Checking in on Phillies' top minor league prospects at midseason

BEFORE THE season, the national pastime scholars at Baseball America reveal their top-10 prospect lists for each club. Let's peek at how well they guessed with the Phillies as baseball settles into the All-Star break.

We'll bypass Domonic Brown, BBA's No. 1 prospect, since he's a big-leaguer now. Here are Nos. 2 though 10 in order (statistics are updated):

* Jonathan Singleton, 1B, Clearwater (.275, 6 home runs, 37 RBI): He struggled mightily after a good start, but has rebounded in the last couple weeks. He's a lefthanded hitter who needs to beef up that .190 average against lefty pitchers. Plenty of upside for Singleton, since he doesn't turn 20 until September. Maybe not the No. 2 prospect, but looking three or four seasons down the line, he belongs in the top 10.

* Brody Colvin, RHP, Clearwater (2-3, 3.82 ERA, 52 K and 23 BB in 70 innings): Tough to accurately gauge Colvin's season, since he started the year on the disabled list with a back ailment and didn't make his first start until May 13. He went eight brilliant innings last night and he's gone at least six innings in his last for starts. Did BBA get this one right? Hmmm . . . If he continues to perform the way he has recently at age 20, yep. He's a top prospect.

* Jarred Cosart, RHP, Clearwater (7-6, 3.23 ERA, 68 K and 36 BB in 92 innings): Some early struggles make his numbers look a little pedestrian. Needs to improve that strikeout-to-walk ratio, but at 21, he just needs a few more minutes in the oven. Excellent prospect. BBA got this one right.

* Trevor May, RHP, Clearwater (6-5, 3.32 ERA, 123 K and 44 BB in 95 innings): Think of May as a building that's under construction. The frame is there, now to put the roof on and the windows in. Look at that K-to-BB ratio. Wow. The record and ERA don't reflect how impressive he has been. In Game 1 of a twinbill Saturday against Jupiter, May twirled a seven-inning one-hitter with nine strikeouts and two walks. BBA got this one right.

* Sebastian Valle, C, Clearwater (.324, 3 HR, 28 RBI): Phillies assistant general manager Chuck LaMar, who oversees the minors, said recently the organization originally viewed Valle as more of a "bat prospect" when he was signed in 2006. This season, the defense seems to be catching up with the bat. Obviously he can hit. He doesn't turn 21 until July 24, so, yes, he has played like a top prospect.