

Said talent was on full display Thursday night, as Brown fired four one-hit innings against Wilmington, only for the rain to come along and suspend his outstanding outing. This would've been Brown's "showcase game" were he to be considered in any form of trade, so a plethora of scouts were surely on hand, despite the rain.

Brown's ascension to top prospect status has been meteoric, and he easily carries the value of a fringe Top 100 prospect as the trade deadline nears. It will be interesting to see if the Phillies choose to include him in a deal, as they have reportedly been reluctant to do so.

Single-A: Starlyn Castillo Gets Back on the Horse

It's been a rough re-introduction to affiliated ball for Starlyn Castillo, but the 20 year-old tossed his best outing since his return from Tommy John surgery on Thursday.

Castillo, a fireballer, posted three scoreless innings, allowing two hits while only walking one batter and striking out one in return.

It will be interesting to see how the Phillies choose to utilize Castillo from here on out, though it appears they still value him as a starting pitcher. Should he prove healthy, there is a strong chance the youngster could skyrocket up prospect rankings. He is certainly one to keep tabs on.

Lehigh Valley IronPigs vs. Durham Bulls: L 3-5

UTIL Dalton Guthrie - 1-for-4, HR, R, RBI, 2 K

2B Jean Segura - 1-for-4, K

Reading Fightin Phils vs. Erie SeaWolves: L 3-8

C Logan O'Hoppe - 2-for-4, K

C Vito Friscia - 2-for-4

Jersey Shore BlueClaws vs. Wilmington Blue Rocks: L 0-3, SUSP

RHP Kyle Glogoski - 3.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K

RHP Brent Schulze - 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K

Clearwater Threshers vs. Dunedin Blue Jays: L 0-8, L 4-3

INF Hao-Yu Lee - 2-for-7, 2B, RBI, K

OF Marcus Lee Sang - 2-for-7, R, 2 K

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