No. 3: Scott Rolen
When it comes to the perfect blend of solid offense and dynamic defense, none have done it better than Scott Rolen. The Phillies' second-round pick from the 1993 MLB Draft spent seven seasons with the team that drafted him, from 1996 to 2002, and appeared to be headed towards stardom right from the get-go.
His 21-home run, 92-RBI rookie season earned him NL Rookie of the Year honours. From there, Rolen was able to consistently put up close to 30 home runs and 100 RBI per season when paced over a 162-game schedule.
More significantly, his exceptional defensive capabilities began to take shape as he captured four Gold Gloves over his seven-year stint with the ballclub. But despite Rolen’s stellar performance on both sides of the field throughout his tenure with the Phillies, he was unsuccessful in leading the team to the postseason.
Things didn’t go smoothly when he ultimately ended his tenure with the ballclub. He believed that the organization didn’t have a genuine commitment to winning and ended up being traded to the Cardinals in 2002.
In total, Rolen finished with a lifetime .282 batting average with the Phillies, along with an .877 OPS, 533 runs scored, 207 doubles, 150 home runs, 559 RBI, and 71 stolen bases, ranking him in the top five all-time among Phillies third basemen in most of those categories.
He might not be the best to have ever played at the hot corner for the Phillies in terms of his overall offensive numbers. But considering his stalwart defense, Rolen is perhaps the best well-rounded third baseman to have ever suited up for the ballclub, other than, of course, No. 1 on our list.
Congratulations to a baseball legend! pic.twitter.com/XYRRYjvefO
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 22, 2023
Rolen's accomplishments have been recognized at the highest level, as he was recently elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame last year. He was also inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame in 2023, and it seems fans have forgiven him.