The Phillies have added two catchers to their summer camp playing pool
Following Scott Kingery, Tommy Hunter, Ranger Suarez and Hector Neris being added to the COVID-19 Injured List, retroactive to June 30, the Philadelphia Phillies have added catchers Henri Lartigue and Logan O’Hoppe to their player pool, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Matt Breen.
The previously reported player pool addition of right-handed reliever Anthony Swarzak was also made official.
It’s a lovely day back at the office. pic.twitter.com/5N72KfgmOA
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) July 3, 2020
Fifty-two players are now in the pool, consisting of five catchers, nine infielders, nine outfielders and 29 pitchers. Before the aforementioned four players being removed from the pool and being added to the injured list, the Phillies only had three catchers for their 31 pitchers in camp, almost a 10-to-1 ratio (10 1/3).
Now, they have five catchers for their 29 pitchers, cutting the ratio nearly in half (5.8).
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Lartigue, 25, was invited to spring training in Clearwater earlier this year as a non-roster invitee; in six games and 11 plate appearances, the switch-hitter slashed .111/.273/.111 with just one single, two walks and five strikeouts. Last season at Double-A Reading, Lartigue slashed just .136/.259/.248 with 12 extra-base hits, 26 RBI, 39 walks and 88 strikeouts across 78 games.
Unlike Lartigue, O’Hoppe was not with the team down in Clearwater for Grapefruit League action. The 20-year-old, drafted in the 23rd round of the 2018 draft, slashed .216/.266/.407 last season with the Williamsport Crosscutters, while slugging 12 doubles, two triples, five home runs and 26 RBI spanning 45 games and 177 plate appearances.
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Since the Phillies are still eight players shy of the 60 maximum allowed in the pool, Lartigue and O’Hoppe could remain with the team in summer camp when Kingery, Hunter, Suarez, and/or Neris return.
Friday marks the start to the first full-squad workout. Players and coaches are socially distancing. Opening Day is slated for either July 23 or July 24, just three weeks away. And, the 2020 schedule is expected to be released either Monday or Tuesday, with start times being finalized this week, according to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman.
This coming season will be a 60-game sprint for the Phillies under their new manager Joe Girardi, rather than a 162-game marathon. Baseball is back.