Phillies sign former Nationals prospect after impressive Winter League

New Phillies prospect Aldrem Corredor spent nearly a decade with the Nationals.

Despite the Major League Baseball lockout, the Philadelphia Phillies are wasting no time to still improve their organization in the ways they’re still allowed. Minor-league signings are still taking place, and one recent addition surely will catch the eyes of a division rival.

Earlier this month, the Phillies signed longtime former Washington Nationals prospect Aldrem Corredor and assigned him to the Double-A Reading Fightin Phils. Listed at 6-foot-0 and 202 pounds, the Venezuela native had been a member of the National League East rival organization since he was just 17 years old in 2013.

This past November, Corredor elected free agency and went on to produce impressive numbers in 2021-2022 Venezuelan Winter League action, playing both first base and left field.

In 43 Venezuelan Winter League games, the left-handed hitter slashed .315/.434/.490 with eight doubles, six home runs, and 26 RBI. He walked 31 times while logging only 28 strikeouts through his 182 plate appearances. In the field, Corredor logged 157 perfect innings in left field (35 chances, 1 assist), and committed only one error at first base (222 chances, 19 assists).

In 2018, MiLB.com named Corredor a Washington Nationals Organization All-Star after he hit .301 with nine home runs and 67 RBI in 115 games. A year later at High-A Potomac, Corredor logged 140 hits and 89 RBI in just 127 games and 541 plate appearances.

While Corredor is 26 years old, there is still time for him to make an impact at the big-league level and the Phillies must see some potential there. The Phillies have no current long-term commitments at first base or left field, and there is a glaring void in left field with the Phillies buying out Andrew McCutchen’s option rather than picking it up. Once the lockout ends, addressing that position must be one of the many moves President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski makes.