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Grading the Phillies 2026 Round 1 Pick: Tyler Spangler
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- Grading the Phillies 2026 Round 1 Pick: Tyler Spangler
The Philadelphia Phillies had to wait a little longer than other teams to make their first selection in the 2026 MLB Draft, but once they were on the clock, they selected high school infielder Tyler Spangler.
Instead of taking a massive risk, the Phillies selected a prospect with a high floor and a lot of upside once he starts playing professional baseball.
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Phillies Tyler Spangler Draft Grade: B+
The Phillies took the safe approach with drafting Spangler No. 36 overall, and that was a great approach by Philadelphia's front office.
Coming out of high school, Spangler doesn't necessarily have one trait that stands out as a clear strength, but there are no glaring red flags either, and that's entirely alright.
Here's how MLB Pipeline ranked each of his tools on a scale of to 20 to 80:
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Hit: 55
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Power: 55
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Run: 50
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Arm: 55
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Field: 55
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Overall: 50
MLB Pipeline also wrote that, "a big shortstop with impressive all-around tools."
Given that Spangler is only 18 years old, he still has plenty of time to develop, with some of these skills hopefully emerging as strengths as he makes his way through the Minor Leagues.
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Looking at how Spangler played in high school, he slashed .376/.512/.708 with 16 home runs over three seasons.
Where were the players with more potential on the board when Spangler was selected? Sure, but that shouldn't have been the goal with this pick.
The Phillies' farm system was recently ranked No. 29 by Baseball America. The organization is not at a point where it can take a big risk on a prospect with a high ceiling, but a low floor.
This is a very solid pick that warrants a B+. The reason it doesn't get an A is that, with Spangler being a high schooler, there are still many unknowns about his future. The 18-year-old also dealt with a back injury, which kept him out of his senior season.
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(Unfortunately, that's very reminiscent of an issue with one of the Phillies' current top prospects, Aiden Miller.)
Overall, Spangler is a well-rounded and safe selection, and his age still gives him time to develop in many areas, making this a more than solid pick for the Phillies.
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