Catcher: Chris Coste (2008, age 35)
When thinking of Phillies all-time great catchers, Bob Boone, Mike Lieberthal, and Darren Daulton generally come to mind. However, only Daulton played with the Phillies beyond his 35th birthday and by then he was in left field. Carlos Ruiz played with the Phillies at age 35, but his numbers paled to Coste’s in 2008.
After 11 season’s in the minor-leagues, Coste made his major-league debut as a 33-year old rookie in 2006. He was a pleasant surprise in a backup role, hitting .328 with seven home runs, 32 RBI and an .881 OPS in 65 games. Coste followed that with a solid .279 average and five home runs in 129 at-bats in 2007.
Coste saw his most playing time and most productive year of his relatively short MLB career in 2008. Splitting time with Carlos Ruiz behind the plate, Coste hit .263 with 17 doubles, nine home runs, and 36 RBI in 98 games. He was worth 0.7 wins above replacement. Coste recorded one hit in the NLCS but went hitless in four at-bats during the World Series.
In 2009, Coste played in 45 games with the Phillies before ending his major-league career with the Astros, hitting .204 in 103 at bats. He spent time with the Mets and Nationals but never appeared in the majors or minors with either team.
Although having only 885 Major League plate appearances, Coste hit a solid .272 with a .744 OPS. His grit, determination and overall story lead to his book, “The 33-Year Old Rookie.”