While the Phillies are lighting it up in the majors, they have some young talent doing their part in the minors. One of those names is Logan O’Hoppe.
Watching players in the farm system grow is important. It allows you to know who might be added to the Phillies down the line. These prospects also make for trade conversation, and with the Phils rocking a win-now mentality, the Phillies could move some of these young talents to other clubs. While the team might not have the elite prospects like some other organizations in the game, they do have a few young players worth watching. Over the next several weeks, I will break down some prospects to check out as the baseball season continues.
Meet Logan O’Hoppe
The player being focused on this week is Logan O’Hoppe of the Reading Fightins. O’Hoppe is currently ranked as the top catcher in the Phillies’ prospect pool and their fourth highest-ranked prospect.
He was recently promoted to Baseball America’s top 100 prospect list, sliding in at number 100. Logan was drafted by the Phillies in the 2018 MLB Amateur draft and was selected in the 23rd round. Like in most sports, as the rounds get later and later, the players selected are less likely to make an impact. Logan O’Hoppe wasn’t on the radar at the time as a potential top prospect, but the young Phillies catcher has proven he is a legit ballplayer.
O’Hoppe Heating Up
One of the reasons that Logan O’Hoppe has skyrocketed to the top of the Phillies farm system has been his power. When drafting Logan, not many predicted he would feature twenty-plus homerun potential. As June rolls around, O’Hoppe currently sits with thirteen bombs on the year. The recent power surge has helped carry the Fightins’ offense in Double-A.
Logan’s Future
There is potential for Logan O’Hoppe to join the big league club at some point this season. However, with JT Realmuto and backup Garrett Stubbs performing well, there would be no reason for the Phillies to call Logan to the Majors.
Currently, in Double-A with the Reading Fightins, a promotion to Triple-A with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs would make sense. However, Rafael Marchan, another young and promising catcher, currently starts. With Realmuto signed to the Phillies for another three seasons following 2022, there has been a lot of chatter about the Phillies moving Logan O’Hoppe in a trade.
With the Phillies now back in the playoff picture, O’Hoppe could be moved to address one of the team’s needs. Whether it’s a centerfielder, a closer, or even another starter, it would make sense that he would be one of the players moved in a deal. While his future is very promising, the chances of O’Hoppe being the long-term plan for starting a catcher seem slim. Regardless, Logan is a member of the Phillies organization for now, and we hope he continues to improve as the season plays on.
Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire
