What each Phillies player has at the top of their holiday wish list

As the 2023 year is winding down and holiday celebrations are in full swing, what better way to honor the festive time of year than by giving every Philadelphia Phillies player something to put on their wish list this holiday season?

As the team fell just short of making it back to the World Series for the second straight year, some players are looking to improve their personal performance, while others are actively hoping for just an opportunity to prove they belong on the 40-man roster indefinitely. Then a few are just here for the vibes.

Before we dive into the 38 active players on the Phillies roster, let's add a couple of extra wish list items for others in the organization.

John Middleton: The Phillies' managing partner will be hoping for yet another beer bath come the fall to ensure his deepening pockets aren't for naught.

Dave Dombrowski: As president of baseball operations, Dombrowski took a different approach to the winter meetings this year but will be hoping to pull off one big move ahead of the regular season.

Rob Thomson: The manager of the ballclub will hope that this is finally the year his famous countdown of postseason wins goes from 13 (with the wild card) or 11 (with the divisional title) all the way to zero.

John Kruk: Phillies legend John Kruk is going to be wishing his fellow announcers and the fans forget about his promise of scaling the Gateway Arch in St. Louis when the team is in town from April 8-10 to pay off a debt from a game last September.

Phanatic: The beloved Phillies mascot will be hoping for an opportunity to have a calm, civil conversation with a rival mascot — Atlanta's very own Blooper — to clear the air after some beef during the playoffs.

Relievers, Part 1

McKinley Moore: Fewer walks

McKinley Moore made his major league debut on April 10, and in three MLB outings, he posted an 18.90 ERA on five hits, seven earned runs, five walks and two strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings. After injuries derailed most of the middle of his season, he had a 1.33 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 20 1/3 innings across three levels in the minor leagues — the catch being he also handed out 22 free passes.

Nick Nelson: Major league innings

The 28-year-old Nick Nelson only made one appearance for Philadelphia in 2023 — a 5 1/3-inning outing on Oct. 1, when he struck out three, walked two and allowed only one earned run. After dealing with hamstring injuries this past season, the righty was never able to climb back to the big leagues, where he logged 68 2/3 innings in 2022.

Andrew Bellatti: More strikeouts

Andrew Bellatti will need to figure out how to get back on track with swings and misses. After posting a rate of 12.9 strikeouts per nine innings in 24 2/3 innings in 2022, that fell to 9.1 this past season. Part of that decline was decreased usage and effectiveness of his slider, a pitch that had a 29.4 putaway percentage in 2022 compared to 21.0 this past season, according to Baseball Savant.

Yunior Marté: Fewer trips to Triple-A

Yunior Marté bounced between Triple-A and Philly frequently in 2023, and while he posted a 1.80 ERA in the minors, that ballooned to 5.03 in the big leagues. One reason was his inability to get his sinker past batters. After holding batters to a .267 batting average on the pitch in 2022, that climbed to .341 in 2023, even though his velocity increased from 96.9 mph to 97.6, according to Baseball Savant.

Luis Ortiz: An extended opportunity

The 28-year-old Luis Ortiz has only logged 33 1/3 innings of MLB action across four seasons, with 19 of those coming in 2023. In limited action over the past two seasons, he has a 2.60 ERA, and Baseball Reference has him projected to hit 35 innings in 2024. After April, though, he didn't appear in more than three games in any given month the rest of the way.

Connor Brogdon: Cutter to bounce back

In 29 innings with the Phillies, Connor Brogdon put up a 4.03 ERA. Across the board, though, his velocity was down for his changeup (83.8 mph to 83.2), four-seamer (95.1 to 94.7) and cutter (88.3 to 87.5). Those decreases also affected his putaway percentage for each pitch, with the cutter seeing the biggest drop from 29.6 percent in 2022 to only 13 percent in 2023, according to Baseball Savant.

Dylan Covey: Late-season momentum to carry into 2024

The 2023 season showcased the two tales of Dylan Covey. The 32-year-old's season didn't start well, with a 6.75 ERA in eight appearances across May and June. However, before a stint on the injured list left him off the playoff roster, the right-hander put up a 0.82 ERA on one earned run in 11 innings during September and October.

Starting Pitchers

Zack Wheeler: A contract extension + holiday raise

With one year left on his deal, it's Zack Wheeler's turn to put pen to paper on an extension. From 2021 to 2023, the 33-year-old put up the 11th-best ERA (3.08), second-best FIP (2.86), ninth-best WHIP (1.04) and fifth-most innings (558 1/3) among qualified pitchers, according to FanGraphs. In five postseason games in 2023, he went 3-0 with a 1.95 ERA.

Aaron Nola: Pitch clock magic

Aaron Nola took some time — including using many delay tactics on the mound like asking for new balls frequently— to adjust his mechanics to account for the new pitch clock rules in 2023, and there might be even more tightening of the pitch clock in 2024. With the sped-up game, Nola gave up a career-high 32 home runs in 2023 and will need to work more magic with his mechanics to keep adjusting.

Ranger Suárez: A Gold Glove

It's hard to find anyone who's more cool, calm and collected than Ranger Suárez on the mound. While the 28-year-old lefty had a bit of a down year by his normal standards in 2023 (.964 fielding percentage, 21 assists, 13 putouts), he's only one year removed from barely missing out on well-deserved Gold Glove consideration in 2022 (1.000 fielding percentage, 31 assists, six putouts) because of falling just short of the innings limit for the award.

Taijuan Walker: A first-inning pass

The 31-year-old Taijuan Walker struggled with velocity throughout 2023 but would generally get stronger as games went on. The problem is being able to get deep into games to settle down, though. The right-hander posted a 7.04 first-inning ERA in 2023 while handing out 17 walks and allowing opponents to hit .310 in that frame. On the flip side, his ERA dropped to 3.90 in the second inning.

Cristopher Sánchez: A spot in the starting rotation

With the Phillies continuing to meet with starting pitchers in free agency, there's some question about where Cristopher Sánchez will slot in if they make an addition, even after his stellar performance in 2023. With a 3.44 ERA, 1.047 WHIP, and a 96-to-16 strikeout-to-walk ratio, the left-hander has continued to cut down on walks, going from a walk percentage of 11.9 to 9.6 to 4 percent the past three years.

Michael Mercado: A chance to prove himself to Phillies organization

At 24 years old, Michael Mercado was brought over in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays in November. In 62 innings between Double-A and Triple-A last year, the right-hander put up a 4.79 ERA. His 5.1 walks per nine stat is too high, but his 13.8 strikeouts per nine innings were promising. With no MLB experience, he'll need to make a strong impression on the coaches in Spring Training.

Catchers

Rafael Marchán: A return to Philly

Rafael Marchán hasn't seen action in a big league game since 2021. Overall, in 23 MLB games, he hit .267 with two home runs and seven RBI. Across three minor league levels and 55 games in 2023, he slashed .305/.397/.442 with two homers and 35 RBI.

Garrett Stubbs: A new pair of overalls

Resident DJ and Chief Vibes Officer Garrett Stubbs could use a new pair of overalls in preparation for a third straight season of clubhouse celebrations late in the year. After partying late into the night to "Dancing on My Own" on Sept. 26 to celebrate the clinching of a wild-card spot, the 30-year-old backup catcher came out the next day and hit his first and only home run of the year. We'll chalk it up to the power of the overalls and the importance of good clubhouse culture.

J.T. Realmuto: A return of the smaller bases

In 2022, J.T. Realmuto led the league by throwing out 44 percent of baserunners attempting to steal a bag. When the league increased the size of the bases from 15 inches square to 18 last season, that clear advantage to his game disappeared. In 2023, 81 runners swiped a bag on Realmuto and 23 were caught, good enough for a caught stealing percentage of 22 percent, which was still above league average but likely makes the catcher long for the past.

Infielders

Rodolfo Castro: More fly balls in play

Rodolfo Castro had trouble finding his footing in Philly. He slashed .100/.156/.100 in 32 plate appearances, and after smashing six home runs with the Pirates, his power went silent in limited action with the Phillies. Part of that was because of a drastic increase in his ground-ball percentage, which went from 52.9 percent to 77.8 with his new team, according to Baseball Reference.

Darick Hall: A do-over

When Rhys Hoskins tore his ACL in Spring Training, the team turned to Darick Hall at first base. He hit .222 in the first six games before he had to undergo surgery on a ligament in his thumb. When he returned to the majors in July, he hit .139/.162/.222 with one home run in 12 games. In the minors, however, he was able to display his missing power, slugging 18 home runs in Triple-A.

Weston Wilson: A bench role

The 29-year-old Weston Wilson made his MLB debut in 2023, and it was a memorable one. Overall, the team didn't utilize him much even though he slashed .313/.500/.500 in 22 plate appearances for the Phillies. He also put up strong numbers in Triple-A with a .259/.364/.515 line, 31 home runs, 86 RBI and 32 steals.

Kody Clemens: A strong spring

With injuries taking their toll last season, Kody Clemens was given an opportunity at first base. Though it was mostly up and down, he had a nice 23-game stretch in May and June when he held a .293 average, which was followed by a five-game hitless streak. He finished the year strong in Triple-A, where he showed more power with 18 home runs in 62 games.

Edmundo Sosa: More time in the eighth spot in the lineup

Edmundo Sosa had a solid year bouncing around the infield last year, putting up a .251/.293/.427 line with 10 home runs and 30 RBI across 104 games. When he's hitting eighth, though? The 27-year-old slashed .318/.375/.511 with three home runs, 11 RBI and three walks in 96 plate appearances.

Bryce Harper: A full, healthy year

The past two years have been rough on the injury front for Bryce Harper. After only playing 99 games in 2022, the two-time MVP rebounded for 126 contests this past season after making an impressively quick return from Tommy John surgery. In limited action in 2023, the 31-year-old superstar still put up 21 home runs and 72 RBI on a slash line of .293/.401/.499. In 13 postseason games, he hit .286/.455/.643 with five home runs and eight RBI.

And for good measure, we'll add an extra to his wish list — another epic staredown in the new year:

Bryson Stott: A Gold Glove

In 2023, Bryson Stott was named a finalist for the Glove Glove at second base, but he missed out to Nico Hoerner of the Chicago Cubs. After moving from shortstop to second to start the year, the 26-year-old thrived at the new position. He finished the regular season with 235 putouts (third-most among MLB second basemen), 362 assists (fifth-most) and a .992 fielding percentage (third-best among qualified players at the position).

Trea Turner: A consistently strong year

As cool as it was to see the fans rally around Trea Turner on Aug. 4 with the standing ovation seen around the world, the shortstop will be hoping a repeat isn't necessary. After a decent start to the year, Turner's average plummeted to .235 over the summer before the fan support gave him a boost to finish the year. His defense was just as inconsistent, as he made 23 errors.

Alec Bohm: A new headband

There is one undeniable truth — the Daycare loves their headbands. And no one more so than third baseman Alec Bohm. A new piece of fabric would be a good reward for Bohm's improvement at the plate this past season. In addition to hitting .344 with 71 RBI with runners in scoring position, he showed more patience at the plate with a career-low 15.4 strikeout percentage.

Designated Hitter

Kyle Schwarber: The leadoff spot

Now that Kyle Schwarber should mostly be the team's designated hitter going into 2024, he won't have to worry about the effects playing left field has on his body and, subsequently, his at-bats. While a .197 batting average isn't great for a leadoff hitter, it's where the 30-year-old thrives. He hit 34 of his 47 home runs when hitting first in the order, with 11 coming to lead off a game and 16 coming on the first pitch of an at-bat.

Outfielders

Simón Muzziotti: A trade

Simón Muzziotti is ready for the big leagues, but Philly might not have room for him in 2024. The Phillies' No. 8 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, hit .296 with seven home runs, 61 RBI and 26 stolen bases in Triple-A last season. With Johan Rojas getting the call in 2023, and with others on the roster ahead of him in the outfield, the outfielder's best chance at consistent MLB action will likely happen somewhere other than Philadelphia.

Jake Cave: Minor league success to translate to majors

Jake Cave's major league production — .212/.272/.348 and five homers in 65 games — left much to be desired. His minor league stats, though? He put up a .346/.429/.684 line with 16 home runs in 59 contests.

Cristian Pache: A healthy season

The 25-year-old Cristian Pache was cruising early in the season on his way to slashing .327/.365/.592 with a .957 OPS in 32 games. After having surgery in mid-July to remove a screw in his elbow, the outfielder wasn't the same. During his final 16 regular-season games in 2023 after returning from the injured list, he slashed .141/.262/.171.

Brandon Marsh: More at-bats vs. lefties

For most of 2023, outfielder Brandon Marsh and fellow left-handed-hitting Daycare member Bryson Stott found themselves riding the bench when the opposing team started a lefty on the mound. While he ended the regular season hitting .229 against left-handed pitchers, toward the end of the season, Marsh proved he can hold his own for lefty vs. lefty matchups.

Johan Rojas: An Opening Day roster spot

After the performance Johan Rojas put on after being called up in 2023 (.302 average in 59 games to go along with stellar defense), this seemed like a foregone conclusion — but then the postseason rolled around (.093/.114/.163 with 15 strikeouts in 13 games). After the season, Dombrowski told the media Rojas wouldn't be handed the starting job in center field and would have to earn it or start the year in the minors.

Nick Castellanos: Scooby Snacks + plate patience

Let's make this a two-for-one wish list item and tie the reward — Scooby Snacks — to wanting more patience at the plate. In 2023, right fielder Nick Castellanos chased a career-high 41 percent of pitches and had a career-high whiff rate of 35.4 percent, according to Baseball Savant. Not surprisingly with those numbers, he was eighth in the league with 55.4 percent of his swings and misses coming out of the zone.

Don't worry, though, there's still time for him to solve the mystery of finding patience at the plate.

Lastly, this list wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the No. 1 item on the holiday wish list of every Phillies fan — a parade down Broad Street in the fall.

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