Pitching prospect Connor Brogdon could be the Phillies’ next man up

ALLENTOWN — Connor Brogdon is several time zones — and climate types — from home, but that isn’t keeping him from hotly pursuing his dream of pitching at Citizens Bank Park.

The 6-foot-6 reliever, a right-hander who was the Phillies’ 10th-round draft choice out of Lewis-Clark State in Idaho in 2017, is at triple-A Lehigh Valley and could be the next pitcher called up, after a couple of promotions already this year.

Brogdon started 2019 in high-A Clearwater, where he pitched in 10 games before being promoted to double-A Reading, where he pitched in 15 games before getting bumped up to the IronPigs. In 12 games with Lehigh Valley, he is 1-0 with a 4.30 ERA and has struck out 18 and walked six in 14 2/3 innings.

IronPigs pitching coach Steve Schrenk said that Brogdon has struggled since being called up to triple-A but that it isn’t unusual. He said most pitchers struggle in their first few games at a higher level, and Brogdon has improved since his initial appearance on June 28.

“He’s done a great job coming in and sticking with his strengths, which is his fastball and his change-up," Schrenk said. “He needs to work on his slider, and he’s been doing that. It has been better. He’s done really well.”

Brogdon was more dominant at Reading, where he struck out 39, walked seven and posted a 2.66 ERA in 23 2/3 innings.

“I’ve had more success as a reliever,” said Brogdon, a 24-year-old who was mostly a starter in college. “I like knowing that I’m only going to be out there for maybe two innings, tops.”

Brogdon was born in Clovis, Calif., and played at Liberty High School in nearby Madera. He said he goes back home to the West Coast to work on his mechanics and works with David York, head trainer for Brogdon’s agency.

“He makes us do elite conditioning and definitely gets me in the best shape I can be in before I report for spring training, so that’s huge,” Brogdon said, adding that at this point in the season, he doesn’t feel as worn out as in the past.

Pennsylvania is a lot more humid than what he was used to growing up and playing in California, and he has changed some of his in-game routine because of the climate.

“The humidity here is huge,” Brogdon said. “I’ve been learning how to use rosin to kind of help — it’s been an adjustment. It’s definitely different pitching in humidity than it is in dry heat.”

Brogdon’s experiences during spring training in Clearwater this year helped shape his season thus far. He also thinks it will make it easier for him to adjust if the Phillies were to call him up this season.

“It helped a lot,” Brogdon said. “When I did pitch on the big-league side, I definitely had a lot of nerves, especially my first couple of times.”

It also has helped him transition from pitching in front of a double-A crowd to a triple-A crowd.

“I think I can control my nerves better,” he said.

Brogdon isn’t focused too much on being called up. But if he does get the call, he knows whom he’ll tell first.

“My parents, they’ll be the first ones to know,” he said.