Back in the 2017 draft, the Phillies picked up outfielder Adam Haseley in the first round. He has played in the Phillies farm system since the draft. This year in Clearwater, FL, he has some of the spotlight to show what he can really do. He isn’t in a position to get a starting spot on the roster but is still here to show Gabe Kapler his skills.
The Phillies played the Detroit Tigers on Monday and came out on top 12-7, while he didn’t actually manufacture any hits, he still got the attention of Kapler. One specific incident was the way Haseley beat out a ground ball he hit to second base. He then was able to steal second and then scored on two fly balls. Kapler said afterward that he “generated a run almost entirely on his own.” His other stand out moment was a monster fly ball to right-center where the ball would have more than likely been a home run if it wasn’t for the windy conditions. Kapler still found the contact notable, saying that if it weren’t for the wind that was knocking other fly balls down it would have been gone.
When people see Haseley swing, many people see his different downward swing. His swing is unlike many other players who are trying to lift the ball in the air to get launch angles. He says he isn’t trying to be different, just that there are different ways for players to get results. Haseley has mentioned that it is something he is working on and that he wants to hit the ball in the air more, but with any swing as long as you are in front of the ball you’ll get air. Kapler after the game said that he likes the way he swings. “Crisp ground balls” and “a lot of backspin” are two things he says come from a swing like that. He also says that line drives up the middle are common from Haseley and during batting practice they’ve joked about pitchers should be careful to not get hurt.
If Adam Haseley keeps putting up the performances he has been doing, he soon should be able to find a spot in the MLB.