A mashing first-base prospect for the Phillies is completely destroying minor league pitching. He’s positionally blocked by someone with more tenure who deserves that spot just as much as the prospect does. And this prospect can’t play anywhere else for the life of them, leaving the team and the prospect squarely in wait-and-see mode.
And his name isn’t Rhys Hoskins.
That is, if you go back to 2005. The prospect was Ryan Howard, the second-greatest power hitter in 134 years of Phillies history. The Phillies already were committed long-term to Jim Thome, who was everything the Phillies wanted and more when they signed him to big money before the 2003 season.