FSL notes: Phils' Quinn quick to recuperate

The 2013 season ended early for Roman Quinn because of a broken wrist and the 2014 campaign started late after a ruptured Achilles.

Not as late as first feared, however, and Philadelphia's speedy No. 4 prospect is now playing catch-up.

It hasn't necessarily been easy -- especially with the Phillies throwing a midseason curve at their second-round pick in the 2012 Draft. Switched to shortstop after signing, Quinn is back in center field with Class A Advanced Clearwater following the second-half arrival of the organization's No. 3 prospect, J.P. Crawford.

"I was shocked at first," Quinn said of the switch. "I put in a lot of work at shortstop and thought I was making a lot of progress."

Now it was back to the outfield and a change of travel plans. Instead of making the five-hour drive to the Florida Panhandle to see family, Quinn stayed in Clearwater during the three-day All-Star break in mid-June to take fly balls.

"Once I talked to everyone, I was cool with going back to the outfield," he said. "It took a little while, but I'm comfortable out there again. It's where I played until the Phillies picked me."

Philadelphia no longer had to worry about Quinn filling an eventual hole at shortstop after taking Crawford in the first round of the 2013 Draft, and the pair can be in the lineup together now and in the future.

"We talked in Spring Training about what damage we could do with our speed if we were at the top of the order together," said Crawford, who is batting second behind Quinn in the Threshers' order.

To make things really happen, though, Quinn has to get on base more often, and he's still a work in progress as a switch-hitter.

Batting from both sides of the plate was the first surprise the Phillies had for Quinn, a three-sport high school standout from Port St. Joe who had a football offer from Florida State as a defensive back.

"I'd never batted anything in a game except right-handed until I signed," he said.

Despite the challenge, Quinn hit .281 with 11 triples and 30 stolen bases over 66 games with Williamsport of the New York-Penn League his first season. He had 32 steals in 67 games for Lakewood of the South Atlantic League last year when his season ended prematurely because of the broken wrist.

Then he suffered a ruptured Achilles last fall while running sprints, and it was first feared that he might miss most of this season.

"I just tried to stay positive," the 21-year-old said. "I was determined to make it back earlier than they said."

Quinn was activated off the disabled list May 19 -- well ahead of schedule.

The results at the plate and on the bases have been mixed, though. After going 0-for-16 in a four-game series against Palm Beach ending July 14, Quinn's average was down to .234 and he had just nine stolen bases in 13 attempts.

Threshers fans at Bright House Field certainly haven't seen the best of Quinn, who is hitting .184 at home compared to .327 on the road.

Both of Quinn's homers have come batting left-handed, but he still seems more comfortable batting righty.

"It was hard at first. It was like starting over again," he said. "I still put more work in my left side because I know that's my weaker side."

For Quinn, the key is just getting on base. No matter where he plays, that's his ticket to Philadelphia.

"My speed is still there," he said. "The injury didn't take away that."

In brief

Tough return: Fort Myers center fielder Byron Buxton, No. 1 among MLB.com's Top 100 Prospects, was 2-for-15 over his first five games following a second stay on the disabled list. He hurt his wrist in Spring Training and then reinjured it after playing five games in May. Buxton, the second overall pick by Minnesota in the 2012 Draft, was hitting .143 with a homer and two RBIs overall. Last season the 20-year-old batted .334 between Fort Myers and Class A Cedar Rapids.

Double K's: Bradenton right-hander Tyler Glasnow reached double figures in strikeouts for the second time this season, and the victim was Tampa again. He fanned 10 over 5 2/3 scoreless innings in a 2-1 victory July 11, improving his record to 5-4 and lowering his ERA to 1.91. Glasnow, who is Pittsburgh's No. 2 prospect and ranked No. 23 overall on MLB.com's Top 100 list, allowed seven hits but walked just one. He struck out 12 over 5 2/3 scoreless innings at Tampa on May 28, giving up only one hit.

Hit parade: Jupiter third baseman Colin Moran continued his hot hitting and was batting .322 in 23 second-half games, raising his season average to .298. The sixth overall pick in the 2013 Draft by Miami out of the University of North Carolina missed the first three weeks of the season because of a knee injury suffered in Spring Training. He is the Marlins' No. 2 prospect and ranked No. 43 on MLB.com's Top 100 list.

New beginnings: Palm Beach, which finished 36-33 and five games behind Fort Myers in the South Division during the first half, has jumped to an early advantage in the second half. The Cardinals won 18 of their first 24 games and had the best second-half record in the Florida State League. Palm Beach was 12-3 on the road. The biggest turnaround, though, belonged to Daytona. The Cubs were 26-42 in the first half, but took the North Division lead in the second half with a 15-8 start.