JUST IN: Which Phillies players could surprise this spring to steal a bench at 2024 Opening Day

With the majority of the Philadelphia Phillies 2023 roster returning for the 2024 season, one would expect that most of the team’s roles and positions would be more or less defined for the next year.

When it comes to the Phillies’ bench, incumbents Edmundo Sosa, Jake Cave, Cristian Pache, and Garrett Stubbs all appear to be sure to make the big club. However, some marginal but promising players may wish to speak up regarding the team’s plans.

Here’s a closer look at five potential dark horse contenders who could compete for a seat on the team’s bench come Opening Day 2024.

Kody Clemens

Kody Clemens played the first three months of 2016 season with the Philadelphia Phillies, largely as a part-time first baseman following Rhys Hoskins’ season-ending injury. Clemens failed to impress in 47 games with the team, batting only.230 with a.644 OPS, 15 runs scored, four home runs, 13 RBI, and a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 5:1. When the Phillies elected to shift Bryce Harper to first, Clemens lost his job and was demoted to the minor leagues.

However, that move allowed the Phillies’ management to see Clemens’ untapped power potential, and he went on to crush minor league pitching for the rest of the season. Finally, the slugger hit.256 with a powerful swing.In 62 games, he had an OPS of 937, 51 runs scored, 10 doubles, four triples, 18 home runs, and 52 RBI. In mid-August, he hit three home runs, capping up his amazing run.
Clemens’ versatility, plus with his newfound power, could be enough to earn him a spot on the Opening Day roster if he has a great spring.

Scott Kingery

Some may have forgotten, but Scott Kingery was once a promising top prospect in the Phillies’ system. The Phillies selected Kingery in the second round of the 2015 MLB Draft, and he made his major league debut three seasons later in 2018, as the No. 2 prospect in their organization at the time, following a disastrous six-year, $24 million contract.

His debut season was not as successful as he had hoped, as he failed to put up large numbers. However, he quickly rebounded with a much better sophomore season in 2019, hitting.258 with a.788 OPS, 64 runs scored, 34 doubles, four triples, 19 home runs, 55 RBI, and 15 stolen bases in 126 games. He appeared to be on the rise following his breakout season.

Unfortunately, a struggle with COVID-19, as well as other injury issues over the next two seasons, wrecked Kingery’s once-promising career, and he was unable to restore his previous form. He has spent the majority of his time in the minors in recent years, making only one major league appearance since 2022.

However, Kingery showed some flashes of life with the Phillies’ Triple-A affiliate Lehigh Valley last season, showcasing some of the speed and hitting prowess that many saw during his prime in the big leagues. In 2023, he hit.244 with a.725 OPS, 68 runs scored, 18 doubles, three triples, 13 home runs, 47 RBI, and went 24-for-25 in stolen bases in 117 games.
Kingery, 29, is a non-roster invitee to major league spring training and is unlikely to make the Phillies’ Opening Day roster. But if he can put his skills and abilities on full show once more this spring, maybe he’ll finally have a shot to salvage and restart his big league baseball career.
Darick Hall

Darick Hall has always been renowned as a powerful power hitter who rose through the Phillies minor league system. With the capacity to easily produce 30-homer, 100-RBI seasons year after year, Hall appeared to be on the fast track to the majors.

However, Hall has yet to live up to his promise after making his major league debut with the team in 2022. There’s no doubt that his immense power pays off, as he hit nine home runs in just 41 games in his rookie season with the Phillies. However, with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of nearly 9:1, major league pitchers were basically neutralizing his effectiveness.

Nonetheless, Hall received another opportunity in 2023 following a good spring training in which he hit.316 with a 1.041 OPS, 10 runs scored, five home runs, and 13 RBI while walked as much as he struck out in 20 games. He began the season as the Phillies’ starting first baseman owing to Hoskins’ injury. However, an untimely thumb injury just six games into the season ended any chance he had to improve his skills in the majors.

After returning from his injury, he earned one more opportunity later in the season. Hall was brought up in July, but his continued struggles at the plate sent him back down to the minors for the rest of the season. In the end, he batted only.167 with a.437 OPS and 18 strikeouts in 54 at-bats across 18 games.

If Hall can successfully transition from the minors to the majors this season, he could be the Phillies’ most potent bench bat, surpassing even Sosa or Cave. But, first and foremost, he’ll need to have another successful spring training and make the necessary adjustments to reduce his strikeout percentage when facing major league pitching. If he is successful, the Phillies will have another Schwarber/Castellanos-type player available in 2024.
Simon Muzziotti.

Símon Muzziotti is the lone highly-touted possibility among the list of dark horse hopefuls. The Phillies signed Muzziotti, an international prospect, in 2016. His biggest selling point is not his power, but rather his strong contact skills, as well as his superior speed and defensive ability.

Despite being listed as one of the Phillies’ top 12 prospects in four of the last five seasons, according to MLB Pipeline, Muzziotti has spent a significant amount of time in the minor leagues improving his game. He made a brief appearance with the major league team in 2022, but was quickly sent to the minors after a disappointing showing.

However, Muzziotti had his best minor league season to date in 2023, when he set career highs in runs scored (67), home runs (seven), RBI (61), stolen bases (26), and OPS (.761). At age 25 and approaching his prime, his offensive game is maturing and rounding into shape to match his pace and defence.
With the Phillies lacking good outfield defenders at the major league level other than Johan Rojas, Muzziotti’s outstanding performance this spring training can go a long way toward securing a spot on the big league roster in 2024.With a career fielding percentage of.985, he would be an excellent defensive replacement off the bench late in games. If he can also demonstrate that his bat is finally MLB-ready, Muzziotti’s arrival may be closer than you think.
Weston Wilson

The Phillies signed Weston Wilson to a minor league contract during the 2022-2023 offseason. After six gruelling seasons in the Milwaukee Brewers minor league system with varied success, Wilson had his greatest year in professional baseball with Lehigh Valley this past season.

He shattered his previous personal bests by scoring 90 runs, hitting 31 home runs, driving in 86 RBI, and stealing 32 bases. His 31 home runs also set the Lehigh Valley single-season record for home runs.

Wilson received a promotion to the majors down the stretch and appeared in eight games. Despite his little playing time, he performed admirably at bat.313 with 5 runs scored, 1 home run, 2 RBI, and 3 stolen bases. Most impressively, his first home run occurred in his first at-bat in the majors, making it a memory he’ll never forget.
With the ability to play first and second base, as well as the corner outfield positions, his versatility, combined with his powerful bat, may offer him an advantage heading into spring training in securing one of the final roster spots. And, at the age of 29, he’ll want to avoid playing another minor league game for the rest of his career.

It seems obvious that not all five will make the Phillies’ Opening Day roster in 2024. However, with several of these guys’ futures on the line, don’t be surprised if one or more of them manage to displace a regular from the Phillies’ bench and become a big contributor for the team in the coming season.