Brandon Marsh became a fan favorite from the moment the Philadelphia Phillies acquired the outfielder in a midseason trade with the Los Angeles Angels in 2022. Marsh’s vibrant personality and on-field success won over his teammates and the city.
Marsh appeared in 41 games with the Phillies to close out the 2022 regular season. He slashed .288/.319/.455 with 14 extra-base hits and 15 RBI. Not only did he have success at the plate, Marsh posted a perfect fielding percentage with his new team.
Marsh put together a successful season in his first full year with the Phillies in 2023. The left-handed hitter slashed .277/.372/.458 with a .830 OPS, 25 doubles, six triples, 12 home runs and 60 RBI. He primarily played center field, posting a .984 fielding percentage at the position.
Although the Phillies fell one win short of a second consecutive World Series appearance in 2023, Marsh had an impressive postseason. He slashed .342/.405/.526 with a .931 OPS, five extra-base hits and four RBI in 12 games. It looked like the Phillies had found their center fielder of the future.
Brandon Marsh makes (surprise) appearance in MLB Top 10 center field rankings
With high expectations going into the 2024 season, it’s hard to say Marsh wasn’t disappointing. The 27-year-old was primarily used in left field due to Johan Rojas’ elite defensive ability in center field. Marsh played 97 of his 158 appearances in left field and started 42 more games than his primary center field position.
Despite his primary usage in left field a season ago, Marsh was ranked as the No. 6 center fielder in Major League Baseball heading into the 2025 season, per MLB Network’s Top 10 center fielders right now list. He was just one spot below Angels’ superstar outfielder and Millville, New Jersey, native Mike Trout.
Marsh slashed .249/.328/.419 with a .747 OPS, 17 doubles, three triples, 16 home runs and 60 RBI in 2024. He stole a career-high 19 bases. In general, those numbers look fine, but it was a drop-off in overall production compared to his 2023 season.
Marsh had a .263 batting average with 21 extra-base hits and 35 RBI before the All-Star break. He posted a .231 average with 15 extra-base hits and 25 RBI after the All-Star break. He struggled down the stretch owning a .182 average in July, a .244 average in August and a .257 average in September. Marsh had just one hit in 13 at-bats during the Phillies’ short-lived playoff run.
As the season progressed, Marsh fell into a platoon role in left field with Austin Hays and Weston Wilson. He also had opportunities at his natural position in center field in a platoon role with Rojas who struggled at the plate.
Is it a surprise that Marsh landed at No. 6 in the Top 10 center fielder rankings after what many would consider a disappointing season? He was No. 52 with a .979 fielding percentage among qualified outfielders in 2024, per FanGraphs.
According to FanGraphs’ 2025 Steamer projections, Marsh is projected to be No. 83 among outfielders in offensive runs above average, No. 65 in WAR and have a negative defensive runs above average. Steamer projections predict how a player will perform based on past performance and aging trends.
Perhaps the most concerning part of Marsh’s game in 2024 was his plate discipline. His strikeout percentage rose and his base on balls percentage dropped. He was chasing pitches and striking out at an alarmingly high rate, particularly late in the season. He also hit just .192 against left-handed pitching, 37 points lower than in 2023.
The Phillies signed former Minnesota Twins outfielder Max Kepler to a one-year, $10 million contract to be the everyday left fielder in 2025. Nick Castellanos will remain the everyday right fielder, so Marsh will have to prove his worth to earn the starting center fielder job and live up to his No. 6 ranking on MLB Network’s top center fielders list.