The likely Phillies starting lineup was kept back on Ashburn Field late in the morning taking batting practice (se pictures of batting practice on Betsy’s blog HERE.) while likely major league bench and AAA players were over at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa. They defeated the Yankees 7-6. Read HERE.
Two intrasquad games matching in one game players from AAA and AA and in the other game made up of A ball level players from last season and a few rookies took place this afternoon on Ashburn and Schmidt Fields at the Carpenter Complex.
Over 200 players of the Phillies organization are now in camp playing to make an impression on the Phillies coaches and front office staff watching them.
At the same time, a select team of the top Phillies minor league talent took on the Villanova Wildcats who are traveling around Florida in an exhibition game at Spectrum Field. The young Phillies pulled out a 5-1 win.
Read about the game HERE.
We were at the intrasquad games at the Carpenter Complex.
The highlight of the A ball level game was young phenom Carlos De la Cruz hitting a long home run to left off of Jose Taveras on Schmidt Field.

Carlos De La Cruz hits a homer off of Jose Taveras. Look closely to see the ball go into a tree just over the left arm of De La Cruz
In the game on Ashburn Field made up of players likely to play in AAA and AA, it was a RBI hit by Wilson Garcia off of Franklyn Kilome that stood out early in the game. Watch HERE.
With the return of catcher Edgar Cabral from the major league camp, Willy returned from catching where he was working out to his first base position where he played last season for the Clearwater Threshers.
Later in the game Reading’s first baseman from last season, Kyle Martin, hit a line drive double down the right field line but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple. Watch HERE.
Right fielder Jan Hernandez drove in the winning run on Ashburn Field late in the game with a long sacrifice fly to left. Watch HERE.
All in all it was the busiest day of Phillies spring training so far from the top to bottom of the Phillies organization. It was a challenge for us fans to try to keep up with all the action!