The Adelaide Giants won their third Australian Baseball League championship in four years recently. The team had eight Phillies prospects on the roster for the Winter League season. We’ll take a look at those prospects.
Jose Colmenares was born on April 3, 2002, in Cerro La Guacara, Venezuela and signed as an international free agent. He first inked a professional contract with the New York Yankees in 2018 when he was just 16 years old. That signing launched his professional baseball journey and he began his career in the Yankees’ international system, working his way into the Gulf Coast League a year later. His Venezuelan roots and signing as a teen mirrored many Latin American prospects who enter professional baseball with tools that scouts hope to refine over time rather than immediate dominance.
Player Profile and Tools
Colmenares is a right-handed batter and thrower, listed at 5-foot-11 and 173 pounds, making him about average size for a middle infielder. He has spent most of his career playing second base and shortstop, with some experience at third base as well. That versatility is a strength, because in today’s game clubs value players who can handle multiple positions, especially around the infield.
He’s generally seen as a contact oriented hitter with decent speed. His minor league career slash line across various levels sits at .217/.323/.378/.701 with 19 home runs, 84 RBI, and 27 steals over seven minor league seasons. Those numbers tell you that he can contribute offensively in multiple ways but isn’t a pure hitter, at least not yet. He draws some walks, puts the ball in play often, and makes enough contact to stay in games — especially when he’s healthy and confident in his approach.
From a tools perspective, his offensive profile leans toward average at this stage. He’s not going to wow you with raw power, but he shows a competitive feel for the strike zone and some ability to make contact in different counts. His speed and base running are also serviceable, as evidenced by his stolen base totals in 2025 when he swiped a career-high 17 stolen bases in 25 attempts, showing some threat on the bases when the situation calls for it.
Defensive Profile and Fielding
Defensively, Colmenares is versatile. He has logged major innings at second base and shortstop, with a handful of appearances at third base. That positional flexibility is a big part of why the Phillies have valued him. His fielding metrics within the minors — though not flashy — indicate that he handles routine plays with regularity. Second basemen and shortstops are often graded on instincts, footwork, and smooth exchanges, and Colmenares’ willingness to play multiple spots suggests a reliable glove that he is willing to put to use at various positions. While advanced defensive metrics like Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) or Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR) aren’t widely published for minor leaguers, his general fielding percentages and lack of glaring mistakes suggest an average or slightly above average defender.
In short, he profiles as the a middle infielder who is able to stick defensively at higher levels because he can handle multiple roles rather than being a defensive specialist or liability.
Minor League Performance and Progression
Colmenares spent the majority of his early professional years in the Yankees’ minor league system. He moved through rookie ball up through High-A and even saw some time at Double-A prior to joining the Phillies late in 2025 after being released by the Yankees. His offensive numbers varied year by year, with some seasons showing flashes of on-base skill and gap power but others marked by inconsistency at the plate. In 2025, before signing with the Phillies organization, he logged a .212/.303/.666 slash line with 8 home runs, 44 RBI, and 17 steals in 344 plate appearances across High-A and Double-A — numbers that show he can contribute but still has room for growth.
He also earned a South Atlantic League Player of the Week honor in 2025, which speaks to his ability to put together a stretch of above-average performance and impact games at the plate. That performance burst is something scouts and development staffs look for as signals a player is close to being ready to take the next step.
After being released by the Yankees in August, the Phillies signed him to a minor league contract and assigned him to the High-A Jersey Shore BlueClaws. That move shows that the Phillies see potential in him as a depth piece who is able to contribute offense and infield versatility in the organization. For now, that profiles as a utility infielder or a later-season contributor if he continues to develop.
Injuries and Impact on Development
Injuries have touched Colmenares’ career and slowed his progression at points. He spent time on injured lists in 2024 while with the Yankees organization, including stints that limited his early season at-bats and opportunities to develop in live games. Missing significant playing time can disrupt a young player’s rhythm and growth, especially in the formative minor league years when reps are crucial for refinement. That time on the injured list contributed to the uneven offensive production and has slowed his climb through the minors. It will be interesting to see where the Phillies assign him to open the 2026 season.
Outlook and Evaluation
Looking at Colmenares today, he is a young infielder with a collection of tools capable of keeping him in professional baseball for years. His defensive versatility and contact oriented approach give him a chance to carve out a role as a utility player or a steady presence in the middle infield at higher minor league levels. At age 23 and now in the Phillies system, he has some time on his side to refine his approach, increase his offensive consistency, and continue to grow his positional versatility.
If he can add more extra-base pop or sharpen his on-base skills further, he will turn into a more rounded prospect capable of battling for a call to the majors at some point down the line. At minimum, he profiles as a solid organizational infielder with upside.
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