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Phillies prospect Asche displays rapid improvement

Reading third baseman Cody Asche continues to have one of the most improved second seasons in the Phillies organization. A fourth-round pick in 2011 from the University of Nebraska, Asche hit .192 in 239 at-bats last season at Williamsport. Despite the low average, he skipped a level, bypassing low-single-A Lakewood for high-single-A Clearwater to begin this season.

Reading Phillies' Cody Asche watches his hit against the Trenton
Thunder at FirstEnergy Stadium. (Yong Kim/Staff Photographer)
Reading Phillies' Cody Asche watches his hit against the Trenton Thunder at FirstEnergy Stadium. (Yong Kim/Staff Photographer)Read more

Reading third baseman Cody Asche continues to have one of the most improved second seasons in the Phillies organization.

A fourth-round pick in 2011 from the University of Nebraska, Asche hit .192 in 239 at-bats last season at Williamsport. Despite the low average, he skipped a level, bypassing low-single-A Lakewood for high-single-A Clearwater to begin this season.

Asche hit .349 in 255 at-bats at Clearwater before being promoted to double-A Reading.

The work that Asche put in after last season has made the difference this year.

"I tweaked my swing and just got after it during the Instructional League," Asche said. "I was able to build on that, and then I came in spring training and refined things even more."

The 22-year-old Asche, who bats lefthanded, is The Inquirer's No. 11-ranked Phillies prospect.

"I was excited when I got moved to Reading," he said. "I am really glad that I have gotten this opportunity."

After a slow start, he has come on strong at Reading. Entering Friday, Asche was batting .370 in August with 12 doubles, five home runs, and 23 RBIs. Overall for Reading, he took a .297 average into the weekend with 10 home runs and 42 RBIs.

- Marc Narducci

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