Phillies' Bench Players: Who's Got a Shot at Making the Roster?
The Philadelphia Phillies' 2025 season has come to an end, and with it, an assessment of who's likely to return to the roster next year. The bench players are a mixed bag, but one thing is clear: they need improvement if the team wants to be competitive.
Last season, bench hitters struggled, posting a paltry .232 average in 190 plate appearances, with just two home runs and five RBIs. Pinch hitters fared slightly better, but still underwhelming, with a .244 average and zero home runs in 95 at-bats. It's no secret that sitting on the bench for hours can make it tough to swing a bat effectively, but the Phillies need their bench players to step up.
So who makes the cut? Let's examine six key players who could vie for a spot on the roster:
Edmundo Sosa is a utilityman with 89 games under his belt in 2025. He played multiple positions and hit .276 with 11 homers, earning him a 2.3 WAR. With two years of arbitration left, it's likely he'll be back in Philly, filling any gap the starting lineup leaves.
Otto Kemp is another utilityman with potential. At just 26, he's entering his pre-arbitration phase and has already impressed Phillies President Dave Dombrowski, who thinks he could become an everyday player next season. Kemp played in all three outfield positions and hit .234 in his MLB debut. Will he be the team's pinch-hitting specialist or playtime regular?
Weston Wilson was supposed to provide corner outfield power but fell short, posting a .198/.282/.369 slash line in 52 games. He's out of minor league options, so expect him to compete for a roster spot in spring training. If he doesn't impress, the Phillies might trade or expose him to waivers.
Johan Rojas is still just 25 and looking to improve his bat after an up-and-down season with the team. A year left on his team control, Rojas has a shot at making the roster as the fourth outfielder. However, he'll face stiff competition from Kyle Schwarber's free agency and Harrison Bader's mutual option.
Catcher is another position of concern for the Phillies if they can't re-sign J.T. Realmuto. Rafael Marchán, his primary backup in 2025, slashed .210/.282/.305 over 42 games. The righty has a year left on arbitration, making him a Phillie until at least 2028.
Garrett Stubbs was called up last season and played just five games before being demoted to the minors. With two years of arbitration remaining, he'll have to fight for a spot in spring training if the Phillies don't want to expose him to waivers or trade him.
Ultimately, it's anyone's game as the Phillies navigate their bench players' fate. One thing is certain: they need to improve, and these six players could be key to making that happen.
The Philadelphia Phillies' 2025 season has come to an end, and with it, an assessment of who's likely to return to the roster next year. The bench players are a mixed bag, but one thing is clear: they need improvement if the team wants to be competitive.
Last season, bench hitters struggled, posting a paltry .232 average in 190 plate appearances, with just two home runs and five RBIs. Pinch hitters fared slightly better, but still underwhelming, with a .244 average and zero home runs in 95 at-bats. It's no secret that sitting on the bench for hours can make it tough to swing a bat effectively, but the Phillies need their bench players to step up.
So who makes the cut? Let's examine six key players who could vie for a spot on the roster:
Edmundo Sosa is a utilityman with 89 games under his belt in 2025. He played multiple positions and hit .276 with 11 homers, earning him a 2.3 WAR. With two years of arbitration left, it's likely he'll be back in Philly, filling any gap the starting lineup leaves.
Otto Kemp is another utilityman with potential. At just 26, he's entering his pre-arbitration phase and has already impressed Phillies President Dave Dombrowski, who thinks he could become an everyday player next season. Kemp played in all three outfield positions and hit .234 in his MLB debut. Will he be the team's pinch-hitting specialist or playtime regular?
Weston Wilson was supposed to provide corner outfield power but fell short, posting a .198/.282/.369 slash line in 52 games. He's out of minor league options, so expect him to compete for a roster spot in spring training. If he doesn't impress, the Phillies might trade or expose him to waivers.
Johan Rojas is still just 25 and looking to improve his bat after an up-and-down season with the team. A year left on his team control, Rojas has a shot at making the roster as the fourth outfielder. However, he'll face stiff competition from Kyle Schwarber's free agency and Harrison Bader's mutual option.
Catcher is another position of concern for the Phillies if they can't re-sign J.T. Realmuto. Rafael Marchán, his primary backup in 2025, slashed .210/.282/.305 over 42 games. The righty has a year left on arbitration, making him a Phillie until at least 2028.
Garrett Stubbs was called up last season and played just five games before being demoted to the minors. With two years of arbitration remaining, he'll have to fight for a spot in spring training if the Phillies don't want to expose him to waivers or trade him.
Ultimately, it's anyone's game as the Phillies navigate their bench players' fate. One thing is certain: they need to improve, and these six players could be key to making that happen.
philly needs to step up their bench game if they wanna compete! edmundo sosa is def a must have on the roster he's proven himself as a utilityman and hitter 
otto kemp is another player who could bring some excitement to the lineup at 26 he's got potential to be an everyday player 
weston wilson needs to show what he's got in spring training or he'll be outta there 
johan rojas has a good shot at making the roster as the 4th outfielder but competition from schwarber and bader is tough 
rafael marchán better watch his back if the phillies can't re-sign j.t. realmuto 
garrett stubbs will have to fight for a spot in spring training or get exposed 
. It feels like we're stuck in neutral, you know? We had some promising young guys come up, but it seems like none of them really took off. Edmundo Sosa was kinda cool last season though 
, I mean who doesn't love a guy with 11 homers on the bench? But seriously, our pinch hitters just aren't doing it for us. Otto Kemp is still young and has potential tho 
, maybe he's the one who can turn it around next year.
️, but it didn't work out. And don't even get me started on catcher, I mean J.T. Realmuto is gone and we still need a solid backup 
. It's like the team is trying to figure things out all over again.
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it's gonna be tough for them bench players to step up after a bad season last year. edmundo sosa is def one guy who could make the cut tho 
hopefully he can turn things around this offseason.
i mean, we don't know if he'll be the pinch hitter or playtime guy yet, but he's gotta compete for a spot. and what about johan rojas? he's still young and hungry, maybe this is his year to shine 
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. If he doesn't shape up, it's gonna be tough for him to stay on the roster. Johan Rojas is still young and hungry though, maybe he can step up and become that fourth outfielder 
. Rafael Marchán was okay last year, but we'll see if he can hold down the fort for another year 
. The only guy I'm really hyped about is Garrett Stubbs, he had a solid MLB debut and two years of arbitration left 
. It's gonna be an interesting spring training 
!