The Phillies have signed catcher Austin Wynns to a minor league deal, according to The Athletic’s Matt Gelb (Twitter link). Wynns will receive an invitation to Philadelphia’s big league spring camp.
Beyond J.T. Realmuto, the Phils’ catching depth chart includes Garrett Stubbs (acquired in a trade from the Astros back in November), Rafael Marchan, and now Wynns in terms of backstops with MLB experience. This trio figures to compete for the role of Realmuto’s backup, as former Phillies catcher Andrew Knapp moved on to sign a minor league deal with the Reds prior to the lockout.
Wynns has seen action in three of the last four MLB seasons, only missing out on the shortened 2020 campaign. Known for his defense and game-calling abilities, Wynns has only a .216/.255/.326 slash line over 331 plate appearances in the majors and also had pretty modest minor league production. The 31-year-old has hit .267/.338/.369 over 2044 career PA in the minors, all in the Orioles’ farm system.
The Phillies aren’t necessarily in need of a big bat as Realmuto’s understudy, and both Wynns and Stubbs offer a pretty similar defensive profile, though Stubbs has hit a bit more at the minor league level. Marchan is the in-house prospect of the group, and he has been suggested as a potential trade candidate as a player squeezed between Realmuto and another catching prospect in Logan O’Hoppe.
rafael marchan trade incoming?
Could also be because they have so many pitchers in camp along with a short timeframe to sort them all out…
Grats Austin, Poway bro done good!
Marchan, Bohm, and didi to tribe for Jose Ramirez. Announce it.
For your sanity I hope this is a joke. Marchan who can’t hit and has no power, a struggling strike out prospect in Bohm who was rushed to the majors and a washed up SS for a very good Major League 3B. Come back to reality.
You mean a future gg catcher, the runner up ROY from a year ago, and a candidate for comeback player of the year? CLE should throw in some bonus pool money to make it work. Nice try though.
As a Phillies fan, you are delirious if you think that package would even get Cleveland’s attention.
“Could be comeback player of the year this year” is another way of saying “had a bad year last year.
Hey metsie1…been quite awhile..hope things are good with you..
Right back at ya Dads, Boy do I miss the Phillies MLB page.(Phillies fan)
How are your Birds doing?
Still have two of them..lost one about 4 months ago
Sorry to hear that, I know you gave him/her a great life.
By the way, Speaking about the MLB site and the loss of the ability to converse with all of our friends we made all over the world, I had a back and forth with Todd Zoleckie about it. He claimed he didn’t know anything about it. If MLB was as concerned with growing ML Baseball, they missed a great opportunity. Each day we had the Game Day Threads to talk (write) about….it was fun..
I agree with you 100%
I think this package is just a little short..IF Ramirez were a one year rental. Even if it was, I don’t see Didi as anything other than a fan coming up with ideas that get him off their roster. Possible come back player of the year? Ya maybe but why should Cleveland take on this risk when they have a trade chip as valuable as Ramirez? To land Cleveland’s star third bagger, a better comparison is probably what the Braves paid to get Olson; two top 100 prospects plus company and that’s only if Cleveland isn’t demanding major league ready pieces
That’s one way to get in the Wynn column.
Obviously the most significant signing of the week for the Phils.
Marchan’s getting dealt, right? that’s six possible C between MLB and AAA.
I’d rather him than o’hoppe.
as in dealing Marchan or keeping him?
It wasn’t so long ago RAJ was searching for catchers to replace Chooch…the team had nothing in the system
They’re one Wynn above replacement, and the season hasn’t started!
Could one argue they are now one Wynn below replacement?
Is Donny Sands already out of the running or something?
Phillies over Twins in 2084