Brandon Marsh and Bryson Stott didn’t make “the leap” in 2024… can they do it in 2025?
During the heat of last year’s pennant race, it became clear exactly what Rob Thomson and the front office thought of two of their young stars, Bryson Stott and Brandon Marsh.
Buddy Kennedy was getting starts against left-handed pitchers over Stott. Marsh was sitting for Weston Wilson and Johan Rojas. Two Day Care mainstays who appeared to be on the cusp of stardom after outstanding 2023 seasons were officially platoon players only after struggling mightily against left-handers and, in Stott’s case in particular, everyone in ‘24.
In ‘23, Stott hit .280/.329/.419 with a .747 OPS and was worth 4.3 bWAR. Last year, he slumped to a .245/.315/.356 slash line with a .671 OPS. He hit just 19 doubles after clubbing 32 the year before and saw his WAR fall to 2.5. His hard-hit percentage fell from 35.3% to 30.9%.
Marsh hit .277/.372/.458 for an .829 OPS in 472 PAs in 2023, worth 3.4 WAR. Last season, playing mostly left field, he batted just .249/.328/.419 with a .727 OPS, with a 3.1 WAR. His drop-off was not as severe as Stott’s, although it was significant.
For Stott, it appears as though an elbow injury may have been the culprit for much of his struggles, and the hope is a healthier start to the 2025 season may be the ticket for him to become a 4-5 win player again. Marsh must improve against southpaws (.552 OPS, 33 strikeouts in 90 PAs against them last year) in order to take the next step in his progression, and even improving a little bit could result in him becoming the impact outfield bat the Phillies so desperately need.
Marsh finished with a WAR of 3.1 last season, Stott’s was 2.5. In a Q&A with The Athletic’s Matt Gelb this week, Kevin Long said it’s time for these two players, as well as Alec Bohm, to step up.
“We can lean on guys like Stott and Bohm and Marsh to be more superstar-type players instead of guys that kind of help the superstars. I think the world of Marsh. I think the world of Bohm and I think the world of Stott. If they were on another ballclub — and I don’t need to mention names — would they be one of their better players? Absolutely. That should be where they are here. They can help quite a bit. It’s time for them to turn into those stars, those guys that every team in baseball would want.”
Which of these Day Care Phillies is most likely to become a “star” in 2025?