What can Philadelphia Phillies expect from Bryson Stott in 2023?

The Phillies will hope to see continued improvement from Bryson Stott.

After the Philadelphia Phillies acquired shortstop Trea Turner earlier this month, it became apparent that Bryson Stott would move over to play second base permanently.

Stott adjusted well during his rookie season after a rough start. The Phillies will look for Stott to continue his improvements offensively and defensively going into the 2023 season.

In 2022, Stott started slowly, but his early struggles are attributable to inconsistent playing time. From March through May, he appeared in just 24 games. In that small sample size, Stott hit under .200 and scored just four runs. Once the rookie saw more regular playing time in June, his offensive production picked up. Stott’s best month offensively was August, when he slashed .287/.337/.426 in 101 plate appearances.

Stott also showed above-average plate discipline for a rookie. He had a SO/PA ratio of 19.1 percent, which would have ranked in the top 30 in the National League had he had enough at-bats to qualify. Another surprising stat is that Stott grounded into just three double plays in 466 plate appearances.

Defensively, Stott appeared in 47 games at second base and committed no errors. While it is a small sample size, Stott fielded his position well last season. Overall, Stott had a solid rookie campaign. According to FanGraphs, he had a 1.4 WAR in 2022. The website projects that he will increase that stat to 2.5 in 2023, which puts him about league average at his position.

If Stott can improve upon his relatively successful rookie season, the Phillies will be in a great spot in the middle infield. The 25-year-old will not hit for a ton of power but can contribute by getting on base and fielding his position well. Stott also became a great clubhouse presence, which was apparent during the 2022 postseason run.

Stott’s continued contributions will be key if the Phillies want to replicate their successful 2022 season. If his upward trend continues, the club could have its best middle-infield combination since Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley.