Position players officially begin workouts today, but most have been in camp for a while.
Phillies pitchers and catchers have had their days in the sun. Now, it’s time to share the clubhouse with everyone else.
Today begins the first official workouts for all Phillies players invited to Clearwater this spring, although many have been down there for a few days already. Nick Castellanos, Alec Bohm, J.T. Realmuto and others showed up last week to get an early jump on things, but now, everyone is there as the Phils try to reach the postseason for a fourth consecutive year and earn the first World Series title of the Bryce Harper era.
Folks, it’s been 17 years since the 2008 Phillies won it all. Among the top storylines to watch among the position players over the next month:
- Finding another right-handed hitting outfielder
- J.T. Realmuto’s reduced time behind the plate
- Kyle Schwarber moving out of the leadoff spot
- Contract extensions for Realmuto and Schwarber
- A veteran-heavy lineup learning to change their approach at the plate
- Non-roster invitees who could surprise
- Minor league prospects to dream on
Reports last week indicated the Phils were interested in getting Edmundo Sosa and, perhaps more surprisingly, Realmuto some reps in the outfield, with Sosa likely to see time in left and center field. Weston Wilson is the leading candidate to win a final roster spot as a right-handed hitting outfielder who could spell Max Kepler if Dave Dombrowski’s grand plan to have him play everyday fizzles, but getting Sosa and/or Realmuto acclimated to playing the outfield could allow them to prioritize keeping a player who is out of options, like Kody Clemens, from being released.
Realmuto will clearly not see as much time behind home plate in 202, in the hopes it helps him at the plate and keeps him fresher as the season rolls along. Since 2015, no catcher in baseball has caught more games (1,228) than Realmuto (Salvado Perez, 1,149, is 2nd), so the need for him to reduce his workload is obvious. Realmuto will also get some reps at first base, as will Kyle Schwarber, who will also see some additional innings in left field this season. Manager Rob Thomson is working on positional flexibility for some of his veterans in the hopes of rotating players through the DH spot a bit more in 2025.
One interesting note… there have been no whispers that Harper could play some innings in the outfield.
In terms of the lineup, look to see who Thomson pencils in at the leadoff spot in the team’s home games this spring. Veterans usually don’t travel to away games, but most of them will be in the lineup in games played in Clearwater, and if we see Trea Turner’s name penciled in atop the lineup in those games, it’s likely proof Thomson wasn’t whistling Dixie when he said he wanted to move Schwarber down in the lineup. Schwarber will hit no lower than cleanup, and it’s clear the team has no interest in Harper leading off, either.
With Schwarber and Realmulto in the final year of their deals, will both sign extensions with the team this spring? Both said they are interested, and it’s hard to see what the Phils will do at catcher without Realmuto next year, or how the clubhouse would deal with losing the heartbeat of the locker room in Schwarber, not to mention the power and patience he provides at the plate. This is just a hunch, but expect both of them to ink deals this spring.
The Athletic’s Matt Gelb had an excellent Q&A with hitting coach Kevin Long about the veterans in the lineup changing their approach at the plate, being more disciplined and using the opposite field more, especially in the playoffs. It’s well worth your time. This, in my mind, is the key to the Phils finally winning the World Series. If that lineup doesn’t make some adjustments, it’s going to be another early exit from the October tournament.
There are some intriguing non-roster position player invitees in Clearwater this spring. Last week they invited two additional players — infielder Christian Arroyo and outfielder Óscar Mercado — to camp. Mercado is a right-handed hitter who has a .677 career OPS over 298 major League games. Mercado played for the Phillies for half a minute in 2022, appearing in one game with one plate appearance in a Phils uniform.
Perhaps more interesting are the position player prospects. Aiden Miller and Justin Crawford will have the most eyeballs on them, as both could be ticketed to the big leagues as early as this season, although 2026 is more likely. Some others to watch include Gabriel Rincones Jr., Matt Kroon and Otto Kemp, none of whom would be expected to play a major role in 2025 but could be called up in much the same way Cal Stevenson and Buddy Kennedy were a year ago.
The Phillies’ first spring training game is just six days away, this Saturday afternoon against the Tigers, so baseball season is officially here!