Spring training is an opportunity for players to prove themselves to an organization. Players on the roster bubble or prospects trying to gain the attention of the big league coaching staff can make roster decisions tough with a good spring performance.
Philadelphia Phillies No. 10 prospect Gabriel Rincones Jr., per MLB Pipeline, has caught the organization’s attention with his power display this spring. Veteran slugger Kyle Schwarber was impressed with the young outfielder early in spring training, taking him under his wing.
Kyle Schwarber has hilarious reaction to Gabriel Rincones Jr.’s power this spring
The Phillies invited Rincones Jr. to major league spring training as a non-roster invitee. The 2022 third-round pick has appeared in nine games, tied for the second-most out of all Phillies position players. He has a team-leading three home runs and seven RBI with a .813 slugging percentage and 1.181 OPS in 16 at-bats.
“I was like, ‘Who is this big donkey taking hacks?’” Schwarber said about Rincones Jr.’s build and power (subscription required), per The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Alex Coffey.
Gabriel Rincones Jr. caught Kyle Schwarber's attention early in ST.
— Alex Coffey (@byalexcoffey) March 5, 2025
“I was like, ‘Who is this big donkey taking hacks?’”
He came up with a nickname for him.
“Uncle Rico. Because he can hit the ball over the mountains."
How Schwarber has helped Rincones https://t.co/HXdal4nJAA
Rincones Jr. is a 6-foot-3, 225-pound left-handed hitting outfielder. The 24-year-old has 26 career home runs with 92 RBI and 47 doubles in 188 games in the minor leagues.
Although the in-game power numbers haven’t stood out as much as they can, Rincones Jr. has the strength and frame to develop into a top-tier power hitter. Being on the same field as one of baseball’s best power hitters and working with one another during the spring helps his progression.
Schwarber shared advice with Rincones Jr. to shift his setup at the plate to see the ball better against left-handed pitching, an adjustment that worked for the left-handed slugger going into his 11th season.
“It’s nothing outrageous, it’s nothing big,” Schwarber said about the advice he gave to Rincones Jr., per Coffey. “But it’s something that can help you recognize pitches, make it a little bit easier. It’s helped me dramatically against lefties.”
Rincones Jr. is a long shot to make the Phillies’ Opening Day roster, but his success in spring training hasn’t gone unnoticed. Schwarber even nicknamed him “Uncle Rico” because of his show-stopping power.