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Bryson Stott

Phillies Exploring Outfield, Right-Handed Relief Markets

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The Phillies head into the offseason with a star-studded roster and substantial payroll obligation, though owner John Middleton has already expressed confidence that the 2025 payroll will increase. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has at multiple points hinted at potential trades rather than free agent pursuits, speaking of a need to be “open-minded” as he looks to augment a roster that’s been a perennial playoff club but fallen shy of a World Series win (or even a World Series appearance). The Athletic’s Matt Gelb reports that the Phils have signaled a desire to add an outfielder and at least one right-handed reliever.

As laid out in our Phillies Offseason Outlook, adding in the outfield is one of the most logical pursuits for a Phillies club that has established contributors at catcher (J.T. Realmuto), first base (Bryce Harper), second base (Bryson Stott), shortstop (Trea Turner), third base (Alec Bohm), right field (Nick Castellanos) and designated hitter (Kyle Schwarber). Brandon Marsh and Johan Rojas offer options in the remaining two outfield spots, but the Phils aren’t likely to simply roll the same lineup back out in 2024 after another shorter-than-hoped season. Marsh and Rojas could form a platoon, as Marsh bats left-handed to the more defensively gifted Rojas’ right-handed bat. That’d open a path for one incoming outfielder, but Dombrowski’s repeated chorus of “open-minded” approaches to reshaping his offense have prompted natural speculation about trades.

From that standpoint, it’s hard to imagine deals involving Realmuto, Harper, Turner and Schwarber. All have been viewed as core pieces in Philadelphia. The Phillies would probably love to move on from the final two years and $40MM on Castellanos’ contract, but Castellanos is a poor defender who hasn’t hit nearly as well in Philadelphia as he did in his free-agent platform season with the Reds. The Phils would need to pay down a good portion of that contract and/or include a prospect to find a taker.

Bohm, Marsh, Stott and to a lesser extent Rojas are the big league position players who could more plausibly be flipped elsewhere as the Phillies try to reshape their identity. Gelb also lists lefty starter Ranger Suarez as a possibility. Their contractual statuses are as follows:

  • Suarez: Controlled through 2025 via arbitration, projected to earn $8.9MM in 2025 (via MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz)
  • Bohm: Controlled through 2026 via arbitration, projected to earn $8.1MM in 2025 (via Swartz)
  • Marsh: Controlled through 2027 via arbitration, projected to earn $3MM in 2025 (via Swartz)
  • Stott: Controlled through 2027 via arbitration, projected to earn $3.5MM in 2025 (via Swartz)
  • Rojas: Controlled through 2029, pre-arbitration in 2025

Obviously, the valuation on each player will vary. Suarez would be a one-year rental for a club and would require the Phils — already in need of a starter and likely hoping to dump the remaining two years and $36MM on Taijuan Walker’s contract this offseason — to replace him. He posted a 3.46 ERA with strong strikeout (23.2%) and walk (6.5%) rates in 150 2/3 innings this season but also missed a month with a back injury and struggled from July through September. Plenty of teams would still love to plug him into their rotation.

Bohm is the most consistently productive but has the highest salary and lowest amount of club control remaining of the position players. He also cooled off considerably after a blistering start to the season. He was one of the game’s most productive hitters through early March (.360/.430/.576 in 142 plate appearances) before reverting to his usual brand of roughly average offense for the remainder of the season (.256/.302/.410 over his next 464 plate appearances). Bohm improved his glovework this year and hit righties better than usual but was still notably more productive against left-handed pitching.

Marsh can handle all three outfield spots but is best suited for left field. He’s never hit lefties well but is well above-average versus righties. He runs well and could probably pop 20 homers with a full season of at-bats, though that’d mean lesser rate stats and more plate appearances versus lefties. He’s hit 28 homers in 948 plate appearances across the past two seasons. Marsh is a useful part-time player, but his 31% strikeout rate since 2023 (and 32.8% career mark) is rather concerning, especially since he’s been platooned so often.

Stott is a plus defender and strong baserunner with 15-homer pop. He makes plenty of contact but has really only had one average season at the plate (2023), in addition to a pair of below-average campaigns during which he’s still been a solid overall contributor because of his glove and speed. If a team with budget problems and no concrete option at shortstop would view him as an outside-the-box candidate at short, his market could expand. Stott hasn’t graded as well there in 770 big league innings but has more than 2000 professional innings at short.

Rojas is an even more extreme case of the speed-and-defense skill set. He’s a plus center fielder with excellent speed but turned in just a .243/.279/.322 slash in 2024 (68 wRC+) and is a career .261/.298/.355 hitter (81 wRC+) in 527 big league plate appearances.

Dombrowski has publicly suggested that he needs to be open to trading “good players” in order to get talent in return. Speculatively speaking, Bohm feels like the most plausible fit, as he’s set to earn the most money, has the least club control remaining and plays a position (third base) where the free-agent market is quite thin this offseason. There could be paths to flipping Bohm for a bullpen arm, a back-of-the-rotation starter or an outfielder, and shedding his payroll could also free the Phillies to pursue other options at the hot corner or give them more money to address needs elsewhere on the roster.

Former Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. and longtime Phils beat writers Todd Zolecki and Jim Salisbury took a deep dive into the possibilities on the latest episode of their podcast. All three acknowledged that Dombrowski’s repeated phrases this offseason have not-so-quietly signaled a trade is likely. In addition to repeating the “open-minded” line on several occasions, Dombrowski has at least twice suggested the Phillies have enough star players on the roster. At his end-of-season press conference, Dombrowski said his club has “as many star players as about anybody in baseball” before adding that sometimes “the supporting cast” is where the biggest need sits.

Gelb notes in the previously referenced piece that Dombrowski doubled down on that thinking at this week’s GM Meetings. Asked if the Phils would be “big-game hunting” this winter, the Phils’ president replied: “Our ownership allows us to do a lot of things. But sometimes that’s not what you want. We have a lot of good star players on our team. So, read that as you would.”

Phillies Place Didi Gregorius On 10-Day IL, Promote Bryson Stott

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The Phillies announced that shortstop Didi Gregorius has been placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to May 5.  Gregorius is dealing with a left knee sprain.  He’ll be replaced on the active roster by Bryson Stott, who has been called up from Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

While Gregorius’ .288/.338/.356 slash line over 65 plate appearances isn’t anything overwhelming, it does count as above-average production (102 wRC+, 105 OPS+) within an offensively-challenged 2022 season.  At the very least, it does represent a step up from Gregorius’ disappointing numbers over his first season in Philadelphia, and that lack of performance left Gregorius’ starting status very much in question heading into this year.

Stott even broke camp with the Phillies out of Spring Training, a sign that the club was ready and willing to let the former first-rounder usurp Gregorius’ starting shortstop job entirely.  However, Stott hit only .133/.161/.167 over his first 31 PA in the majors, and he was sent back to Triple-A for some more seasoning.

The top prospect seems to have gotten on track in the minors, as Stott has a .986 OPS over his 40 PA at the Triple-A level.  This doesn’t necessarily mean that Stott will just slide right into regular duty with Gregorius out, as utilityman Johan Camargo is on hand for at least a timeshare and perhaps even the bulk of starting assignments at shortstop.

Phillies Select Roman Quinn, Option Bryson Stott

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The Phillies announced this evening they’ve selected outfielder Roman Quinn onto the big league club. Infielder Bryson Stott was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley to open active roster space. In order to clear a 40-man roster spot, left-hander Ryan Sherriff was transferred to the 60-day injured list.

Quinn returns to the Phils’ active roster for a sixth season. A former second-round pick, he was among the better prospects in the Philadelphia farm system for some time. His athleticism, speed and solid minor league production made him a potential regular center fielder, but the switch-hitting outfielder hasn’t managed to cement himself as an everyday player. That’s in large part due to injury, as Quinn missed notable time every season between 2013-19 and again in 2021. His latest malady was a ruptured left Achilles tendon that ended his 2021 season in May.

Primarily because of his health history, Quinn has just 512 MLB plate appearances under his belt despite pushing 29 years old and having first reached the majors six years ago. He’s a .228/.306/.355 hitter in that time, but he’s stolen 39 bases and garnered solid defensive ratings. He’ll offer the Phils some extra cover in center field, where Matt Vierling has gotten out to a poor start. The Phils recently activated Odúbel Herrera from the injured list, and he’ll probably get the lion’s share of playing time in center. Herrera is coming off a fine but unspectacular .260/.310/.416 showing and spent the first few weeks of the season on the shelf because of an oblique strain.

The Phils outrighted Quinn off the 40-man roster at the end of last season. He qualified for minor league free agency, then inked a non-roster pact with the division-rival Marlins. After failing to crack the Opening Day roster in Miami, he triggered an opt-out clause and went back to the open market. Quinn returned to Philadelphia on a minor league deal a few weeks ago, and he quickly made it back to the big leagues after reaching base in 13 of his 25 plate appearances in Triple-A. Quinn is out of minor league options, so now that he’s back in the majors, the Phils have to either keep him on the active roster or designate him for assignment.

Stott, one of the Phils’ top prospects, broke camp with the club and was the Opening Day third baseman. The 24-year-old appeared in nine games during his first major league run but started his MLB career just 4-30 with a walk and ten strikeouts. Stott’s chase rate on pitches outside the strike zone was a bit elevated, and he hasn’t gotten the start in any of the team’s last six games.

Alec Bohm has gotten off to a strong start at the plate and has been playing third base, while the Phils have turned to switch-hitting utilityman Johan Camargo (himself on a nice run to open the year) at shortstop over the last week. Didi Gregorius hasn’t played since Tuesday because of a bruised left hand, but the team hasn’t placed him on the injured list and figures to work him in at shortstop frequently once he’s again ready to go.

With the more experienced infield options outplaying Stott early on, the Phils elected him to send him back to the minors for regular reps. The former first-round pick only played in ten games with Lehigh Valley late last season, as he spent the bulk of the year with Double-A Reading. Stott posted an impressive .301/.368/.481 line there, but he’ll now get a bit more run at the minors’ top level. The Phillies figure to bring Stott back to the majors before too long if he replicates his Double-A production for the IronPigs.

Sherriff, claimed off waivers from the Rays last offseason, opened the season on the injured list due to a shoulder strain. There’s no timetable for his return, but he won’t be back until at least the first week of June. He’s out for sixty-plus days from Opening Day, meaning he can’t return until June 6 at the earliest.

Phillies Place Moniak On IL; Recall Muzziotti

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TODAY: The Phillies announced they’ve placed Moniak on the 10-day IL, and they’ve recalled Simon Muzziotti from Double-A.  The 23-year-old Muzziotti, who hails from Venezuela, ranked 10th among Phillies prospects according to Baseball America.  BA gave Muzziotti a 55 grade, noting he’s a plus defender and one of the best hitters in the club’s farm system.

YESTERDAY: Phillies outfielder Mickey Moniak recently suffered a fracture in his right hand, reports Mike Gill of 97.3 ESPN (Twitter link). Gill suggests he’ll miss four-to-six weeks, while Bob Nightengale of USA Today indicates it’ll be nearer to the end of that timetable.

Moniak was hit by a pitch in his final exhibition game. While initial x-rays suggested he’d suffered only a bone bruise, further testing revealed the more unfortunate diagnosis. Moniak is certain to wind up on the injured list, a disappointing development after the club announced this morning that he’d made the Opening Day roster.

The left-handed hitting Moniak has made 55 plate appearances in 29 big league games. He’s not coming off a great season, as he hit just .238/.299/.447 in 99 contests with Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Moniak has never developed into the kind of impact hitter the Phils were hoping when they selected him with the first overall pick in the 2016 draft. He has some speed and can play all three outfield positions, though, making him a possible fourth or fifth outfield option for skipper Joe Girardi.

Losing Moniak only further thins a center field group that already looks like the weak point on the Philadelphia roster. Presumptive starter Odúbel Herrera is on the IL as well after straining an oblique in Spring Training. Matt Vierling looks like the favorite for center field run in the early going, with prospect Simon Muzziotti a candidate for his first MLB call.

Vierling had a nice showing during his first big league run last September, but his .248/.331/.359 line with the IronPigs is far from overwhelming. Baseball America raked Muzziotti tenth in the Phillies farm system this offseason, praising his plus center field defense and athleticism but raising some concerns about his offensive impact. The 23-year-old only has twelve career games above A-ball.

Additionally, the Phils placed catcher Rafael Marchan on the 60-day injured list with a left hamstring strain, according to the club’s transactions tracker at MLB.com. The move clears a 40-man roster spot for top prospect Bryson Stott, who has been promoted to make his major league debut, as previously reported.

Bryson Stott To Make Phillies Opening Day Roster

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The Phillies will carry top shortstop prospect Bryson Stott on the Opening Day roster, the team informed reporters (including Todd Zolecki of MLB.com). They’ll need to clear a spot for him on the 40-man roster before Thursday’s game. The team will also carry third baseman Alec Bohm on the big league club. Matt Gelb of the Athletic wrote yesterday that keeping both players on the roster was under consideration.

The pair of young infielders figure to see a good bit time together on the left side of the infield. Stott, presumably, will play regularly at shortstop. Bohm figures to handle the hot corner on most days, getting another crack to take hold of the position after a sophomore slump saw him optioned to Triple-A late last season.

It’ll be the first MLB look for Stott, whom the Phils selected 14th overall out of UNLV in the 2019 draft. The left-handed hitting infielder was regarded as a well-rounded shortstop prospect coming out of college, and he moved fairly quickly up the minor league ladder. Stott mashed in the low minors late in 2019, and he picked up where he left off last year after the canceled minors season.

The 24-year-old tallied 351 plate appearances with Double-A Reading, hitting .301/.368/.481 with ten homers. Stott posted solid walk and strikeout numbers and earned a late-season bump to Triple-A. Despite playing in only ten games with Lehigh Valley, he’ll step up to the major league level.

Each of Baseball America, The Athletic, ESPN, MLB Pipeline and FanGraphs placed Stott among the game’s top 100 prospects this offseason. FanGraphs was the most bullish of the group, ranking him the #34 prospect in the sport. General consensus among evaluators is that he’ll be a productive everyday player in the near future. Stott doesn’t get overwhelming grades for any of his physical tools, but he’s seen as a polished defensive shortstop with good bat-to-ball skills and average or better raw power.

Stott’s promotion figures to result in less playing time for incumbent shortstop Didi Gregorius. The Phils brought back the veteran on a two-year deal last offseason, but his 2021 production was disappointing. Gregorius hit just .209/.270/.370 in 103 games. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski acknowledged at the start of the offseason the 32-year-old wouldn’t be guaranteed the primary shortstop job, pointing to Stott as a possible internal alternative.

Jean Segura is lined up as the everyday second baseman, and carrying Stott and Bohm could push Gregorius into a utility role. The Phils also signed Johan Camargo to a one-year deal this winter, giving manager Joe Girardi a few options for juggling playing time. Much figures to depend on how well Stott and Bohm start the season. Bohm, a former #3 overall pick and top prospect, had an excellent rookie showing in 2020 but is coming off a season (.247/.305/.342) not too much stronger than Gregorius’. He still has a pair of minor league option years remaining, increasing the pressure to stake a claim to the everyday third base job early in the season.

As a consensus Top 100 prospect, Stott’s immediate big league promotion could result in the Phils accruing some extra draft capital down the line. The new collective bargaining agreement includes the so-called Prospect Promotion Incentive, a feature that could entitle the Phils to a bonus selection in the amateur or international drafts (if the international draft is ultimately instituted) depending upon his finishes in Rookie of the Year or MVP voting before he reaches arbitration eligibility.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Phillies Interested In Matt Chapman

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The Phillies have shown interest in A’s third baseman Matt Chapman, but unsurprisingly, the Athletics have put a big price tag on the Gold Glover.  In exchange for Chapman, Oakland is asking for one of the Phillies’ top prospects as the centerpiece of a trade package, Alex Coffey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports, with such names as shortstop Bryson Stott or right-handers Mick Abel and Andrew Painter mentioned as the caliber of prospect the Athletics would have in mind.

Since Philadelphia’s farm system is short on premium talent, naturally the “Phillies have been reluctant to” part with any of their best youngsters in a Chapman deal, Coffey writes.  President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has a long history of trading quality minor league talent for proven big leaguers, however, and it is possible that giving up another blue-chip prospect would simply be the necessary cost to pry Chapman away from the A’s.

While the Athletics’ payroll-cutting endeavors have already begun with tonight’s Chris Bassitt trade with the Mets (a Phillies NL East rival, no less), Billy Beane’s front office isn’t going to move Chapman for pure salary-dump purposes.  At his best, Chapman has shown he is one of the game’s best all-around players, combining consistently superb third base defense with some big offensive numbers, particularly in 2018 and 2019.  Over the last two years, however, Chapman’s average and OBP totals have dropped off, while his strikeouts have ballooned — Chapman’s 33.1% strikeout rate is the third-highest of any qualified hitter in baseball since the start of the 2020 season.

The Phillies and other trade suitors (the Yankees and Mariners have been linked to Chapman earlier this winter) could use this downturn to try and negotiate a lesser trade return for the third baseman, yet that tactic might not work given the amount of interest in his services.  Chapman is projected for a $9.5MM salary in 2022 and also has another arbitration year remaining in 2023, with that extra control only adding to the Athletics’ high asking price.

Alec Bohm (himself a former top prospect) is penciled into Philadelphia’s third base role for Opening Day, though Bohm’s defensive struggles have already led to speculation that a position change could be in his future.  Bohm’s lack of production at the plate in 2021 also didn’t help his cause, even if countless players have dealt with the so-called sophomore slump.  Theoretically, the Phillies could acquire Chapman and then move Bohm across the diamond into a first base/DH split with Rhys Hoskins, though such a move would then lock up the Phils’ DH spot.

Stott is also a factor in the team’s infield plans, as the 14th overall pick of the 2019 draft has been viewed as a candidate to both make his MLB debut in 2022, and also immediately step into a regular role.  This could be as a shortstop if Didi Gregorius is traded, perhaps at second base if the Phillies opted to instead deal Jean Segura, or maybe even at the hot corner, if the Phillies decide to switch Bohm’s position even without acquiring a proven veteran like Chapman.  While the Phillies surely also prize Abel and Painter, it would seem on paper that Stott might be the most untouchable of the trio, given Stott’s importance to Philadelphia’s infield plans.

Phillies Notes: Stott, Mattingly, Player Development, Bench

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Bryson Stott is expected to make his MLB debut in 2022, with the Phillies hoping that the top prospect can provide some immediate help to a lineup that both has plenty of holes, and is in need of a youth infusion.  Stott has spent most of his two pro seasons at shortstop, but “if I have to move over [to another position], it is what it is,” Stott told NBC Sports’ Jim Salisbury and other reporters.  “I just want to do anything I can do to get to Philadelphia and help that city and that team win.  So whatever it may be, if it’s short or anywhere else, it’s obviously not up to me.”

Stott has also seen action at second and third base during his time in the minors, giving the Phillies some flexibility in determining both his eventual everyday role and what they might pursue roster-wise once the lockout is over.  Second baseman Jean Segura is entering the last year of his contract and third baseman Alec Bohm is looking to bounce back from a rough 2021, and might not stick at third base over the long term anyway.  It is also possible Stott might simply remain at shortstop, given how president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said back in October that incumbent Didi Gregorius wasn’t a guaranteed to even return in 2022, let alone remain the starting shortstop.  The Phillies will benefit from some extra time to monitor Stott during ongoing minor league minicamps and minor league spring camp next month, as Stott isn’t locked out since he isn’t yet on Philadelphia’s 40-man roster.

More from the City of Brotherly Love….

  • A breakout performance from Stott would be a nice win for a Phillies organization has had well-documented issues in drafting and developing players who eventually contribute at the big league level.  Newly-hired player development director Preston Mattingly has a lot of work ahead in turning things around, though Mattingly told MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki and other reporters that “our system’s a lot deeper than people give it credit….I’ve had the pleasure of seeing a bunch of other teams’ top guys, and I think the guys in our system stack up with those guys.  They don’t get the recognition that others do.”  In the first months of his tenure, Mattingly has prioritized improving communication within the organization and throughout the different levels of the minor leagues, focusing on making sure that “everybody has the same message when it goes from staff to players…getting everybody with a consistent message going in the same direction” and also that the players themselves are well-informed about the team’s plans.  As Mattingly put it, “it’s all a team effort, right?  The players, the staff — it’s a two-way street.  We got to work together; it’s their career, we’re trying to help them in any way possible.”
  • Bench depth and pinch-hitting are both areas of need for the Phillies to address after the lockout, as The Athletic’s Matt Gelb notes that the team got very little pop from their pinch-hitters in 2021.  The likely introduction of the universal DH will create the need for more position-player help, as Gelb indicates that the Phillies are going to rotate their everyday starters through the DH position rather than have a regular designated hitter.

Phillies Prioritizing Bullpen, Outfield Upgrades

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It’s the first full offseason as Phillies president of baseball operations for Dave Dombrowski — he joined the team in mid-December last year — and he kicked things off be speaking rather candidly about his club’s needs while addressing reporters at this week’s GM Meetings in California. Notably, Dombrowski indicated that he’s received a budget from owner John Middleton that he does not “find restrictive” (Twitter link via Matt Gelb of The Athletic) and that he’s already begun to map out his offseason priorities.

“If I had to say one thing, I’d probably say I’d like to have somebody that can close a game for us, and count on it,” Dombrowski said while also labeling left field and center field as “complete necessities” (link via NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Jim Salisbury). The veteran baseball ops leader has myriad avenues to pursue upgrades at all three of those spots, though he did note a “preference” not to surrender a draft pick when signing a free agent this winter. That’s far from a hard declaration that the Phils will be out on the likes of Raisel Iglesias, Michael Conforto, Nick Castellanos and Chris Taylor, but the fact that all four of those players received a QO has to factor into the calculus when contemplating them as a fit for the Phils.

Speculatively looking to some higher-end free agents who did not receive a qualifying offer, Starling Marte makes a good bit of sense in center field, while the left field market could include Kris Bryant (a close friend of Bryce Harper), Kyle Schwarber, Avisail Garcia, Mark Canha and others. In the bullpen, Kenley Jansen, Corey Knebel and Kendall Graveman are among the top relievers who didn’t receive qualifying offers. This year’s saves leader, Mark Melancon, is also a free agent.

Of course, names like Graveman and, in particular, Melancon are somewhat questionable fits given the Phillies’ woeful infield defense in 2021. Improving the glovework around the infield ought to be a major priority for Dombrowski as well — particularly given the presence of so many ground-ball pitchers in the rotation mix (e.g. Kyle Gibson, Ranger Suarez and even ace Zack Wheeler).  The Phillies ranked as one of the worst defensive units in MLB last season, which has been a recurring theme in recent years.

That segues nicely into other potential area of need for the Phillies: shortstop. While it wasn’t specifically highlighted by Dombrowski, Salisbury notes that the Phils are indeed looking for an upgrade at that position. That comes as little surprise after Dombrowski already made clear that veteran Didi Gregorius is not guaranteed the starting job next year — even in spite of the $14.5MM he’s owed in 2022 (the second season of a two-year contract). The Phils could certainly jump into the free-agent market at shortstop, but doing so would impact their ability to fill the top needs listed by their second-year president. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal suggests it may be something they pursue more opportunistically, in the event that a high-end shortstop’s market doesn’t materialize as hoped.

One potential in-house alternative to Gregorius comes in the form of 2019 first-rounder Bryson Stott, whom Dombrowski praised at length during yesterday’s chat with the Phillies beat (link via Matt Breen of the Philadelphia Inquirer). Phils fans, in particular, will want to check out the full slate of Dombrowski’s quotes to draw their own conclusions, but he explained that he’s already told Stott to come to Spring Training “with the mindset of trying to win a job” rather than simply being happy to be there. No promises have been made to Stott, but Dombrowski acknowledged that his presence impacts the manner in which the Phils will approach the free-agent market for shortstops.

Stott, who turned 24 shortly after the season ended, soared from Class-A to Triple-A (10 games) in 2021, hitting a combined .299/.390/.486 with 16 home runs, 26 doubles, a pair of triples, 10 steals (in 14 tries), a 22.2% strikeout rate and a 13.3% walk rate across three levels.  The No. 14 overall selection in 2019 also played in this year’s Arizona Fall League and turned in a hearty .299/.446/.403 line in 92 plate appearances.

Stott could theoretically move to another spot (e.g. second base, third base) if the Phils add a shortstop or if Gregorius looks resurgent in Spring Training following an offseason elbow surgery. However, the combined presence of Stott, Gregorius, first baseman Rhys Hoskins, veteran second baseman Jean Segura and young third baseman Alec Bohm (who finished third in 2020 Rookie of the Year voting before struggling in 2021) gives the Phils more options in the infield than in the outfield or at the back of the bullpen.

The Phillies currently project to carry a payroll of about $171MM, per Roster Resource’s Jason Martinez — a lofty number but one that also sits well shy of last year’s approximately $205MM mark. Philadelphia also avoided paying the luxury tax in 2021, which could make crossing the threshold more palatable in 2022. Then again, it’s hard to glean anything about teams’ comfort level with respect to the luxury tax, as the structure of that system will be one of the most critical factors during the ongoing collective bargaining negotiations.

Dombrowski: Gregorius Not Guaranteed Phillies’ Starting Shortstop Job In 2022

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The Phillies remained in playoff contention until the final week of the season but ultimately came up short, missing the postseason for the tenth consecutive year. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski conducted his end-of-season press conference this afternoon (video provided by 97.3 FM ESPN) and offered some insight into the front office’s plans for returning to contention next year.

Dombrowski suggested the team was prioritizing lineup help, pointing to their need to complement Bryce Harper in the middle of the order and for more production from the leadoff spot. (Phillies leadoff hitters had a .236/.302/.404 cumulative slash line that ranked third-worst in the league by measure of wRC+). One potential position at which the Phils could look to upgrade is shortstop, where incumbent Didi Gregorius struggled to a .209/.270/.370 line over 408 plate appearances.

When asked whether Gregorius would return as the club’s top shortstop option, Dombrowski was noncommittal. “It very well could be him. But he knows, we’ve had a discussion with him that he needs to be better. And we’re in a position where we also are going to be open-minded to what’s going to take place at shortstop next year. It could be internal, could be him if he comes back. …. Maybe it is him. He’ll come in (next season) in shape, but he’s not guaranteed — and he’s been told — that he’s for sure the shortstop. It doesn’t mean he can’t play other positions for us too, and maybe we’ll have a DH that’ll be a part of our club too.”

Gregorius is guaranteed $14.5MM next season under the terms of last winter’s two-year free agent deal. In addition to his offensive struggles, Gregorius rated as eleven runs below average by measure of Defensive Runs Saved. Dombrowski alluded to the 31-year-old’s issues with the glove, a microcosm of a team-wide issue for the Phils throughout the past few seasons.

Bryson Stott, the Phillies first-round pick out of UNLV in 2019, has spent the bulk of his minor league career at shortstop. The 24-year-old hit a solid .301/.368/.481 with ten home runs over 351 plate appearances at Double-A Reading, earning a late-season bump to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Dombrowski said Stott could factor into the shortstop mix next season, but it’s also easy to connect the Phils to the star-studded upcoming free agent class at the position.

Dombrowski suggested the Phillies didn’t feel adding a star player was inherently necessary, pointing to Harper, J.T. Realmuto, Rhys Hoskins, Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola as among the club’s impact players. That’s indeed an enviable core, but this offseason presents a unique opportunity to land a potential marquee shortstop. The Phillies have made big free agent splashes in each of the past three winters — signing Harper, Wheeler and Realmuto in succession. Those players have hefty contracts on the books through at least 2024, but the Philadelphia organization has long been one of the game’s biggest spenders.

In the estimation of Jason Martinez of Roster Resource, the Phillies already have north of $142MM in both actual payroll and luxury tax commitments on the books for next season. That’s before accounting for arbitration raises for Hoskins and Zach Eflin that’ll likely tack on another $12-15MM. The Phils entered the 2021 campaign with an estimated payroll just north of $191MM, per Cot’s Baseball Contracts, although they did take on some additional salary midseason by acquiring Kyle Gibson and Ian Kennedy at the trade deadline.

It’s possible the Phils could invest heavily at the top of the shortstop market, although that’d leave them without much more breathing room to address other potential areas of need like center field, third base and the bullpen before approaching this year’s spending level. That’d be less of a concern were owner John Middleton is willing to sign off on further spending, though, and Dombrowski suggested Middleton had expressed openness to exceeding the luxury tax threshold this past trade deadline to accommodate a potential impact addition. Ultimately, the Phils did not surpass the CBT threshold, and next year’s tax threshold remains unknown, subject to the upcoming collective bargaining negotiations.

It remains to be seen in which specific direction the Phils will go, but Dombrowski’s long been known as one of the league’s most aggressive executives. There was never any expectation the club would have any interest in taking a step back, but Dombrowski’s presser only served to confirm the Phillies are again looking to address weak points on the roster and build around their high-end core.

Phillies Add Three To Player Pool

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The Phillies announced that they’ve added right-hander Adonis Medina, infielder/outfielder Austin Listi and infielder Bryson Stott to their 60-man player pool. All three will report to the club’s alternate training site.

Medina, 23, entered the 2019 season ranked among baseball’s best pitching prospects, but he struggled to a 4.94 ERA with 7.0 K/9 against 3.5 BB/9 in a pitcher-friendly Double-A setting last year, causing his stock to drop a bit. Armed with a mid-90s sinker that has typically generated above-average ground-ball rates and a well-regarded changeup, he’ll give the Phillies a relatively advanced arm to lean on for depth while also continuing to get some critical developmental reps with the rest of the player pool. Medina is already on the 40-man roster.

Listi, 26, has played all four corner positions in the Phillies’ minor league system. First base has been his most frequent position, but he has at least 323 innings at each of left field, right field and third base as well. Listi split the 2019 season between Double-A and Triple-A, batting a combined .252/.344/.434 with 19 home run, 24 doubles and a pair of triples in 545 plate appearances. He walked at a 10.5 percent clip and punched out in 19.4 percent of his plate appearances. Given his ability to handle multiple positions and his experience up through the Triple-A level, Listi could emerge as an option at the MLB level in 2020.

Stott, meanwhile, was the team’s first-round pick in 2019 and seems like much more of a long shot to be considered for the big leagues in 2020. The Phillies took a conservative approach with the UNLV product last year, assigning him to their Rookie-level affiliate and then short-season Class-A club — where as a first-round college bat he was much more advanced than most of his competition. Stott did what one would expect of an advanced bat in that setting, as he logged a strong .295/.391/.494 slash in 193 plate appearances. Even though he seems unlikely to be called up this year, Stott will benefit from simulated game reps and work with the team’s staff in Lehigh Valley.

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