The Phillies will be relying on newly-acquired Michael Saunders to bring more offensive production to the right field position in 2017.
The Phillies had seven different players man right field throughout the 2016 campaign, and while they provided some solid defensive play, all of them failed to bring consistent offensive production to Pete Mackanin’s lineup.
Peter Bourjos played the most amount of games in right field for the team last season, appearing in 106. Bourjos was more of a defensive specialist as Mackanin experimented with several lineups that included Bourjos hitting behind the pitcher in the nine-hole.
The Phillies made a free agent signing this offseason that should provide stability at the position, as well as in the middle of the lineup. Three weeks ago, the Phillies agreed to a one-year, nine million dollar contract with former Mariners and Blue Jays outfielder Michael Saunders.
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This is the type of acquisition Philadelphia has been consistently making over the last few seasons. Saunders is a reliable veteran who will help improve the current state of the team without blocking young prospects, just like several other acquisitions the team made this offseason.
Saunders is likely going to be the everyday right fielder for the Phillies in 2017. He has played eight seasons in the bigs.
Saunders is coming off the best season of his major-league career. He was a big part of Toronto’s monstrous lineup, and he appeared in his first All-Star game. He hit .253/.338/.478 in 140 regular season games with 24 home runs and 57 RBIs.
While Saunders appears to be the everyday guy for the Phils in right field, the team does have some other options to play when Saunders gets a day off or if he were to get injured in the forms of Aaron Altherr and Roman Quinn. Both Altherr and Quinn played right field for the Phillies last season, although Quinn spent the majority of his time in the big leagues playing in left field.
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Altherr will likely make the Opening Day roster as the team’s fourth outfielder while in all likelihood Quinn will be an everyday starter in one of the three outfield positions in Lehigh Valley, most likely center field. Fans got a glimpse of what Quinn could be during his time with the club in September. He showed promise at the plate, on the base paths, and in the outfield. With Quinn making the jump from Double-A to the bigs in September last season and with no starting outfield spots up for grabs, it makes sense for his development to start the season in Triple-A.
The Phillies also have some promising right field talent in the minor leagues, most notably with 2016 Paul Owens Award winner Dylan Cozens. Cozens exploded onto the scene in 2016 with massive power numbers with Double-A Reading. Cozens hit 40 HRs and racked up 125 RBIs in 134 games, all with Reading.
The major concern with Cozens is his strikeouts. If Cozens can limit the strikeouts while still being able to hit for power consistently, he could quickly work his way up to being the team’s everyday right fielder towards the end of 2017, as well as becoming the team’s future at that position. Expect him to start the season hitting clean-up and manning right field in Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
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Philadelphia has right field locked in heading into spring with Saunders expected to get a majority of the playing time there, but the team has other young outfielders knocking on the door as well.