Connor Phillips received 11 votes from you, our dear readers, for the #1 spot in the 2024 Red Reporter Community Prospect Rankings. Ultimately the top spot ended up going to Noelvi Marte in the voting and Phillips landed at #5 on the list, but one year ago the fireballing right-hander had shown ample in his first full season in the Cincinnati Reds system to warrant consideration as one of the absolute best prospects on the admittedly loaded farm.
He rocketed into almost every Top 100 overall prospect list available, and he promptly got the yips. The elite strikeout stuff he flashed all through 2023 evaporated with his inability to hit the strike zone, and his walk rate soared as a result.