Roman Quinn is top player headed to Arizona Fall League

In the last 10 months, Roman Quinn ruptured his right Achilles tendon; changed positions; became the Phillies' best outfield prospect; and earned an assignment as the team's top-ticket player in the showcase Arizona Fall League.

The Phillies' minor-league system has had few success stories this season, a required caveat when analyzing it on a micro level. Quinn, a 21-year-old prospect, is one whose development did not regress.

"For me, he's going to be an impact player," said Joe Jordan, the Phillies' director of player development. "I still believe that."

The Phillies will send seven players to Arizona for more seasoning; only Quinn is considered a prospect. The next closest is righthanded reliever Colton Murray, a 13th-round pick who has a 2.30 ERA at double-A Reading with 57 strikeouts and 20 walks in 542/3 innings. The other players are catcher Logan Moore; pitchers Nefi Ogando, Ryan O'Sullivan, and Ethan Stewart; and a player to be named.

Quinn, entering Tuesday, had played in 83 games for single-A Clearwater with a .691 OPS. The switch-hitter converted from shortstop to center field in mid-June. He has 30 stolen bases in 40 attempts, and Jordan pointed to that as a positive.

"He looks better and better in center field every day," Jordan said. "The fact that he has 30 bags after missing two months, it's impressive when that's the thing we're worried about - how much did he lose [from the injury]? But offensively he's coming; lefthanded he's behind, but again he's still learning that part of it."

The Phillies' minor-league system has the worst composite winning percentage (.430) among all organizations.

"There's a lot of guys that, for me, developmentally, we've had a good year with," Jordan said. "It's kind of got lost under the rubble of the win-loss record in some places."

Extra bases

A.J. Burnett became the first pitcher in major-league history to have a 12-strikeout game for five teams. ... Aaron Nola, the No. 7 pick in the June draft, will make his last turn in the Reading rotation on Friday. He will not pitch at all this fall or winter. ... There is no offseason plan, Jordan said, for Jesse Biddle to recoup lost innings. The Germantown Friends graduate may not pitch at all after tearing his right quadriceps. ... Oft-injured outfield prospect Kelly Dugan suffered a small fracture in his foot. He is expected to recover in time for winter-ball action. ... Infielder Reid Brignac cleared waivers and accepted an assignment to triple-A Lehigh Valley. He could return Monday when rosters expand.

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