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As the exhibition schedule winds down, we check in one last time with Phillies third base prospect Cody Asche , who has been offering weekly thoughts directly from inside spring training in Clearwater, FL. A 4th round draft selection in 2011 out of the University of Nebraska, Asche has been a fast rising prospect since joining the Phils organization. Last year, the 22-year-old, in his first full professional season, tallied a .324 batting average with 12 homers, 72 RBI and 11 stolen bases in 130 combined games with Class A Advanced Clearwater and Double-A Reading. Asche followed up that campaign with a .281/.343/.438 line with Peoria in the Arizona Fall League. This spring the six-foot-one 180-pounder went 5-for-14 (.357 average) with two doubles in eight Grapefruit League contests this year, before being reassigned to minor league camp. In the latest edition of The Cody Chronicles, Asche talks about the potential of beginning the season with Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs, m...

As part of our weekly spring training series, Phillies third base prospect Cody Asche is back once again to check in, directly from spring training in Clearwater, FL. A 4th round draft selection in 2011 out of the University of Nebraska, Asche has been a fast rising prospect since joining the Phillies organization. Last year, the 22-year-old, in his first full professional season, tallied a .324 batting average with 12 home runs, 72 RBI and 11 stolen bases in 130 combined games with Class A Advanced Clearwater and Double-A Reading. Asche followed that up with a .281/.343/.438 line with Peoria in the Arizona Fall League, then went 5-for-14 (.357 average) with two doubles in eight big league spring games this year. In the latest edition of The Cody Chronicles, Asche talks about the change in attendance going from big league camp back to the minors, bonding with people on Twitter, his ties with teammates from his draft class and plenty more. On the topic of playing in ...

Phillies third base prospect Cody Asche is back once again to check in directly from spring training in Clearwater, FL. A 4th round draft selection in 2011 out of the University of Nebraska, Asche has been a fast rising prospect since joining the Phillies organization. Last year, the 22-year-old, in his first full professional season, tallied a .324 batting average with 12 home runs, 72 RBI and 11 stolen bases in 130 combined games with Class A Advanced Clearwater and Double-A Reading. Asche followed that up with a .281/.343/.438 line with Peoria in the Arizona Fall League, then went 5-for-14 (.357 average) with two doubles in eight big league spring games this year. In the latest edition of The Cody Chronicles, Asche speaks about being reassigned to minor league camp, Phils legend Mike Schmidt , what he took from his time with the big league team and plenty more. Sharing his thoughts on being reassigned to minor league camp recently... "It's something that, whe...

Fans, join us in welcoming Phillies 3rd base prospect Cody Asche aboard, as the 22-year-old will be taking time throughout the preseason to share his thoughts directly from big league spring training. Selected in the 4th round of the 2010 amateur draft, Asche debuted that year, playing with the short-season Class A Williamsport Crosscutters.  After an unimpressive debut campaign in which he batted .192 with two homers and 19 RBI in 68 games, the lefty batting Asche spent time in the Florida Instructional League, picking up some key hitting tips from then minor league hitting instructor Steve Henderson , who is coaching with the big league Phillies this year.  Considerable strides were taken, and the youngster made quite an impact in the Phils system last year, posting a .324 average with 12 home runs and 72 RBI in 130 combined games at Class A Advanced Clearwater and Double-A Reading. As the new season approaches and the 6-foot-1 180-pound Asche strives to stand out amo...

Righty hurler Justin De Fratus , known to his brother Steven and those close to him as "J-Bone", joins us live and direct, once again, from Clearwater, FL to offer his thoughts from inside Phillies spring training. The 24-year-old reliever went 6-3 with 15 saves, a 2.99 ERA and 99 strike outs in 75 1/3 innings in his time with Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley last year before making his Major League debut in September and holding opponents to a .083 batting average in 5 appearances. Heading forward, De Fratus, an 11th round draft choice in 2007, hopes to be an impact contributor in the Phillies bullpen for years to come. In the latest edition of The J-Bone Zone, Justin discusses sharing the big league spring training experience with close friends, the Phillies additions of veterans who might present a roadblock for younger prospects and plenty more. Read on for exclusive insider content direct from Florida. On his ailing elbow that has him sidelined from throwi...

Ladies and gentlemen, join us in welcoming Phillies pitching prospect Justin De Fratus, who will be taking time this preseason to offer rare and unique glances inside spring training. De Fratus, an 11th round draft pick from 2007, has been one of Philadelphia's fastest rising relief pitchers over the past couple of seasons. After posting a combined 6-3 record with 15 saves and a 2.99 ERA at Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley last year, De Fratus earned a promotion to the majors and appeared in 5 games for the Phillies. This year, as the 24-year-old De Fratus battles for an opening day roster spot, he'll share all sorts of thoughts and inside looks at camp in Clearwater, FL exclusively with you, Phillies Nation. Read ahead for your first dose of The J-Bone Zone. I left for Florida from my off-season home in California back in late January. I drove cross-country with my buddy Jameson and I've just been down here since then, soaking in the baseball. I got to work at t...

Earlier this year, former Phillies minor league third baseman Travis "Moose" Mattair made time to take fans along on his return to baseball, after a year off, by checking in with PhoulBallz.com and PhilliesNation.com, giving the fan base an in depth and unique glance into life as a prospect heading to and participating in spring training, occasionally at the big league level. On Thursday, Moose, a native of Washington state, was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the minor league portion of baseball's Rule 5 draft. As fans might expect, the slick fielding Mattair checked in, to offer his thoughts on that news, for what may possibly be the final edition of his recurring diary feature called Moose Tracks . I am really excited and really ready to start a new chapter in my baseball career! This is something I didn't expect and now that I know (about it), I'm very happy. My parents are probably more excited than I am, now that, with Cincinnati, I'll spend spring tr...

Phillies minor league third baseman Moose Mattair spoke with PhoulBallz.com's & PhilliesNation's Jay Floyd once again, to provide an inside glance at spring training in Clearwater. Mattair was the Phillies' second round draft pick in 2007 out of Southridge High School in Washington state. He later helped the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws win the South Atlantic League championship in 2009. After a rough spring training in 2010, Mattair, who was an all-state basketball player during his high school days, retired from baseball to chase his dream of playing Division I college hoops . After a year off from baseball and spending last summer with the Boise State University men's basketball, Mattair is back in Clearwater ready to start another season in the Phils' organization. He played in the Phillies' Major League spring training game this past Saturday against the Blue Jays and has described the event here for you readers. Photo by Joe Wombough To tell the truth, ...

The following is an exclusive guest post by Phillies pitching prospect Jake Borup. From time to time, Jake, who was selected in the 23rd round of the 2010 amateur draft by the Phillies out of Arizona State University, will join us to share his thoughts on his life as minor leaguer. To check out Jake's previous diary entry, click here . Just wanted to share some thoughts about MY first spring training with the Philadelphia Phillies. My wife Kyrstin and I packed up the car in Phoenix, and made the journey across the country. We left on a Thursday morn and got to Clearwater on Saturday afternoon. When we got here, it looked like a complete transformation from when I was last here in October for instructional ball. EVERYTHING is Phillies. Phillies this, Phillies that. Wherever I go, I see something Phillies. It is pretty special to be a part of an organization with such an awesome fan base and wide appeal. Just the vibe in the Clearwater area got me excited to start working out. What I...

Phillies minor league third baseman Moose Mattair spoke with PhoulBallz.com's & PhilliesNation's Jay Floyd once again, to provide an inside glance at spring training in Clearwater. Mattair was the Phillies' second round draft pick in 2007 out of Southridge High School in Washington state. He later helped the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws win the South Atlantic League championship in 2009. After a rough spring training in 2010, Mattair, who was an all-state basketball player during his high school days, retired from baseball to chase his dream of playing Division I college hoops . After trying his hand with Boise State University, Mattair has returned to Clearwater to continue his baseball journey. Read ahead to check out what Moose had to say on various subjects, live and direct from Clearwater. On his first official day of minor league camp since he left the Phillies organization last year to dabble in college basketball. The first full official day was full of meetings. ...

Phillies minor league third baseman Moose Mattair checked in, once again, to give readers an inside look at his journey back to baseball, after taking a year off to try his hand at Division I college basketball. Moose and his cousin Eric drove together from Washington state and stopped in central Florida to move Moose into his temporary Winter/Spring residence before wrapping up their bonding with a few days in Miami. Moose is now back in the Clearwater area and phoned in with a report on his past week, or so, in Florida. To read Moose's previous diary entries click here and here . Miami is an awesome place...just a fabulous place. The weather was beautiful. I got a nice sunburn, which prevented me from getting the tattoo that I originally planned to get on the trip. I wanted to add on to the cross that I have on my back, but I was just too sunburned that I couldn't get it. We went around the city and took in the beach and went to a couple different spots. It was a load of fun...

Phillies minor league third baseman Moose Mattair checked in once again on Monday night to submit another diary entry, detailing his road trip from Washington State to Clearwater, Florida. Moose is returning to baseball after taking a year off to dabble in Division I college basketball . On the road with Moose is his cousin Eric, who shared time behind the wheel and is helping with the move, as well as serving as a boisterous companion. Check out what Moose had to say below and check back for more in the coming days. We stayed in Dallas, Texas on Saturday night. We went out, there, and had a good time. It was an experience. We got to meet some southern belles and just had a good time there in Texas. We took some taxis around to see the city and watched the Seahawks/Bears game. Even though the Seahawks lost, it was still a good time. Then after watching football we drove from Dallas to Baton Rouge, Louisiana yesterday. We dealt with heavy rain the entire way. We drove for about 9 hours ...

This week, Phillies minor league third baseman and Lakewood BlueClaws fan favorite Travis "Moose" Mattair will be checking in to log diaries from the road, as he starts his cross country journey back to baseball, after taking a year off to dabble in Division I college basketball . Moose's trip began with terrible news, but with the blessing of his family to not delay his expedition, he trucked on. In this entry, Moose talks about his family, traveling from Washington state, rooming in Florida with an old BlueClaws teammate and the NFL Playoffs. Check back for more from Moose in the coming days. 18 hours on the road yesterday. We began at 4:15 yesterday morning and it started off as a really rough morning for us. I am with my cousin, Eric, and we found out our uncle actually passed away yesterday morning. He's been dealing with and fighting cancer everywhere in his body. We found out last January that he had it. It's just very unfortunate that he ended up passing a...