The Phillies are keeping one of their quieter but more productive talent channels open, renewing their partnership with the Adelaide Giants of the Australian Baseball League for the 2026-27 season.
The Giants announced the extension Tuesday on Instagram, and while Philadelphia has not yet revealed which minor leaguers will head over, four prospects from the organization are expected to join Adelaide for the coming season.
That kind of link has already paid off for the Phillies before. Over the last decade, players such as Rhys Hoskins, Logan O’Hoppe, Luke Williams, Alirio Ferrebus, and Devin Saltiban have spent offseason time in Australia and found success there. The ABL season begins Nov. 19, with the Giants opening against the Brisbane Bandits at Dicolor Australia Stadium.
The league sits roughly at the High-A level in American baseball, though the talent pool stretches from Rookie ball all the way to Triple-A. And for a number of big leaguers, it has been more than just a winter stop. Ronald Acuna Jr., Liam Hendricks, Junior Caminero, Kevin Kiermaier, Travis Bazzana, and Cristopher Sanchez all used the ABL as part of their climb, with Sanchez doing so before he became a Phillie.
The most notable example for Philadelphia may be Curtis Mead. He had agreed to a deal with the Phillies when he was traded for Sanchez while he was pitching with the Giants in Australia.
The pipeline between Australia and Philadelphia is already active. The Phillies still do not have a major foothold in Asia, but their Australia-and-New Zealand-to-America route has remained a strength.
Nikau Pouaka-Grego, who has Kiwi roots, is already in the system. Patrick Crotty, an 18-year-old from Brisbane, signed with the Phillies during the 2025-26 offseason, and although his 2026 debut in Rookie ball did not go smoothly - he allowed 18 earned runs in 9.1 IP to start his career - he still represents a possible new development lane for the organization in Australia.
Mitch Neunborn is another Australian in the Phillies’ system. He posted a 3.16 ERA in Triple-A Lehigh Valley in 2026 and could be an emergency relief option late in 2027. He also worked two scoreless outings for the Australian national team at the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
The Phillies may not be set up to discover the next Travis Bazzana, but building deeper ties in Australia has become a meaningful part of their development approach under president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski. Since 2020, nine Australian-born players have reached the majors, and while it is not the Dominican Republic or Venezuela, the sport is clearly growing across the Pacific. The Phillies have clearly been willing to lean into that growth.
In Other News...
Phillies Fans Will Love The Rhys Hoskins Idea Until One Problem Appears
The Phillies spent the 2026 season searching for a steadier answer against left-handed pitching, and the results were only middling. They ranked 18th in MLB with a 93 wRC+ in that split, which is part of why the club previously brought in Adolis Garcia to help balance the lineup before injuries interrupted that plan. It is the kind of gap that naturally sends fans back to familiar names, and Rhys Hoskins is an obvious one, given what he once meant to the lineup and how well he has historically handled lefties.
The appeal is easy to understand, but the fit gets complicated quickly. Hoskins has not matched his earlier production, and his defensive limitations matter more when a roster is already tight for spots and flexibility. For the Phillies, the idea of a reunion makes sense in the abstract because of the need it addresses, yet the practical obstacles are real enough to make a comeback feel far less likely than it first appears. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Offensive Mess Could Force A Big Outfield Pursuit
The Phillies offseason checklist is already taking shape after an uneven 2026 at the plate, and the outfield is quickly becoming one of the more obvious places to look for help. With the lineup underperforming, the front office is expected to weigh external upgrades more aggressively than it might have a year ago, especially if it wants a bat that can stabilize the middle of the order and add some reliability to a group that too often went quiet.
One name already surfacing is Randy Arozarena, a free agent who has built a reputation as a steady offensive presence and a proven postseason performer. He would fit the kind of search Philadelphia appears to be on, but landing him could take a real bidding war, with the Mariners, Braves and Reds among the clubs also expected to be in the mix. For a Phillies team looking to correct an offensive mess, that kind of competition only adds another layer to an already important winter. [Read more 🡒]
Former Phillies Coach Suddenly Faces Bigger Questions About His Next Job
After the Phillies offensive struggles in 2026 led to a shakeup on the staff, Kevin Long found himself out in Philadelphia despite being under contract through 2028. The club moved on and installed Peter Fatse as its new hitting coach, closing the book on a tenure that had been expected to continue much longer.
Long did not stay on the market for long, at least initially, as he held talks with the Mets about a possible role. But that path now appears to have cooled, with Long reportedly no longer under consideration there, leaving the longtime hitting coach facing more uncertainty about where his next stop will be. [Read more 🡒]