The best teams in Major League Baseball are the ones that develop their own talent.
Drafting and development are the core of a professional baseball team, and without that piece, it becomes increasingly difficult to sustain success.
The Los Angeles Dodgers, the Atlanta Braves, and the Houston Astros are just a few of the teams that develop talent better than most in the MLB. The Phillies have started to turn a corner under the Dombrowski regime, and this team would not be as good without their homegrown talent.
Alec Bohm, Bryson Stott, Johan Rojas, and Aaron Nola are just a few examples of talent that has been drafted by the Phillies over the past ten years and impacted the 2023 club. There will be more young players who get a chance to prove their worth in 2024, and the Phillies will rely on them to get back to the postseason.
These three players are the ones I believe we might see at Citizens Bank Park in 2024.
3. Tommy McCollum – Relief Pitcher
The 21st-ranked prospect in the Phillies’ organization is a pitcher named Tommy McCollum.
Tommy is a 24-year-old right-hander reliever who features a plus fastball and a solid slider/splitter combo. McCollum played last season in both A and AA ball and will more than likely get an invitation to spring training in March.
McCollum has strike-out stuff and loves to overpower opposing batters. His big issue is control, however, with his walk rate being an issue for him in both his college and minor league career. When Tommy is locked in, he is a really solid bullpen piece and could prove to be valuable depth for the Phillies in 2024.
In 44.1 innings pitched, McCollum pitched to a 2.64 earned run average and stuck out 67 batters. If the improvement continues with his command, I would expect his strikeout numbers to increase and his walks to start to fade away.
While he might not be a candidate for the Phillies’ Opening Day roster, with an impressive spring training, he could find himself potentially starting out in AAA. At the very least, Tommy McCollum could be an option at some point in the 2024 season if he continues to show improvement.
2. Carlos De La Cruz – Outfielder
If the Eagles need a backup tight end, they should call Carlos De La Cruz.
The 6th-ranked prospect in the Phillies’ organization stands at 6 feet, 8 inches tall, and boy, can he mash a baseball.
De La Cruz is an outfielder who can play all three spots. He is also learning first base, which, for a guy with his build, makes a lot of sense.
Carlos slashed .259/.344/.454/.798 this season with 25 doubles and 24 home runs. When he makes contact, he crushes the ball. He does, however, have an awful habit of chasing pitches outside the zone. He reminds me a ton of Nick Castellanos, with more power and less of a hit tool.
If the young outfielder can lower his strikeout numbers and increase the number of balls put in play, he will play for the Phillies in 2024.
Kyle Schwarber, Brandon Marsh, Johan Rojas, Cristian Pache, and Nick Castellanos are the five outfielders who are currently on the MLB roster for the Phillies. There will be a competition between Rojas and Pache, as well as another outfielder for playing time. If De La Cruz can shine in spring training, he will enter that fold.
I expect Carlos to make his way to the big leagues at some point in 2024. Until then, this is a player to watch in the minor leagues this season.
1. Gabriel Rincones Jr – Outfielder
The 9th-ranked prospect in the Phillies’ organization comes in at number one on my list of prospects to watch in 2024.
After the conclusion of the 2021 season, Bryson Stott played in the Arizona Fall League, where he really took the next step towards getting recognized at the big league level.
Gabriel Rincones has followed that blueprint and put together a really solid season in Arizona.
The Phillies’ outfielder is slashing .296/.427/.462/.889 with 8 extra-base hits and 14 stolen bases. This past season in the minors, Rincones slashed .248/.351/.427/.778 with 15 home runs in 120 games played.
Gabriel has been graded out to have a plus bat and is an average fielder. He will be 23 years old when the 2024 season comes around, and he can really put himself on the map with a strong campaign.
If Johan Rojas can make the leap from AA to the big leagues in one season, I think Rincones may be able to do the same. He will need to prove it with the bat, but opportunity and performance will be the two main factors in getting him into the Phillies’ pinstripes.
Photo Credit: (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
