4 surprise players who’ve dominated Phillies spring training
The Philadelphia Phillies have been playing without some of their big boppers this spring. The additional playing time has paid off for a few players who have unexpectedly been dominating this spring.
Defending their National League title and taking it another step further will require help from the core members of the roster and role players, too.
It’s only spring training, but these four players have been dominating on the field at a level no one expected to see.
1) Phillies infielder Edmundo Sosa is having a fiery spring
The absence of Trea Turner as he helps the USA in the World Baseball Classic has given Edmundo Sosa plenty of innings at shortstop. The results after 31 at-bats include an insane .516/.615/.968 slash line. Sosa has hit 4 home runs for the Phillies this spring. He has only 8 in his entire MLB career.
The Phillies may have stolen a gem away from the St. Louis Cardinals. Acquired last year at the trade deadline to provide them with some infield depth, we saw them reap the benefits of having him immediately. He went from having his .189/.244/.270 slash line season with the Cardinals to a .315/.345/.593 one with the Phillies.
Nobody should expect Sosa to pay homage to Ted Williams this year at the plate. He’s a good backup infielder who should close out games regularly at third base. If he can contribute at the plate along the way at such a high level like last year, the Phillies should be more than satisfied.
Sosa isn’t alone in leaving surprising numbers in the box score this spring. Three others have had some outlandishly good preseasons.
2) Phillies infielder Kody Clemens is making his presence known
Gregory Soto might be the player that Phillies fans are most eager to see play from the Detroit Tigers trade, however, it’s important not to sleep on Kody Clemens. He wasn’t very good for the Tigers last year, batting .145/.197/.308 in his first 127 major league plate appearances. He lowered the bar for himself. He has now raised it a few inches with an impressive spring.
In 38 plate appearances, Clemens has slashed .324/.395/.647. Among his 11 hits we find a pair of doubles and 3 home runs. Clemens has driven in 8 along the way while securing himself one of the most unexpectedly awesome springs on the roster.
The left-handed hitting infielder won’t be flying under the radar any more. He has had success in the minors, often putting up decent power numbers along the way. Could Clemens’ destiny ultimately lead him to becoming a left-handed bat off the bench?
Clemens might not be as much of a “throw in” to this trade as it originally seemed. The Phillies needed replacements for Matt Vierling and Nick Maton. Clemens has entered the competition with his surprisingly dominant spring.
We won’t see Clemens jerseys at Citizens Bank Ballpark just yet nor should we expect it. Clemens has a long way to go before we stop immediately thinking of him as Roger’s son.
3) Phillies outfielder Jake Cave has been more than the hitter we crave
Knowing they’d be without Bryce Harper, adding some outfield depth was of some utmost importance to the Phillies this offseason. Jake Cave got picked up off of waivers and the expectation was he could make the team as a fifth outfielder or spend much of the season on the farm awaiting his chance. Based on his spring numbers, the Phillies should find a way to circumnavigate the rules and bat him third, fourth, and fifth.
Cave is the owner of a .432/.488/.838 slash line this spring in 41 plate appearances. This includes 3 doubles, 3 triples, and 2 home runs to go with his 11 RBI. A lifetime .235/.297/.411 hitter, it’s outlandishly productive for Cave.
It’s a shame these games don’t count because if they did the Phillies would be patting themselves on the back right now. He has been on a down swing for the last three seasons after two productive years with the Minnesota Twins in 2018 and 2019. Cave’s MLB highs in those last three seasons all came in 2020 when he slashed .221/.285/.389. This isn’t good enough for regular major league action.
Maybe Cave has tapped into something else in his swing. The triples seem to be what is most surprising, however, in only 1015 major league plate appearances he does have 10 of them which is surprisingly high for a guy not known for quick feet.
4) Phillies infielder Scott Kingery may have finally arrived at the last stop
Is it possible to talk about Phillies spring training without mentioning Scott Kingery? A monumental franchise mistake to give him a contract before he even reached the big leagues, he hasn’t been quite as dominant as the other three on this list but because of who he is and what he means to the history of the team, he must be mentioned.
Kingery is hitting .371/.436/.486 in 39 plate appearances down in Florida. Many of his 13 hits have been singles with only a double and a home run going for extra bases. Kingery has driven in only 2 runs all spring but he has crossed the plate 9 times.
What’s big about Kingery this year is the Phillies have a team option for him in 2024. He’ll get his $8.25 million this year regardless of where he plays. He won’t fool anyone within the organization to pick up his deal. What he can accomplish is earning himself a much lesser major league contract with the Phillies or someone else.
Yes, it’s spring training and Kingery is only a singles machine right now. Who doesn’t want to see him redeem himself with one masterful season?
Kingery hasn’t even hit well in the minors since 2020 when things fell apart. A utility role is all he can possibly grab. The team may want him to prove himself a little more in Lehigh Valley first to prove this successful spring was not a dream.
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