There is a graphic that has made its way around social media showing the true five-tool players from the 2024 MLB season, from BrooksGate. To qualify as a five-tool player and to make it on this list, the player has to be above average in these five categories: batting average, average exit velocity, sprint speed, fielding value and arm strength.
Five-tool players are an illustrious group that organizations and fans dream of having on their teams. It’s the true definition of the well-balanced, all-around baseball player. Some of the five-tool players who the baseball world is familiar with are household names and legends of the game like Alex Rodriguez, Ken Griffey Jr., Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays.
So it’s not too surprising to see up-and-coming superstar names like Julio Rodriguez, Elly De La Cruz, and Bobby Witt Jr. on the graphic that has made its way through the internet.
Brandon Marsh ranked as a five-tool player in 2024
However, Philadelphia Phillies fans will recognize, and maybe be incredibly surprised by, one name on that list.
Brandon Marsh.
5-tool players last season pic.twitter.com/SSzC8hCdpG
— BrooksGate (@Brooks_Gate) February 3, 2025
The 27-year-old, fourth-year outfielder for the Phillies finds himself on this list because of his promising, albeit under-the-radar season he had in 2024. For the season, he slashed .249/.328/.419 with 16 home runs, 60 RBI and 19 stolen bases.
According to data from FanGraphs and MLB, his statistics for 2024 all ranked above average in the five main categories. He was in the 62nd percentile in batting average, 91st percentile in power, 66th percentile for speed, 75th percentile in fielding, and 75th percentile in arm/throwing ability.
I don’t think anyone is saying that Marsh might be the next Ken Griffey Jr. or Mickey Mantle, but he very well might be a valuable asset to a World Series-contending team.
After being drafted by the Los Angeles Angels in the second round of the 2016 MLB Draft, he was a top prospect in the Angels organization, which had high expectations of him manning an outfield position for years to come. He made his MLB debut in 2021 and played 70 games that season, batting .254 with an on-base percentage of .317 and an OPS of .673.
He was traded to the Phillies midway through the 2022 season, after which he batted .288 and had an OPS of .773 in 40 games for the eventual National League Champions. Over the next two seasons, mostly as a platoon outfielder, Marsh recorded a .263/.350/.438 batting line with 28 total home runs, 120 total RBI and 29 total bases stolen.
If you project his numbers to be per 162 games, he would have 17 home runs, 73 RBI, 18 stolen bases, 25 doubles and 66 walks. These are well above-average numbers and seemingly deserving of a full-time chance.
But being an above-average hitter isn’t what classifies a five-tool player. Defensive ability is also a major contributor, with the arm quality and fielding value categories. And surprisingly, or not, Marsh has shown he can be a valuable defensive outfielder.
Despite playing in just 135 games in 2024, Marsh was nominated as a Gold Glove finalist for left field. Though he didn’t win, he is clearly viewed as a plus outfielder. According to Baseball Savant, Marsh was in the 75th percentile in arm strength and 91st percentile in arm value. Overall, his fielding run value was in the 65th percentile of all MLB players.
The last major tool for these exclusive five-tool players is their running ability and the way they affect the game on the base paths. Every year in the major leagues, Marsh has improved in this aspect of the game.
In 2021, when he made his debut, he had six stolen bases. That increased to 10 in both 2022 and 2023 and then skyrocketed in 2024 to 19 stolen bases. He is in the 82nd percentile in baserunning run value and 74th percentile in sprint speed.
According to Baseball Reference, he had a 47.5 percent extra-base hit rate, his highest since joining the Phillies. In comparison, Bryce Harper, who is known for trying to extend his base hits, sits at 39.6 percent. That is game-changing speed from Marsh, and it's a clear contributor to a winning culture.
Marsh is still a young outfielder who is early in his career and figuring things out. But there is no doubt that he has the raw abilities to be a major contributor. While he still has parts of his game he needs to work on, like his splits against left-handed pitchers, it might be time for an organization like the Phillies to give him time and a chance to prove he can be a difference-maker.
More Phillies news from That Ball's Outta Here
manual