Connor Phillips spent the second half of the 2022 season in Double-A Chattanooga, but he had some struggles along the way. Still just 21-years-old when the 2023 season began, the Cincinnati Reds opted to send him back to join the Lookouts rotation.
This article was first sent out to those who support the site over on Patreon. Early access is one of the perks that you could get be joining up as a Patron and supporting the work done here at RedsMinorLeagues.com.
It would be tough to ask for much more out of Phillips in his first start of the season. Taking on Rocket City he allowed one hit in 4.0 shutout innings with seven strikeouts. The next time out didn’t go nearly as well as he allowed three home runs and five earned runs in 4.0 innings against Mississippi.
Over the next five starts he was solid when it came to giving up runs – posting a 3.47 ERA in 23.1 innings while striking out 40 batters with 12 walks. From there, though, he went on a strong run over his next six outings as he allowed nine earned runs in 32.2 innings (2.48 ERA) while striking out 57 batters and issuing just seven walks. The start that followed, though, was a clunker as he failed to get out of the 1st inning, throwing 34 pitches with just 16 strikes before being pulled after walking three batters and giving up a hit while recording just one out.
Despite the poor start on June 24th, that would be his final outing for Chattanooga as he was promoted to Triple-A Louisville at the end of the month. Things didn’t go much better on June 30th. Throwing a normal baseball – the Double-A Southern League used a pre-tacked baseball in the first half of 2023 – Phillips struggled to throw strikes, walking five batters and allowing two runs in 1.2 innings. He settled in after that for his next five starts as he posted a 1.38 ERA for the Bats in 26.0 innings while striking out 31 and walking 14.
Things went south over the next four weeks, though. Over the course of four starts between August 2ns and August 30th he didn’t get out of the 2nd inning three different times. The one time he did, he pitched in relief and threw 2.1 hitless innings before rain ended the game. On August 31st he came out and threw 6.0 shutout innings against Omaha. It would be his final start in the minor leagues during the year.
Cincinnati called him up in September. He battled to find consistency in his first four starts. It was his final start of the year, though, that he’d like to forget about. Taking on the St. Louis Cardinals he didn’t record an out and walked all three hitters he faced before being pulled from the game.
For all 2023 Season Reviews and Scouting Reports – click here (these will come out during the week throughout the offseason).
Connor Phillips Scouting Report
Position: Right-handed pitcher | B/T: R/R
Height: 6′ 2″ | Weight: 209 lbs | Acquired: 2nd Round, 2020 (Mariners), Trade (March 2022)
Born: May 4, 2001
Fastball | A plus pitch that averaged 96.1 MPH between Triple-A and MLB in 2023.
Slider | A plus pitch that works in the low-to-mid 80’s.
Curveball | An average pitch that works in the low-80’s.
Change Up | A below-average offering that works in the upper 80’s.
At times Connor Phillips can feel like a bit of an enigma. When he’s at his best he can be dominant and look like a future ace. But he is also the guy who failed to complete two innings six different times this year.
With two plus offerings, a third solid offering, and a 4th pitch that’s there to at least keep hitters honest, Phillips has the stuff to be a starting pitcher and a real good one at that. No one has ever really questioned the stuff, though. The ability to throw enough strikes has been something that’s followed him around as a professional. In his minor league career he’s walked 5.2 batters per 9-innings pitched. In his limited big league time this past season he walked 5.7. Both of those numbers are too high to remain a starting pitcher in the long term.
Phillips is just 22-years-old, and he’ll still be 22 when the 2024 season begins. Age is on his side in this case, for sure. And he has shown in the past that he can improve his ability to throw strikes when he has more time at a given level. Being able to do that, and probably be a decent amount at the big league level, will be key for him remaining a starter.
If Phillips can’t make the improvements needed in his ability to throw strikes a little more consistently, he’s got all of the things you want to see out of a high-leverage reliever. The control concerns will still be there, but relievers can usually get away with lesser control than starters do. There’s plenty of risk involved when it comes to Phillips being a starter long term, but with how good his stuff is there’s less risk of him not being a useful reliever, giving him a solid floor with tons of upside in either a starting or relieving role.
Video
Interesting Stat on Connor Phillips
During his time between Louisville and Cincinnati he threw 252 sliders. He allowed just one extra-base hit – a double – when he threw it. Opposing hitters he just .117 against it and slugged .133 on it.
Hopefully Derek Jonhson and the Reds pitching staff could fix Phillips’ control issues becoming him in a starting rotation choice by mid-to-end 2024. By the time being he is a good depth at triple-A…
Looking forward to Doug’s write up on Chase Petty. Have to think he starts in AA and Phillips in AAA, and if each performs well until, say, mid-June, they move up a level respectively. Phillips seems the first spot start callup for the Reds, but hoping they don’t need that until later in the season, by which point he’s up for good.
Between Phillips, Richardson, Stoudt, and Roa, all big arms, and Spiers, I’d think whoever gathers the best control and command will be up when needed (and their pitching schedule matches — always a factor). It’d be great to hear a Lodolo update, as his leg injury may factor in as well. Not to mention how gassed Abbott was at season’s end, too. He looked fried.
Great to see these 5 are promising rookies and not the typical 30+ year Olds like Kennedy,Mills and Mariot
Does AAA still use the ML baseball, while the rest of the minors does not? I’m asking, obviously, because we saw Phillips, Richardson and Salazar each struggle with control at AAA and the ML levels, and not so much at AA. And I am wondering if there may be more to the baseball struggles than the pre-tacked ball. The one thing we have heard about the pre-tacked ball is that individual stuff increased with it, i.e., the break of pitches. I’m not remembering whether there was evidence of control increasing or not.
As far as I’m aware, yes, Triple-A is using the MLB baseball.
Saw that Prospects Live released their top 30 for the Reds. One thing I hadn’t heard prior was that Lowder had some injury concerns around the time of the draft. Hope it’s nothing.
IMO, Phillips needs time to grow and develop in AAA, a la Homer Bailey. Hopefully there is enough depth to make him a Sept call up rather than an April call up.
Looking at Phillips 5 MLB starts, he’s very close, but not close enough. Throw out the last one, and he threw 80-90 pitches in his first 4 starts, with mixed results. As Doug has noted several times, most recently in the MiLB review, ” The ability to throw enough strikes” is the issue. He has the stuff, and he threw 170ip at all levels last season.
He’s very young, should begin the season in AAA, and if he has a good WHIP into June he should be called up, and likely stick in MLB.
That site has Dunn ranked as the 3rd prospect. I’m very bullish on Dunn, but #3 might be a stretch. If it’s for his impact on the 2024 team then it might be right.
True, and the overall characterization of the Reds top thirty list from then on is average to below average mlb starting potential.
Seems they’ve gone a little more pessimistic than years past. Over correcting?
A few years ago when they showed up their draft write ups would make every top 50 prospect sound like a baseball god. As a newer site, they are finding maturity.
However, imagining they are correct, perhaps a little Padres style prospect fire sale would be the right move this year. Selling high on Phillips, Petty, Collier, etc. I wouldn’t love it.
They might be a bit pessimistic because we graduated so many players last year.
I’m super high on Petty, and wouldn’t trade him easily. My current thinking is since we are so close to being good, if we trade prospects, it shouldn’t be anyone that can help in 24, or 25.
Also, selling high might not be the right term for where Phillips, Petty and Collier sit in the rankings or in the eyes of evaluators.
I would preach patience with the promotion timeline for all but Marte this year. To me, he’s on the opening day roster.
Try to find several 1-2 year deals for tier 3 free agents to compete in 2024. Maybe 1 tier 2 pitcher.