Comparing Alec Bohm's first three seasons to other notable Phillies

How does Alec Bohm's start compare to one of the greatest Phillies ever?

When thinking of Philadelphia Phillies third basemen, it is impossible to not immediately think of the legendary Mike Schmidt.

Schmidt was with the Phillies for his entire 18-year career. From his debut in September 1972 at the age of 22, through his final game in May 1989 at the age of 39, Schmidt put together the best career a Phillies player ever had.

Schmidt batted a career .267/.380/.527, hit more than 540 home runs, won three National League MVP awards, and was a 12-time All-Star, 10-time Gold Glove winner, and eight-time Silver Slugger.

While it may seem a bit outlandish to compare Bohm to Schmidt, the similarities should certainly receive some attention.

Schmidt played 307 games from his September 1972 debut through the end of the 1974 season, while Bohm played in 311 regular season games from his August 2020 debut until the end of the 2022 regular season. In those games, Schmidt batted .204, while Bohm maintained a .277 average.

Bohm was also part of a Phillies team that won the National League pennant, something Schmidt did not accomplish until 1980. Schmidt, however, was able to bat .280/.395/.546 during the 1974 season, something that would give the third baseman his first All-Star nod.

While we still anxiously wait to see Bohm reach All-Star status, he is not off to a bad start. While Schmidt had subpar batting averages to start his career, he also displayed power with 55 home runs in his first 307 games. The batting averages would later come, as he would bat a career-best .316 in 1981.

Perhaps Bohm can begin to unleash power that helped him hit 33 home runs in his 159 starts at Wichita State. After all, Bohm hit 10 home runs in 2022 under first-year manager Rob Thomson, after previously hitting 14 home runs from August 2020 through May 2022.

Alec Bohm's steady contact displays similarities to Phillies legend Chase Utley.

The Phillies were a force during the end of the 2000s and into the early 2010s, making the postseason in every season from 2007 to 2011. These runs gave the Phillies two National League pennants and the 2008 World Series title.

One of the most talented contributors on those Phillies teams was second baseman Chase Utley. Utley was with the Phillies from the beginning of his career in 2003 until a 2015 midseason trade sent him to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Through Utley's first three seasons from 2003 to 2005, he had a .276 batting average in 284 games. Coincidentally, Bohm's batting average of .277 through his first three seasons is just a tick better.

The infielders also got on base at a similar percentage through three seasons. Bohm had OBP marks of .400, .305, and .315 in his first three seasons, while Utley had an OBP of .322, .308, and .376.

However, where Bohm and Utley differ is in the home run category. Bohm hit 11 home runs in 159 games in 2020 and 2021, while Utley hit 15 home runs in 136 games in 2003 and 2004. Year three, however, is once again where Bohm goes from being slightly outmatched to being blown out of the water.

Bohm may have hit 10 home runs under Rob Thomson in 2022, but he still only had 13 homers in 152 games overall during the 2022 season. Utley was able to go yard 28 times while playing in 147 games in the 2005 season.

Bohm still has work to do in developing the power aspect of his game. Having a contact hitter among sluggers such as Kyle Schwarber, Rhys Hoskins, and two-time MVP Bryce Harper may not be a bad thing, but seeing Bohm hit more home runs would see him begin to reach an All-Star level of play.

So far, Bohm's career closely mirrors a newer addition to the Phillies lineup — a player who proves he can contribute and find success both individually and as a team without ever hitting 30 home runs in a season.

Trea Turner's career beginnings closely mirror fellow Phillies infielder Alec Bohm's first three seasons.

New Phillies shortstop Trea Turner may have yet to suit up in red pinstripes, but his 11-year, $300 million deal makes him one of the roster's most noteworthy players. Turner earned this contract despite never hitting 30 home runs in a season, and only hitting more than 20 home runs twice in eight seasons.

Turner debuted in 2015, however, he only played in 27 games and would not compete for the Rookie of the Year Award until 2016. So, Turner's first three seasons will be counted as the 333 games he played with the Washington Nationals from 2016 to 2018.

From 2016 to 2018, Turner slashed .342/.370/.567, .284/.338/.451, and .271/.344/.516, respectively. Over Bohm's first three seasons, he slashed .338/.400/.481, .247/.305/.342, and .280/.315/.398. Turner's home run totals were 13, 11 and 19, respectively, while Bohm's season totals were 4, 7, and 13.

Turner is a good roadmap of what Bohm could become. Bohm showed ability to be a great contact hitter, a presence in the batter's box in clutch moments, and occasionally take a pitcher yard. Defensively, Bohm also cleaned up his mistakes as the 2022 season went on.

It appeared that manager Rob Thomson helped Bohm rely on his instincts and high baseball IQ to make plays, instead of trying to constantly be a great player — a mentality that we have seen cripple other high draft picks recently on other Philadelphia sports teams.

In 2023, expect Bohm to make huge leaps toward what he could become as an everyday player for the rest of his career. Coming off of a World Series appearance, adding Turner to the lineup, and improving the bullpen with the arms of Gregory Soto and Craig Kimbrel, have put a target on the Phillies that they have not had in a long time.

If the Phillies go on a run similar to their 2007-2011 stretch, they will need their third baseman to bring his "A-game" on both offense and defense. If Bohm rises to the challenge, he could be the next Phillies player to earn a lucrative contract.