Philadelphia Phillies show faith in Minor League prospect Zach Collier-MLB Update
Left fielder, Zach Collier can take heart from the fact that Philadelphia Phillies are interested in having him as part of their campaign for 2013 Major League regular season.
The club put him on the 40-man roster and allowed Collier to play in the Arizona Fall League, which shows that the officials have seen something in him that can help their cause ahead in the upcoming season.
Collier has been around in their farm system for a couple of years but unfortunately he has not yet made it to the Majors. He was drafted by the organisation in 2008, keeping in view his excellent potential with regard to defence and having power at the
plate.
Though he could not impress the officials immediately, he has refined his skills gradually since then.
After every passing year, he made the progress and added something new to his repertoire.
His performance in Arizona Fall League proves that he has really come a long way from being a mediocre level prospect to the one ready for shining at the Major League level.
The Phillies are keeping track of his improvements. By including him on the roster, they have made sure that he will not be taken away by some other organisation.
Dusty Wathan managed Collier in Arizona. He has shared his experience with him, stating that he was immaculate in all the positions that he occupied in the outfield.
“He showed me a lot in the fall league,” said Dusty Wathan. “He not only hung with guys that were maybe a little more advanced than him, but he actually had a lot of success. He swung the bat well, ran well and played well at three outfield positions. There’s
a lot of upside there. Hopefully we can keep him on the field next year and see him continue to progress.”
Above all, the attitude shown by Collier during the matches impressed Wathan the most. He was comfortable playing with senior players and learning from them.
In light of the fact that the Phillies face shortage of options in the outfield, it can be believed that Collier will be given chances in the next season.
It will be interesting to see how he makes use of the opportunities allowed to him for a chance to prove himself at the Major League level.
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