Freddy Galvis is probably the answer at shortstop, but it remains to be seen if he's a good answer. If all he had to take to the big leagues was his glove, Galvis would be an all-star right now.
"Every throw he makes is right there," said a National League scout who did not want to be named.
The same scout, however, said he does not believe Galvis will ever be a quality big-league hitter and compared him to Ramiro Pena, the slick-fielding extra man for the New York Yankees.
Wilson Valdez has proven there is great value in that kind of player, but Jimmy Rollins is a year away from free agency, and the Phillies don't have an obvious replacement if they decide against giving the veteran an extension.
Chuck LaMar, the Phillies' assistant general manager in charge of player development, said Galvis, 20, has performed about as expected in his first season at double-A Reading.
"We thought he would hit .230 or .240 in his first full year at double A," LaMar said.
Entering the weekend, Galvis was hitting .239 with three home runs and 37 RBIs. He also had stolen 12 bases.
"If he goes back to double A next year, he'll continue to improve," LaMar said. "He's never going to be an outstanding offensive player, but he is an outstanding defensive player. He'll have to do all the little things."
Despite Brown's graduation to the big leagues and Gose's trade departure, LaMar said he still feels good about the stock of outfield prospects in the system, and he said that Tyson Gillies is at the top of that list.
"He has always been a major-league prospect for us," LaMar said. "He has just been hurt."
