Jake Cave
Jake Cave has been one of those major leaguers who has shown explosive power potential and success in the minor leagues but somehow hasn't been able to translate that success to the big league level.
After spending five seasons with the Minnesota Twins to begin his MLB career, Cave was claimed by the Phillies off waivers during the 2022-23 offseason and earned a spot on the team’s Opening Day roster with an impressive spring training. However, he couldn’t carry his dominance into the regular season, as he posted a .212 batting average and a .620 OPS with just five home runs, 21 RBI and 55 strikeouts in just 65 games as a part-time player.
With Bryce Harper to be permanently deployed at first base by the Phillies in 2024 and Alec Bohm being his primary backup, it essentially leaves Cave mainly with spot duty in the outfield. However, with Merrifield being the better offensive option and Pache being the better defensive option available, Cave's playing time for the upcoming season will no doubt be severely limited.
With the need for Cave becoming negligible for the Phillies, they should instead look to put him on the trade block to give him the opportunity to land a starting gig or a more meaningful bench role with another team while receiving a useful future asset in return.