Philadelphia Phillies: Looking Back at Draft Picks Since 2000
By Chuck Booth
Anthony Hewitt is another Philadelphia Phillies prospect that has ended up in independent baseball.
Hewitt was selected with the 24th pick in the 2008 draft out of Salisbury Prep High School as a shortstop. In the minors, the Phillies found out two things. That he couldn’t hit and also wasn’t a very good defensive shortstop.
This led to Hewitt being moved to third base and ultimately to the outfield but he still was unable to hit and never made it above AA for the Philadelphia Phillies. Sometimes prospects go out in a blaze but Hewitt disappeared with a slight whimper. He is currently playing independent baseball for the New Britain Bees where, you guessed it, he is still struggling to hit.
The dark years of Phillies draft history close out with Jesse Biddle who was drafted with the 27th pick out of Germantown High School in Philadelphia in 2010. The local product meandered through the lower levels of the Phillies minor league affiliates never making an appearance in the majors.
He was converted from a starter to a relief pitcher in hope that that would help but it there was no improvement and he was shipped out to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the offseason.
Next: Time for a Shakeup