When it comes to impact difference makers, the Philadelphia Phillies have more than their fair share. Stars like Cristopher Sánchez, Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, and many more are the envy of most of the league. And when it comes to youngsters who could break out and join the veterans in stardom, the club has ample options, with Andrew Painter and Justin Crawford serving as perfect examples of the next wave.
There are expectations for all the players listed above, and when we talk about difference makers, it's important to contextualize what it is we actually mean. Superstars could be classified as that, but then again, epic performances are the expectation, not the exception. Top prospects could also qualify, but again, we run into the idea of what that label leads us to reasonably forecast.
Instead, if we're talking about guys who could radically alter the Phillies' season, the ones who can help take the club from a solid contender to the overall World Series favorite, we have to look deeper. We need to consider the players who might not be expected to rise to the top and be anything more than just an average role player. In that regard, there are three guys who have caught our attention as surprise breakout candidates that can level up Philadelphia even further.
3 surprise breakout candidates who can put distance between the Phillies and the rest of the pack
Jonathan Bowlan
Trading an established, high-leverage reliever in Matt Strahm for a pair of unproven arms seemed to be a way for the Phillies to save some money and nothing more. However, there's a chance that Jonathan Bowlan isn't just some fodder arm.
The 29-year-old already showed some promise with the Royals last season, posting a 3.86 ERA over 44 1/3 innings, and has an aggressive mentality that sees him fill the zone with strikes. Upping his sinker usage could fully unlock his breakout, and his past experience as a starter could make him into a multi-inning weapon out of the bullpen. His first outing of 2026 saw him sitting at 98.1 miles per hour on his fastball, up from 95.7 miles per hour a year ago. If he puts it together, he'll add another dimension of length to the relief corps.
Adolis Garcia
Since Adolis Garcia already has a Gold Glove, two 30-plus homer seasons, and an ALCS MVP under his belt, we're going to call this a re-breakout rather than a traditional one. The once-potent slugger has posted a sub-.700 OPS each of the last two seasons, but there might be reason to believe that he'll return to form with a change of scenery.
Garcia still hits the ball hard, with an average exit velocity of 92.1 miles per hour last season, which ranked in the 89th percentile. The baseline to do damage is still there. What he needs to do is work on being more disciplined at the plate. His career year in 2023 featured a 10.3% walk rate, more than double the 5.1% mark he posted last season. If he can stop swinging at junk, he'll put that hard contact to better use while simultaneously upping his on-base potential. That could be enough to vault him back to the player he used to be. Add in the fact that the 33-year-old still possesses solid range and a cannon arm in right field, and you have a potential 30-homer bat who can also be a net positive with the glove.
Otto Kemp
Otto Kemp is already a nice role player thanks to his defensive versatility and smart and savvy play (especially on the bases), but there is room for more. The 26-year-old ranked as the Phillies' No. 22 prospect by Baseball America (subscription required), who noted that he was developing the ability to make authoritative contact more frequently, posting a 105.4 mile per hour 90th-percentile exit velocity in 2024.
We saw that come into focus even more in 2025. The former undrafted free agent was never regarded as a superior power threat, but his combined 24 homers between his time at Lehigh Valley and in the majors showed that he indeed has some pop. The next step is improving against the soft stuff, and if he can do that, he can become the kind of super utility man who can play all over the diamond, pop 15-20 homers, and steal 15-20 bases while getting near-regular playing time. Having that kind of player coming off the bench does wonders for depth and continuity, regardless of whatever situations may arise.