Phillies Summer Camp 2020: 10 Things You Need to Know

Here are 10 things you need to know for the 2020 Phillies summer camp

This week marks the official start to Philadelphia Phillies summer camp. On Wednesday, players who test negative for COVID-19 may begin working out at Citizens Bank Park. This Friday will be the first full-squad workout. Here are 10 things you need to know for summer camp.

1. COVID not going away

Last month, the Phillies had seven players (and five staff members) test positive for COVID-19. Six of them used the team’s spring training complex in Clearwater. In a Monday conference call with reporters, Klentak said that a “handful” of players are expected to soon be placed on Major League Baseball’s new “COVID-19 Related Injured List.”

The identities of the players are not known; Klentak continued that none of them require hospitalization and it is “too soon to tell” if any will be behind in terms of readiness for the 2020 season.

Players who get placed on the list does not necessarily mean they have tested positive for COVID; it can also be used for those exposed to someone who has tested positive, or for those who show symptoms even if their test returned negative.

Once placed on the list, players must meet several criteria before returning, including two consecutive negative COVID tests and not having a fever for at least 72 hours.

2. Phillies to train at Citizens Bank Park, FDR Park

Once full team workouts begin on Friday, players will split between Citizens Bank Park and their nearby youth academy at FDR Park. Phillies staff has been working “around the clock” to prepare and get the fields MLB-ready, according to general manager Matt Klentak.

“Right now, there’s an effort being made to stagger the workouts as best we can, both in terms of the number of people and terms of using multiple fields,” Klentak said.

While fans might get an unprecedented Clearwater-esque glimpse of active MLB training in South Philadelphia, do not expect to see Bryce Harper, Aaron Nola, nor other notable Phillies at the pubic park. According to The Athletic’s Matt Gelb, the Phillies will not send their star players there but will have increased security.

Gelb continues that the team has turned the Diamond Club into a clubhouse, and the concourse into a weight room — all to support social distancing.

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3. The Minor League season is officially canceled

Tuesday evening, Minor League Baseball officially announced the cancelation of their 2020 season. The Phillies will continue to pay their minor-league players $400 a week through the scheduled end of the MiLB season, September 7.

4. Opening Day roster

While the 60-game 2020 Phillies schedule has yet to be released, Opening Day is slated for either July 23 or 24. As many as 30 of the Phillies’ 50-plus players in their player pool can make the team, as long as they are added to the 40-man roster if not done so already.

After two weeks into the season, the rosters will shrink to 28, before shrinking to 26 two weeks later.

5. Alternate training site

Any player within the Phillies’ player pool who does not earn his way onto the 30-man Opening Day roster will report to the team’s alternate training site — Coca-Cola Park, home of the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs.

These players will stay ready in case the need arises; up to three of these players can be brought with the team on road trips as its “taxi squad.” At least one taxi squad member is required to be a catcher.

6. Player Pool

The Phillies recently named 53 players to their initial player pool for summer camp. Major League teams could have named up to 60, but the Phillies leaving seven spots open allows them flexibility to make additions without risky subtractions. The Phillies can remove a player from their 60-man pool if they want, however they risk losing them.

Recently, the team added its 54th player to the pool: right-handed reliever Anthony Swarzak. Before doing so, they released and re-signed him — in other words, rewrote some language in his contract.

The 34-year-old signed a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training with the Phillies in early February. In five games and as many innings down in Clearwater earlier this year, the 10-year veteran posted a 7.20 ERA and 1.200 WHIP while striking out eight and walking just one.

Klentak said more catchers will be added to the Phillies’ pool this week, in addition to Deivy Grullón, Andrew Knapp and J.T. Realmuto.

Outfielder Odubel Herrera was not included on the team’s initial player pool, but adding him, later on, is still a consideration, according to Klentak: “I think as we get towards the end of spring training, there’ll probably be a second wave of players that join and that could include somebody like Odubel.”

7. No Phillies player has opted out, but team will briefly miss a starter

Several notable players around Major League Baseball have opted to not play this season due to the risk associated with COVID-19.

Among those players including reigning World Series champions Ryan Zimmerman and Joe Ross of the Washington Nationals, Ian Desmond of the Colorado Rockies, as well as Mike Leake of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

No Phillies player has opted out, however starting pitcher Zack Wheeler is planning to enable three days of paternity leave later this month for the birth of his first child, writes NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Jim Salisbury. In order to return, Wheeler will need to go through COVID-testing protocols.

“It’s subject to change but right now we’re not anticipating an extended absence,” Klentak said in a conference call with reporters on Monday.

8. Will Alec Bohm and Spencer Howard make the team?

Phillies top hitting prospect Alec Bohm, as well as top pitching prospect Spencer Howard, are both members of the team’s initial player will and will report to South Philadelphia this week for summer camp.

Klentak recently told reporters that Bohm and Howard both being part of the pool shows the organization views them as candidates to compete in the 60-game season. Klentak also said he thinks the Phillies have a “good team” and that they will do everything they can “to put the best team out there and win.”

Still, Salisbury is skeptical the Phillies would add Bohm and/or Howard to their Opening Day roster, even if they have a strong summer camp showing: “It won’t be surprising if the team tries to maximize future control of both players by delaying adding them to the active roster for a week or so.”

With the universal designated hitter being a factor, there are extra at-bats for players, like Bohm, to make an impact in 2020.