Tommy Joseph is expected to be Philadelphia’s starting first baseman this year, but the Phillies may wind up moving on to someone else in the future.
Coming into the 2016 season, the Phillies were all in favor of a platoon of former MVP Ryan Howard and perennial letdown Darin Ruf at first base. As most fans predicted, it just simply did not work out.
On May 13, the front office decided they had enough, and decided to call up one-time top catching prospect Tommy Joseph to man the not-so-hot corner.
In his short time in the majors, Joseph has displayed excellent power. Joseph was able to belt 22 balls out of the park in just 107 games in 2016.
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With that being said, Joseph displayed an evident lack of plate discipline at times, registering 75 strikeouts and getting on base at a very sub par rate as he posted a .306 OBP.
As we head into the 2017 season, the first base position is Joseph’s to lose. Currently, utility man Andres Blanco is listed as the backup and Howie Kendrick, who is expected to be the everyday left fielder, is listed as third-string.
While I believe that Joseph showed promise as a rookie, the Phillies should look to add depth at the position
The Minor Leagues
The Reading Fighting Phils enjoyed one of the most successful season in Double-A history in 2016. One key factor to their success was the development of first-base prospect Rhys Hoskins.
The 23-year old, who will be playing in Clearwater this spring as a non-roster invitee, was able to slug 38 homeruns and drive in 116 runs. He battled with teammate Dylan Cozens for the league lead in that department. Hoskins is regarded as an average defender and lacks speed, so the chance that he can bring more than just a raw power bat is yet to be seen.
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Brock Stassi is the projected starting first baseman for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs this season. The left-handed Stassi experienced a sharp decline in production after a promotion to Triple-A in 2016. In his 2015 season at Reading, Stassi hit .300 with 90 runs batted in.
In his 2016 season, Stassi was only able to hit .267. Stassi, who is now 27 years old, is watching his major-league window slowly close, but if he has a successful spring, he may just find a way on the roster as a left-handing hitting option at first base.
Trade Options
While the well may have dried up as far as high-talent free agents still available, there are still some very capable veterans who could fill the need as a left-handed hitting first baseman who can be acquired via trade.
Logan Morrison of the Tampa Bay Rays appears to be a fit for the Phillies as a lefty off the bench. The former Miami Marlin hit just .238 on the season in 2016, but was able to hit 14 homeruns.
With the first base position looking like a boom-or-bust situation, those number would be fine for a non-everyday player. For his career, Morrison has hit .299 when ahead in the count, so if he is able to strengthen his plate disciple, he could prove to be a low-risk high-reward type of player.
Gerardo Parra (who can be seen to the right) is a player I would love to see the Phillies make a push for. With the signing of Ian Desmond and the overhaul of talent in the Colorado Rockies outfield, Parra seems like he may have lost his place.
Parra has shown the ability to play first base along with all three outfield positions. The former Gold Glove winning outfielder has hit .285 career against right-handed pitching and could spell veteran Howie Kendrick in left field as well.
Analysis
As I stated before, the long-ball power of Joseph is truly exciting, but having consistency could turn him into an All-Star. While they missed their chance on signing free-agent role players such as Adam Lind or Brandon Moss, the Phillies and general manager Matt Klentak should stay active in the trade market.
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As a fan base that was spoiled by superstar Ryan Howard for many years, it may be hard to see first baseman struggle, but with the young talent that is currently developing, we must stay patient and hope for the best with what we have now.