3 Phillies to watch in spring training as they fix weaknesses and elevate their game
Spring training may not always be the best indicator of how a player's season will pan out, but there are some Phillies to watch to see if they can improve on skills that will directly impact their season.
Spring training is the time of the season when players can get much-needed work in against live pitching and hitting that they wouldn't see other than during the regular season. The emphasis isn't always on the outcome, but more on improvement on weaknesses from the previous season.
During the 2023 season, players like J.T. Realmuto, Aaron Nola, and Orion Kerkering all showed, at times, the elite-level play they are capable of. That being said, their game still had some obvious, sometimes self-admitted, flaws.
For some of the more veteran guys, they understand the goings of spring training and can use the time to work on these things. For others who are trying to make the Opening Day roster, there is a lot more worry about the outcome. Either way, it's crucial to remember that the result is not always the be-all-end-all, and the process is just as important.
Here are a few specific, non-statistical improvements to look out for that would point toward success in 2024 for these players.
Watch for J.T. Realmuto to fix the inside hole in his swing
If you asked, Realmuto would say that his 2023 campaign was not up to his standards.
Over 135 games, Realmuto slashed .252/.310/.452 with a .762 OPS, the worst slash line he has produced during his five years in red pinstripes. While his numbers were still above average, and his defensive and baserunning game from the catcher position was outstanding, even Realmuto admitted to a big flaw he found in his swing.
After the NLCS loss, the 32-year-old worked hard on the inside pitch, a problem stemming from his high leg kick and very open stance. Realmuto went on to do something that he hadn't done much before. Throughout the offseason, per The Athletic's Matt Gelb, the Phillies catcher worked with hitting coach Kevin Long (subscription required) in the team's biometric lab, breaking down the exact reason for his faults.
A veteran who isn't entering spring training for his first time, Realmuto will look to build off the offseason work against live pitching for the first time since the end of last season.
After seeing his first action in spring training on Wednesday, the former Marlin is already showing a new look in the batter's box. His stance looks more composed and tighter, with his feet closer together and hips more closed.
My goodness, J.T. pic.twitter.com/sqA3eldJeR
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) February 28, 2024
While this spring training home run was on the outside of the plate, it will be important to watch how he has adapted to the inside pitch to cut down on the chase rate and increase his overall command of the strike zone from a hitter's perspective.
With some slight adaptations and adjustments, Realmuto could continue to be one of the best catchers in baseball and give the Phillies yet another weapon in their very deep lineup to scare opposing pitching.
Watch for Aaron Nola to find the black with his fastball again
If you asked Nola, his 2023 was not anywhere near the level of play that he, or anyone else, expects out of him.
Finishing the season with a 4.46 ERA, the third-highest mark of his career, Nola struggled to put hitters away, collecting 202 strikeouts, the lowest mark since 2017 (excluding 2020). It seemed like his pitches were missing just off the plate, reinforced by his 45 walks, the most for him since 2019.
To find success, the lifelong Phillie needs to have his most effective weapon working: his fastball. In 2023, Nola's number one pitch was his knuckle curve, throwing it 31.6 percent of the time. In comparison, he threw 29.4 percent four-seam fastballs and only 18.9 percent sinkers. The fastball usage dropped from 52.2 percent in 2022 to 48.3 percent in 2023, while his curve became his go-to pitch.
The switch in pitch mix and usage could come off the back of the lack of bite he found on his fastballs. The run value on his four-seamer dropped eight runs from 2022 to 2023, while his sinker dropped by a massive 13 runs down to a -2 run value. This needs to be a focal point for Caleb Cotham and the Phillies coaching staff during the spring.
During his first two innings of spring training, the 30-year-old sat 92-93 mph and found the outside corner consistently with the arm-side run sinker. He allowed zero hits, walks, or runs and punched out three over 33 pitches.
It won't always look this good during February and March. There will be times when he allows knocks and gets a little beat up. Pitchers use this time to work on things that they struggled with previously. Nola is looking to regain confidence in his fastball and that second element of his game, setting hitters up for the off-speed.
Watch for Orion Kerkering to learn to use his fastball more effectively
One of the surprising stories of the 2023 season, Orion Kerkering exploded through the Phillies minor league system after being drafted in the fifth round of the 2022 MLB Draft. His calling card — the wipeout sweeper that can be used at any time, in any count, in any location — was a big pitch for him.
In his three outings during the 2023 regular season, the 22-year-old threw 60 pitches, 51 of them being the sweeper. He found success in the regular season as that pitch was so good that even if batters knew it was coming, they still couldn't hit it. When the postseason came, however, it was a different story.
The lack of an effective fastball hurt Kerkering, leading to a few bad outings against the Diamondbacks in the NLCS. A reliever can be successful with one great pitch, but there needs to be something else that sets it up or gives a different look.
Real, live audio feed of Orion pitching 🔥 pic.twitter.com/xCZxfSNXlb
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) February 21, 2024
The former USF pitcher sits consistently around 98 mph with his sinker, and his sweeper registers as one of the pitches with the most movement in all of baseball. The sinker can be used as a setup pitch to the wipeout sweeper or even as a finisher, changing speeds and catching guessing hitters off balance.
It will be important for Kerkering to get the fastball to a level where he is comfortable throwing it more than 15 percent of the time to help open up his sweeper and keep hitters off of it.
While he hasn't secured his spot on the roster just yet, spring training is a great time to incorporate the sinker and see when and where he can throw it to go from an above-average pitcher to the potential Phillies closer for 2024.
manual