4 Phillies prospects who could steal roster spots at Spring Training

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CLEARWATER, FLORIDA – MARCH 01: Jhailyn Ortiz #89 of the Philadelphia Phillies reacts to a strike in the sixth inning against the Baltimore Orioles during a spring training game at Baycare Ballpark on March 01, 2021 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) /

3. Jhailyn Ortiz OF

Jhailyn Ortiz has yet to play at Triple-A, but the Phillies have high hopes for his future, to the point that they added him to the 40-man.

Across 95 games between High-A and Double-A in 2021, the 23-year-old outfielder slashed .250/.346/.488 with a .834 OPS, 12 doubles, and 23 home runs. He also went 4-for-5 in stolen-base attempts.

Ortiz is ranked 10th in the system, but he’s something of a strikeout machine, striking out 113 times in 95 games. However, he showed an improvement in plate discipline over prior minor-league seasons, drawing a career-high 38 walks, despite playing in fewer games than his last two seasons.

The reason Ortiz makes this list over 2021 standout Logan O’Hoppe is that O’Hoppe has catchers in front of him. J.T. Realmuto is signed through 2025, and the Phillies recently traded for Garrett Stubbs as a new backup after bidding farewell to Andrew Knapp. O’Hoppe will likely make the 40-man soon, but his big-league ETA is 2023.

Ultimately, Ortiz’s 2022 plans might be more about his organizational needs than his own growth; if the Phillies can’t fill their gaping outfield holes, Ortiz might get his shot.

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