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3 Phillies players who could become first-time All-Stars in 2023

By Matt Rappa |
Rhys Hoskins and Bryson Stott of the Philadelphia Phillies
Rhys Hoskins and Bryson Stott of the Philadelphia Phillies / Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
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Exploring Phillies players poised to become first-time All-Stars in 2023

The Major League Baseball offseason flew by for Philadelphia Phillies fans — in large part thanks to the club's unexpected lengthy postseason run (and helped with the Philadelphia Eagles making a championship run of their own). Now with spring training well underway, the 2023 regular season will be here before we know it.

Trea Turner, J.T. Realmuto, Kyle Schwarber, and others are expected to pick up from where they left off in 2022 — and there is hope that Nick Castellanos can return to form. And, as during every season, there should be a few surprises and/or players having career years along the way as well.
Here are three Phillies players who could do just that and become first-time All-Stars in 2023.

Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins will have extra motivation to succeed, given his contract status.

Barring an unforeseen, late-offseason development, Rhys Hoskins will enter the new season without a contract extension — meaning he will be on a "contract year" and have everything to play for in his seventh big-league season.

Hoskins' career seems to flip back and forth between horrific slumps to almost single-handedly carrying the team. Any team thinking about entering sweepstakes for Hoskins' services next season will want to see more consistency out of him.

Hoskins slugged 33 doubles, 30 home runs, and 79 RBI spanning 156 games last season. Despite his streakiness, being available across nearly the entire season is something the Phillies cannot complain about — especially with Bryce Harper sidelined for the first few months.

With Freddie Freeman, Pete Alonso, Paul Goldschmidt, and Matt Olson all vying for the same National League All-Star consideration at first base, among other players, it will not be easy for Hoskins to become a first-time All-Star. However, extra motivation of wanting a lucrative contract could make all the difference for the Phillies first baseman to stand out from the crowd.

Seranthony Domínguez could become the Phillies' first All-Star reliever since Pat Neshek in 2017.

Seranthony Domínguez made a name for himself in the 2022 postseason, allowing just two earned runs, seven hits, and a walk spanning 10 2/3 innings. The Dominican Republic native also nearly struck out half of his 40 batters faced, recording 18 strikeouts.

After being sidelined from June 2019 through the final game of the 2021 season, Domínguez remained healthy for the first time since his 2018 rookie season — going 6-5 with a 3.00 ERA, 61-22 strikeouts-to-walks ratio, and 1.137 WHIP spanning 51 innings and 54 appearances in the 2022 regular season.

Domínguez once was leaned on as the key back-end cog of the Phillies bullpen, but now that President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski added Gregory Soto, Craig Kimbrel, and Matt Strahm into the mix this past offseason, the four-year veteran should be able to thrive in the second year under manager Rob Thomson.

Domínguez and the Phillies recently avoided arbitration by agreeing to a two-year contract with a club option for the 2025 season. Shortly after arriving at spring training, the reliever told reporters that he wants to spend the rest of his career in Philadelphia — as the Phillies are "the only family" he has known — and that it does not matter to him who closes games.

The most recent Phillies bullpen arms to make the All-Star Game were Pat Neshek (2017); Jonathan Papelbon (2012, 2015); and Brad Lidge (2008). If Domínguez puts up numbers that resemble anything close to his "Red October" performance from this past fall, he undoubtedly will join this list come July.

Learning from Trea Turner, Phillies second baseman Bryson Stott could earn a surprise All-Star nod in his sophomore season.

Bryson Stott had a tale of two halves during his 2022 rookie season. Under Joe Girardi — in which the Phillies went a disappointing 22-29 to start the season — the Las Vegas native slashed a disappointing .143/.195/.169 with just two extra-base hits, five walks, and 26 strikeouts across 82 plate appearances. Under interim manager Rob Thomson, however, Stott slashed an improved .254/.316/.400 with 29 extra-base hits, 31 walks, and 63 strikeouts spanning 384 plate appearances.

A recent Philadelphia Inquirer article explored how new Phillies shortstop Trea Turner has already built a rapport with fellow middle-infielder Stott, who moves over to second base following the departure of Jean Segura. Turner's presence alone can elevate Stott's game — and arguably vice-versa. Phillies broadcaster Tom McCarthy recently told MLB Network that the duo is trying to "get as much work in now as possible."

The bar is not necessarily high for Stott to become a first-time All-Star in 2023. At last season's Midsummer Classic, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Jeff McNeil, and Jake Cronenworth were the sole second basemen named National League All-Stars. The cover athlete for MLB The Show 23, Chisholm Jr. slashed just .254/.325/.535 with the Miami Marlins in 2022. Meanwhile, McNeil slashed an impressive .326/.382/.454, but he slugged only nine home runs and 62 RBI. Stott hit 10 home runs and 49 RBI, but his numbers should only improve now that a full season is under his belt. Meanwhile, Cronenworth slashed just .239/.332/.390 last season, although he did have 88 RBI across 158 games.

Stott can be a first-time All-Star in 2023, as long as he carries over momentum and avoids the infamous "sophomore slump." Stott does not have to be an All-Star starter alongside Turner, but even making the team as a reserve would be a remarkable accomplishment at this early stage of his career.

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