Garrett Stubbs was once ranked among the top catching prospects in baseball. There was a time when he was viewed as the future of the position for the Houston Astros. Instead, he became a mascot of sorts for the Philadelphia Phillies following a sharp decline in production after 2022.
Now, after five seasons in the Phillies organization, Stubbs has been DFA’d, and according to a report by The Inquirer’s Scott Lauber, he has no plans to return.
Stubbs existed somewhere between player, coach, and talisman. He was the life of the party at every clinching celebration, dressed in his iconic overalls, singing karaoke, and quaffing huge amounts of champagne and beer. But he is also a brilliant baseball mind. In both the minor and Major leagues, his work with the pitching staff should not be underappreciated.
Does anyone have more fun in overalls than Garrett Stubbs ? pic.twitter.com/cRSetWory1
— Dan Gelston (@APgelston) September 27, 2023
Last year, Aaron Nola posted a 2.82 ERA when caught by Stubbs vs. a 5.14 ERA when caught by J.T. Realmuto. Some of that discrepancy is statistical noise, but certainly there was some level of comfort Nola felt being caught by Stubbs.
Furthermore, he handled his demotions as a consummate professional, spending much of 2025 with Triple-A Lehigh Valley and being DFA’d for the first time in March 2026.
“For me,” Stubbs said upon his 2025 demotion, “I’m here as a resource. I want to help every single guy in this locker room, whether it’s a pitcher, a position player, or one of our other catchers. But I’m here as more of an open book. I’m never going to try to insert myself into somebody’s career. I’d love to help in any way I can.”
Perhaps coaching and managerial jobs are in Stubbs’ future. The pipeline from backup catcher to field general is well used.
But for now, the Phillies will look to get more offensive production out of his spot than the .368 OPS he supplied in 2026.
There is not a bevy of great backup catchers on the open market. It’s a baseball truism that all the good catchers will be starting. That said, with Realmuto’s workload set to diminish in 2027, it opens the door to more free-agent options.
Foremost among those choices is Cleveland Guardians’ backup, Austin Hedges. He’s ranked among the league’s best game planners and defensive catchers, but his offense has been poor enough to relegate him to a backup role for most of his career.
A 98 OPS+ was the best mark of his career in 2026, but his .280 xwOBA suggests there may be a large variable of luck in the equation.
James McCann, formerly of the Arizona Diamondbacks, is another potential option. When Realmuto's contract expired after 2020, there was speculation about a potential McCann deal, but he ultimately signed with the New York Mets instead.
McCann slashed .282/.311/.455 with a more sustainable .302 xwOBA, but he’s a defensive liability behind the dish and will turn 37 next June.
Elias Diaz and Jonah Heim are among the other free-agent options the Phillies could call upon.
Free agents Luke Maile and Jake Rogers would likely accept minor league deals and spring training invites to create some competition for Rafael Marchán, who has cooled off after a hot start to the Venezuelan Winter League.
At this point, it’s possible Marchán could be non-tendered and extended a minor league deal to return to the club. Whether or not that occurs, the Phillies do not plan to go into camp with Marchán as their only backup catcher.
For the first time since 2021, the program behind Realmuto will not start with either Stubbs or Marchán. And though Stubbs’ personality in the clubhouse will be missed, his presence in the batter’s box is best regarded as a long-ago memory.
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