Prospects Check In: Which Infielders Could Crack the Phillies’ Roster?

It’s no secret that the Phillies have some holes on their roster. With their depleted bullpen, outfield depth, and uncertainty among their infield and rotation, they have some decisions to make. By hiring Dave Dombrowski to be their new president of baseball operations, history shows that prospects are likely not safe at all.

However, if Dombrowski decides to go against his notoriety and hold onto the Phillies’ top prospects, there are a handful of names that could make an impact at one point during the 2021 season. In the second installment of this prospect series, we’ll take a look at infielders who could make the roster this season.

Future Phillies’ Phenom Rafael Marchan– Catcher

Almost every single person who is falls into the trap of Phillies’ fandom wants them to resign J.T. Realmuto. Despite the Mets signing James McCann this past week, the Phillies still are in gridlock with the whole Realmuto debacle. As of now, the Phillies brought Andrew Knapp back another year and is *currently* their starter on the depth chart. Who will back him up you may ask?

Insert Rafael Marchan.

Marchan got a sneak peak at the pros, and made it count. He hit his first career homerun in his fourth career plate appearance. In three games, he showed a ton of potential by posting a line of .500/.556/.875 in nine plate appearances. In those games, he also totaled seven bases and three RBI. His best opportunity will be if Realmuto does not return to Philadelphia. If JT does return, then Marchan will be the number one option if Realmuto or Knapp ever miss time.

Nick Maton- SS

If there was one type of player that the Phillies have loved in recent years, it’s those super utility players. Nick Maton fits that mold perfectly.

Maton is not projected to make the MLB until 2022, but has shown he can be more than capable of stepping in if needed. With the uncertainty of DiDi Gregorius returning mixed with the Jean Segura rumors, who knows what the Phillies’ infield will look like. The 6’2 shortstop could be the next in the Phillies’ ranks to step up due to the lack of infielder depth currently.

Honestly, the Phillies would likely look at a trade or sign a veteran free agent to fill that gap. However, if they don’t, Maton could be a feasible filler option in a pinch.

Kyle Holder- 2B

In the most recent Rule 5 draft last week, the Phillies poached Kyle Holder from the Yankees’ prospect pool. Holder, who is getting old for the point that he is at, was an obvious need for the Phillies’ lack of infield depth.

Let’s be real here- this is a real long shot. Holder performed well in 2019, slashing his best hitting line of .265/.336/.405 line in AA. The Phillies should definitely look for some proven MLB caliber guys before looking at Holder, but all of their other options are still sitting in single and double-A. With Holder, they would have nothing to really gain or lose, making him the last best option in an ABSOLUTE pinch.