With the recent signing of veteran outfielder Max Kepler in free agency, the Philadelphia Phillies have a potential solid solution for their outfield going forward. In doing so, it will no doubt jeopardize some playing time of their usual outfield core. But no one will likely be affected by the move more than the young and promising Johan Rojas.
However, Rojas appears to be determined not to let that happen after a strong showing in the Dominican Winter League with the Gigantes del Cibao. In fact, he has been performing in record-breaking fashion to help his cause.
Phillies' Johan Rojas sets impressive stolen base record in Dominican Winter Ball
With his lightning speed, Rojas has set the Dominican Winter League record for the most stolen bases without getting thrown out with 24, surpassing Ralph Garr's Mark of 23 set over half a century ago, according to Phillies Tailgate on X. With 23 successful attempts this winter added to his one from 2022-23, Rojas' record of 24 straight steals is the new mark.
On top of that, Rojas has put together a solid campaign with Gigantes, posting a .295 average and .771 OPS, with 20 runs scored, six doubles, one home run, eight RBI, 12 walks and 22 strikeouts in 95 total at-bats over 27 games. Even with such a performance though, Phillies’ manager Rob Thomson still had some slight reservations in his overall play.
Being able to show that he could contribute more significantly on the offensive side of things will be vital for Rojas' success with the Phillies. Despite having a promising start to his MLB career after making his debut with Philadelphia partway through the 2023 season, his offense to date has nonetheless left a lot to be desired. In 179 total games, Rojas has batted .261 with just a .653 OPS, 71 runs scored, 21 doubles, five home runs, 55 RBI, 39 stolen bases, 18 walks and a whopping 111 strikeouts over just 487 at-bats.
Hopefully, his current promising play from Winter Ball will eventually instill enough confidence in his manager so that he can maintain a prominent role on the team heading into the 2025 season. Otherwise, Rojas’ job could be in serious jeopardy with three more-seasoned veterans with strong run production ahead of him in the game.