With spring training ramping up across Major League Baseball this week, teams are beginning the process of evaluating their talent and making decisions that will shape their rosters for Opening Day and the coming season. The Philadelphia Phillies' roster won't see much flux, save for around the edges.
The Phillies' front office and coaching staff have very few decisions to make about who will break camp and head north with the team for Opening Day. The star-studded veteran core led by first baseman Bryce Harper is all but set with only a few jobs up for grabs.
One of the factors that plays into MLB roster construction is minor league options. Options allow a team to move a player between the active 26-man roster and the minor leagues. If a player on the 40-man roster has options remaining and less than five years of MLB service time, they can be transferred to the minor leagues up to five times per season without having to pass through waivers.
Phillies players who are out of minor league options
The Phillies have 17 players on the 40-man roster who still have options, according to FanGraphs' Roster Resource depth chart. The more interesting list is those Phillies who are out of options in 2025.
Phillies 40-man roster players without minor league options:
- Cristopher Sánchez
- Edmundo Sosa
- José Ruiz
- Rafael Marchán
- Kody Clemens
- Buddy Kennedy
- Tyler Phillips
For someone like Cristopher Sánchez, who has established himself in the big leagues, not having any options isn't a big deal. For others, however, not having options can shape their future and be the difference between having a job in the big leagues or ending up with another organization.
Reserve infielder Edmundo Sosa has established himself as an integral piece of the Phillies' bench. However, if he struggles to perform when he gets his chances, he may one day find himself designated for assignment and put through waivers or traded so the team can recoup some value.
The same goes for José Ruiz. Despite having a strong 2024 season, if he can't perform in the bullpen, the Phillies might be forced to move on from the 30-year-old.
Phillies' Opening Day roster decisions might hinge on options
Where a lack of options could really come into play is when the team determines who will get one of the few open spots on the active 26-man roster to begin the season.
The backup catcher position is up for grabs this spring, with an out-of-options Rafael Marchán battling Garrett Stubbs for the job, per MLB.com's Todd Zolecki. With a bat that looks MLB-ready, the Phillies will feel inclined to give Marchán first dibs to avoid passing him through waivers before the season.
Stubbs, who signed a split contract this offseason, is eligible to be optioned to Triple-A. He can ply his trade with Lehigh Valley to start the year and stay ready as the third-string option. This will give the Phillies a chance to see if Marchán can do the job — and stay healthy.
The last bench spot is also being opened up to internal competition this spring, with a number of players getting a look. Weston Wilson, Kody Clemens, Buddy Kennedy and Cal Stevenson are among the most likely alternatives. How will options play a role here?
Wilson seems to have an early inside track for the job, thanks to his versatility. However, he still has an option remaining, as does Stevenson. Like Stubbs, they can start the year in Triple-A without being exposed to waivers, providing the Phillies with depth and flexibility during the season.
Clemens and Kennedy, on the other hand, are both out of options and find themselves in a more precarious position. Both infielders are candidates to be the 26th man, with the former more likely of the two.
Clemens, Kennedy in most precarious position out of options
Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski addressed the team's end-of-the-roster opening during his first spring training press conference earlier this week. He didn't sound confident he'd be able to get them through waivers if they don't make the team.
"From an infield perspective, we have a couple players that are out of options, in Clemens and Kennedy," Dombrowski said. "So if they don't make the team, then we're in a position where it might be tough to get them to Triple-A. That'd be my guess, maybe we would."
Being out of options might work in their favor when the Phillies finally pick their Opening Day roster, if they perform in their Grapefruit League action. There's also a chance one or both are traded before Opening Day if they're not chosen to join the active roster.
Lastly, right-hander Tyler Phillips, who had an impressive MLB debut last season but disappointed as his time in the majors wore on, is in danger of landing on waivers. An Opening Day role with the big club appears highly unlikely. Whether he'd be snagged off waivers is a gamble the Phillies will have to take.