JON MARKS | JE STAFF
IronPigs first basemen Rhys Hoskins takes a swing.

IRON IGS: PHOTO PROVIDED; STITCHING: M_PAVLOV/ISTOCK/THINKSTOCK.COM;
ince the future doesn’t appear to be now for the 2017
Phillies, why not hop in the car this summer and see for
yourselves what the future may hold?
Depending upon where you live, it’s no more than 75 to 100
miles from your door to the home of any of three minor league
franchises within the Phillies system.

That way you can see for yourself whether Rhys Hoskins,
J.P. Crawford, Dylan Cozens, Roman Quinn or any of a number of
pitchers are the real deal for the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs
of the International League.

You can head to Reading and, once you’re done at the outlet
stores, find your way to FirstEnergy Stadium, where the Eastern
League Double-A Fightin Phils seem well stocked with Scott
Kingery, Andrew Pullin and pitchers Brandon Leibrandt and
Shane Watson, a former first-round draft choice.

Or, if you’re intrigued by what’s in the system a few years
down the road, the Lakewood BlueClaws of the Class A South
Atlantic League may be the spot to hit. Located 60 to 70 miles
from Center City, the Jersey shore town that Ryan Howard,
Maikel Franco and Freddy Galvis once called home is a place full
of potential.

Of course, it won’t be known for at least a couple of years
whether players like pitchers Sixto Sanchez and Adonis Medina
and outfielder Mickey Moniak, the No. 1 pick in the 2016 draft,
ever realize that potential.

20 JUNE 8, 2017
But if the Phillies aren’t your team, there are still options —
especially if you’re a Yankees fan. The Double-A Trenton
Thunder, where Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Roger Clemens
once did rehab stints and, before that, Nomar Garciaparra and
Kevin Youkilis played when the Red Sox ran the team, is only
minutes away.

And if you don’t mind the two-and-a-half-hour or so trek to
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, you’ll find yourselves at the home of the
Yankees Triple-A RailRiders.

Finally, the Wilmington Blue Rocks of the Class A-Advanced
Carolina League are in the midst of celebrating their 25th season.

A Kansas City Royals affiliate throughout most of its history, the
team has produced 163 major leaguers, including Johnny Damon,
Carlos Beltran, Zack Greinke and Eric Hosmer.

So if you love baseball, but coming out to Citizen Bark Park does-
n’t seem too appetizing, here’s a closer look at those alternatives.

TRIPLE-A LEHIGH VALLEY IRONPIGS
Completed in 2008, Coca-Cola Park in Allentown has a capacity
of 8,278, which doesn’t include close to 2,000 more who can hang
out in the picnic areas and other attractions scattered throughout
the ballpark. The IronPigs — a reference to the pig iron synony-
mous with the steel manufactured in the region — have served as
the Phillies Triple-A club since the stadium opened.

THIS SUMMER
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