Phillies Prospect Bryson Stott to Represent Franchise in the All-Star Futures Game

Bryce Harper wasn’t wrong when he said the Phillies farm system is a bit dry.

But the prospect who is probably Harper’s favorite, Bryson Stott, will be the Phillies’ sole representative at the MLB All-Star Futures Game on July 11.

Now, the Phillies are not the only team with only one prospect in the game, but it is noteworthy, especially given Harper’s recent comments and the Phillies desperately trying to find a way to be real contenders for the first time in a decade.

The Phillies division rival Mets and Braves each have two players in the Futures Game – Brett Baty and Francisco Alvarez for New York, and Michael Harris II and Drew Waters for Atlanta – while the Nationals and Marlins will each be represented by pitching prospects, Cade Cavalli and Max Meyer.

Phillies star Bryce Harper has high hopes for Bryson Stott

But back to Stott, who was Philadelphia’s first-round pick (14th overall) in the 2019 draft. He was considered one of the top college shortstops, hitting .340/.433/.515 with a .947 OPS in three seasons at UNLV. Now in the Phillies system, MLB ranks him their #2 prospect, behind pitching prospect Mick Abel, who was the Phillies first-round pick in 2020.

The 23-year-old shortstop (he can also play second base) was promoted to Double-A Reading on June 1, after his hitting with the Jersey Shore Blueclaws earned him Phillies Minor League Player of the Month in May. He also had the cool distinction of homering on Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.

This season across two levels of the Phillies farm system, Stott is hitting .282 with a .922 OPS, eight doubles, a triple, nine home runs, and three stolen bases over 46 games.

The Phillies moving Stott up somewhat quickly in the system might indicate that he could replace Jean Segura or Didi Gregorius, who are both under contract until 2022, but have both spent time on the Injured List this season. Segura returned to the lineup on Tuesday night after a short IL stint, while Gregorius continues to rehab from an elbow injury that has kept him off the Phillies since May 13.

Stott also has a strong mentor in fellow Las Vegas native Bryce Harper, who says he sees elements of J.J. Hardy, Brandon Crawford, and Garret Anderson in Stott. The Stotts and Harpers are family friends who watch football together every weekend, and Stott even stayed with Harper during Spring Training. Manager Joe Girardi said earlier this year that Harper has a real “big brother personality” with Stott and Alec Bohm.

Stott has also been excitedly following Harper’s season at the big-league level:

The Phillies might only have one player in the Futures Game this year, but Stott’s future with the Phillies looks extremely bright.