There are a few players who have been playing themselves into the conversation of making the Opening Day roster.
The Phillies are just three weeks away from playing games that count. Coming into spring training, there were not many spots on the Opening Day roster that were up for grabs. The bullpen seems to be set. The bench likely has two openings that need to be filled.
Barring unforeseen circumstances, Edmundo Sosa, Garrett Stubbs, and Josh Harrison will leave Clearwater occupying three of the team’s bench spots. Given the versatility of Sosa and Harrison, the Phillies have some options for the remaining two bench roles. Luckily, there are a few players who have had productive springs thus far, keeping their options open.
One player who has been turning some heads this spring is Jake Cave. He was claimed off waivers in early December by the Phillies. Cave is a left-handed bat that is listed as a left fielder. He has played all three outfield positions in his career, however. This spring Cave is hitting .474 with a 1.577 OPS. Those numbers are inflated and will not be sustainable, but he is making a case to be the team’s fourth outfielder.
First baseman, Darick Hall, has also had a solid spring to this point. In 19 at-bats, Hall has hit two homeruns and has an OPS of 1.093. Hall has shown the ability to hit right-handed pitching in the Majors. Hitting against left-handed pitchers has been his deficiency. If Hall can continue to show off his power, he would be a good fit as a left-handed bat off the bench or a designated hitter against right-handed pitchers.
Another player vying for a bench spot is the newly acquired Kody Clemens. Clemens— the son of former MLB pitcher Roger Clemens— was part of the trade that sent Matt Vierling and Nick Maton to the Detroit Tigers in exchange for Gregory Soto. Clemens had not really done much in his short time as a Major League player to this point, but he is having a nice spring. He has hit two homeruns and is hitting .353 in 17 at-bats so far. Clemens is primarily an infielder but has played some outfield during his brief career. While there is still plenty of spring left, he has impressed early on as a member of the Phillies.
Other players in consideration for a bench role would be Daulton Guthrie— who has struggled this spring— and Scott Kingery. Kingery has performed well early on, hitting .400 in 15 at-bats. He hasn’t been a productive big league player since 2019, but he is making $8 million in 2023, which could sway the Phillies to bring him up if he continues to hit. Kingery is also a versatile fielder who can play multiple infield positions and centerfield. He is also a right-handed bat who could compliment Brandon Marsh in centerfield. Fans who bought a Kingery jersey in 2019 would probably be happy if he resurfaced in Philadelphia too.
Realistically, only two of these players will be on the 26-man roster when the regular season begins. Spring competition never hurts and can bring out the best in some players. There is still plenty of time for any of these players to separate themselves from the pack or fade away into minor league camp. Either way, having multiple options is a good problem to have for the Phillies.
