MLB teams will be on the outlook for improvements they can make to their rosters before the start of the regular season. The Philadelphia Phillies will be no different. Unfortunately, injuries strike at any time, which puts pressure on the front office to look outside the organization for help.
Due to their high payroll, the Phillies remained limited in the players they could target this offseason. They could not pursue the league's top free agents due to penalties the franchise would incur. Philadelphia settled for affordable one-year contracts with many of their offseason additions.
President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski and general managers Sam Fuld and Preston Mattingly need to get creative if they want to make any further roster changes during the year. The outfield remains a concern as Nick Castellanos remains the only positional player who may not be subjugated to a platoon role.
The Phillies are looking to win a championship now. As a result, they don't have roster openings for some utility players to receive more playing time. Organizations unlikely to compete for a playoff spot may be a better situation for these players to fulfill their potential. Let's look at who Philly could offer and the circumstances for why they are trade candidates this spring.
3 biggest trade chips for Phillies during spring training
Rafael Marchán
Rafael Marchán is one of the Phillies players battling for a roster spot without any remaining minor league options. He has displayed the talent to win the role of backup catcher. Garrett Stubbs has assumed the role for the franchise but has not produced enough offensively.
Marchán exhibited the potential to be Philadelphia's backup catcher in 17 games after J.T. Realmuto went down with right knee surgery last year. Marchán had three multi-hit contests in July. A concern with him is he has been unable to stay healthy in his minor league career.
NBC Sports Philadelphia's Corey Seidman calls Marchán a potential spring trade candidate.
"Don't rule out Marchan as a spring training trade candidate, either, if another team becomes so enamored that it offers something enticing," Seidman writes. "Injuries throughout the league in March can change a lot of plans."
If he doesn't make the Opening Day roster, Philadelphia risks another MLB team claiming Marchán on waivers before he can be outrighted to the minors due to his lack of options. The 25-year-old is a player who could intrigue other teams looking to improve their catching depth via trade. If another team deals with injuries, they could trade for him as a backup or as part of a platoon at catcher.
Kody Clemens
Kody Clemens is another player competing for a bench spot with the Phillies. The utility player has been reliable in a backup role since the organization acquired him from the Detroit Tigers in the offseason before the 2023 season. He also doesn't have any minor league options remaining.
Defensively, Clemens has played 54 games at first base in two years — the most he has played at any position for the Phillies. The 28-year-old saw time at third base last season, playing in 11 games. Manager Rob Thomson also used him in second base and left field in 2024.
The Phillies' other backup infielders are Buddy Kennedy, Edmundo Sosa and Weston Wilson. Philadelphia is returning three primary outfielders from last season - Nick Castellanos, Brandon Marsh and Johan Rojas. Max Kepler is the free agent addition joining the position group.
There is uncertainty about the left-handed hitting Kepler's productivity as an everyday player, according to Seidman.
"If he doesn't hold his weight against southpaws, [the Phillies] will be forced to platoon in left field as well," Seidman writes. "This is why Weston Wilson probably has the inside track to the final spot on the bench over Kody Clemens, Buddy Kennedy, and Cal Stevenson."
Previously, in January, The Athletic's Matt Gelb wrote that Kody Clemens may be a trade candidate before the regular season begins (subscription required). Gelb points out that the utility player only receives playing time once a starter gets injured. Other rebuilding clubs may have an opportunity for him to receive more playing time as a starter or part of a platoon. His defensive versatility increases his trade value.
Clemens had a .230/.277/.367 line with an OPS of .644 in 49 contests during 2023. He finished with an improved .705 OPS and a slash line of .219/.258/.447 in 44 games last season. Other clubs could give him more playing time than the Phillies considering their established roster.
Tyler Phillips
Tyler Phillips also enters the 2025 season without any minor league options remaining. His ability to be a spot starter or a reliever is what could make him more marketable to other MLB front offices. José Ruiz is another Phillies reliever without minor league options but has more of a track record as a reliever. He has only made two starts since his debut in the majors in 2017.
During the offseason, the Phillies added Joe Ross as a reliever/spot starter. He will have the same role Spencer Turnbull had for the team. Taijuan Walker is another pitcher Phillips will need to compete with this spring.
Walker's contract could make it more difficult for Philly to trade. He will earn $18 million this year and in 2026. Unless a team is desperate for another pitcher, it doesn't appear Philadelphia will be able to trade the right-hander without absorbing some of his salary. His value is at an all-time low, and his contract makes him less appealing for a club to acquire.
Phillips, 27, is younger than Ruiz (30) and Walker (32). The Lumberton, New Jersey, native has much to improve on following a year in which he had a 6.87 ERA in eight games. He did have back-to-back games, allowing zero earned runs. One of those games, on July 27 versus the Cleveland Guardians, was a complete game.
If the Phillies' pitching rotation and bullpen remain healthy, it will be difficult for Phillips to get consistent looks. Philadelphia risks losing him for nothing if he is outrighted to the minor leagues. They may deem it necessary to trade him if another club wants to add a spot starter or reliever during spring training.