Heading into the 2025 MLB season, the Philadelphia Phillies lack some depth at the catcher position. Behind J.T. Realmuto, Garrett Stubbs and Rafael Marchán, there isn’t another MLB-ready catcher in the organization that could step in if needed.
The Phillies’ best catching prospect, Eduardo Tait, reached only Single-A last season, so he has a ways to go before making his eventual debut. As for insurance depth at Triple-A Lehigh Valley, the likes of Jared Thomas, Carson Taylor and Josh Breaux all have no prior MLB experience on their resume.
This is why the Phillies did well by adding some much-needed catching depth in former Toronto Blue Jays minor league catcher Payton Henry on a minor league deal, per Steve Potter. Henry is a former sixth-round pick of the Milwaukee Brewers back in the 2016 MLB Draft and has spent his past eight seasons in various organizations, including the Brewers, Miami Marlins and most recently, the Blue Jays.
Phillies sign Payton Henry as some desperately needed catching depth
In 2024, Henry played for the Blue Jays’ Triple-A affiliate Buffalo Bisons where he amassed a solid .274 average and .768 OPS, with 13 runs scored, six doubles, three home runs, 18 RBI, seven walks and 19 strikeouts in 104 plate appearances over 27 games. More significantly, Henry actually has some previous MLB experience under his belt, playing for the Miami Marlins in 2021 and 2022. With the Marlins, he appeared in 20 games and batted .186 with a .523 OPS, two runs scored and four RBI in 51 plate appearances.
If his name also happens to ring a bell, it is because he was the minor league player who was part of a scary incident that occurred back on May 31 in a game between the Bisons and Syracuse Mets. During the seventh inning, Henry’s head was on the receiving end of a backswing by Mets third baseman Pablo Reyes. With everyone shaken from the incident, the game ultimately had to be called. Henry ended up missing the next three months before finally making his return in mid-September. But most importantly, he has recovered and returned to full health to resume his professional baseball career.
At just the young age of 27 and with two options remaining, Henry should be able to provide valuable catching depth for the Phillies for the upcoming season and would likely be fourth in the pecking order behind Realmuto, Stubbs and Marchán. He will surely look forward to having the chance to potentially play for a perennial contender like the Phillies and will aim to make the most of his opportunity when it comes.