The Phillies have had contributions from a lot of homegrown talent this season.
The 2022 Philadelphia Phillies are National League champions and will begin their World Series quest on Friday. They have had meaningful contributions from several players throughout the regular season and postseason.
Bryce Harper was injured for much of the summer but performed well overall in the regular season — finishing with a .997 OPS. Kyle Schwarber led the National League in home runs, and J.T. Realmuto had just the second 20-HR/20-SB season for a catcher in baseball history.
All of these players are impactful, but one of the key differences this season compared to years past is that the Phillies received help from talent that has come up in their farm system.
Seranthony Domínguez has stepped in to help anchor the back end of the bullpen — returning from an injury that limited him to just one appearance a year ago. As valuable as Domínguez was in the regular season, he has been even more impressive in Red October — posting a 1.17 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings.
Aaron Nola and Ranger Suárez have proven they are capable of pitching on the big stage this postseason. Nola has a 3.12 ERA, which was elevated after a rough fifth inning in his last start in San Diego. Suárez closed out Game 5 of the NLCS — helping the Phillies to advance to the World Series for the first time since 2009. Through this postseason, Suárez has sported a 2.00 ERA in eight innings pitched.
Offensively and defensively, third baseman Alec Bohm and shortstop Bryson Stott have held key roles pretty much all year — especially after the firing of manager Joe Girardi. Bohm — who had some Major League experience coming into 2022 — improved his defense greatly after a tough start. His offense also came a long way after a rough 2021 season, as he slashed .280/.315/.398 with 13 home runs and 72 RBI.
After the Phillies released Didi Gregorius, Stott took on a starting role and flourished defensively. He committed seven errors in 83 games played at the position. Stott’s bat started slowly but heated up later in the season — as he slashed .276/.331/.404 after the All-Star Break.
RHYS HOSKINS IS A PHILLY LEGEND FOREVER pic.twitter.com/27DXsMjI4d
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) October 23, 2022
One last key figure that has drawn more criticism than others is first baseman Rhys Hoskins. The right-handed hitter made his Phillies debut in August of 2017 and has held the position since. Hoskins has always been a streaky hitter. At this point, fans know what they are going to get. The first baseman draws more criticism for his defense, which has had its share of lapses.
This postseason, however, Hoskins has had some huge hits — most coming in the form of home runs. Through the first three series, Hoskins recorded five home runs and 11 RBI. Some of his biggest home runs came in games four and five of the NLCS — as he hit three home runs in two games, knocking in six runs.
It is irresponsible for any front office to believe they can build a consistently contending club just through free agency. President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski has revamped the player development system — making the right key signings, trades, and minor-league promotions that have all contributed to the Phillies’ success in 2022.