Phillies Prospect Showing ‘Some Real Feel To Hit’ in Minors

The Philadelphia Phillies are a veteran-laden team that is focused solely on winning as much as possible at the Major League level.

However, there will come a time when mainstays such as Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber and Trea Turner won’t be anchoring the lineup any longer. The team must develop some young talent that will eventually become contributors in the Big Leagues.

Aidan Miller remains the No. 1 prospect in the organization, but he is far from the only young player with intrigue. One player who is catching the eye of evaluators and scouts is outfielder Dante Nori.

A surprisingly first-round pick of the Phillies in 2024, he was an overlooked player heading into the draft because of his age, already being nearly 20 years old at the draft despite being a high school prospect.

Dante Nori playing well in Phillies' minor league system

There were concerns about his level of competition in Michigan as well, and a slow start to 2025 raised some eyebrows. However, an adjustment to his approach at the plate yielded positive results down the stretch, and they have carried over into 2026.

“Nori does have some real feel to hit, in the sense of getting the bat to the ball — the swing is pretty simple and short, with enough bat speed for him to swat line drives to the outfield, at least,” wrote Keith Law of The Athletic (subscription required).

During the World Baseball Classic with Team Italy, those skills were on display. In seven games and 20 plate appearances, he had a .400/.435/.750 slash line, hitting two home runs and one double.

That simple swing has translated to a .285/.338/.455 slash line through his first 28 games and 134 plate appearances with Double-A Reading. A 55/60 grade runner, who has been on display with seven doubles, three triples and seven stolen bases thus far this season. Alas, some refinement with his base running is needed, as he has been caught stealing six times.

That speed was on full display when he played defense. Law noted it when highlighting a high-IQ play he had while backing up a teammate who misplayed a ball in left field. Nori was in a position to help much quicker than a typical center fielder would have been, with most not even having the wherewithal to be ready to back up the play.

There is certainly value in what he brings to the table right now with his contact skills, speed and defense. However, already being 21 years old, it is fair to question how much more room he has to grow into his 5-foot-9 frame.

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