5 Phillies players fighting for their futures heading into the 2024 season

Connor Brogdon

Prior to the 2023 season, Connor Brogdon had been a main staple in the Phillies’ bullpen since 2020. He was able to consistently put up a sub-4.00 ERA and sub-1.20 WHIP each year, providing reliability whenever taking the mound in the later innings. However, Brogdon lost his usual steadiness in 2023, struggling with his command at various times during the season. In the end, he was demoted to the minors following a string of poor outings in late May and early June and remained there for the rest of the season.

In total, Brogdon pitched to a 4.03 ERA with a 1.45 WHIP, giving up 13 earned runs, including five home runs, 13 walks, and 26 strikeouts in just 29 innings. When he was sent to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, he continued his struggles with a 5.46 ERA and 1.36 WHIP, giving up 17 earned runs with 16 walks and 34 strikeouts in 28 innings over 26 appearances. Things got so bad that he was even put on the Development List for over a week in early August to help him reset. That more or less justified the reason why he wasn’t called back up to the big leagues for the remainder of 2023.

Similar to Marte's situation, Brogdon will be up against fierce competition in the Phillies’ system for a role in the bullpen for the upcoming season and beyond. With his prior success in his previous seasons with the Phillies, Brogdon appears to have the upper hand over his counterparts entering 2024.

However, his inconsistency with his command has reared its ugly head once again this spring. In four games, he has given up one run on three hits with four walks and just two strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings. Hopefully, it's just a small sample size and he will eventually turn things around. But if his troubles with his command continue to plague him, his roster spot with the Phillies in the long run could be in serious jeopardy.