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:
Atta-boy, Harper pic.twitter.com/mcThfdrC3s
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) October 11, 2023
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).
Stott and stare at this incredible play. 😮 pic.twitter.com/Sepw0Kf4Vp
— MLB (@MLB) September 14, 2023
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.