The best baseball organizations can develop talent through scouting, the draft, and minor league systems.
One of the reasons the Phillies have done so well over the past couple of seasons is because they have called up their own prospects. Aaron Nola, Ranger Suarez, Alec Bohm, Bryson Stott, and Johan Rojas are examples of players who have risen through the system.
With the number of players the Phillies have brought in from free agency recently, they are going to have to spend money to keep some of their own. Alec Bohm and Bryson Stott are two players I feel might earn themselves a new deal.
While there is some time before these contracts need to be signed, it sparks a conversation. Which player is going to get an extension first?
The Case for Bohm
Quickly promoted through the minor leagues, Alec Bohm debuted during the shortened 2020 season.
Bohm was drafted third overall in the 2018 draft as a player who could help shape the future of the Phillies. In his four seasons with the club, he has done just that. The Phillies do not made the post-season the past two years without the contributions and growth of their former first-round pick.
Alec has become a staple in the Phillies lineup, playing both first and third base. Manager Rob Thomson has used him in various offensive and defensive roles. His defense has improved each season, and his power started to pop with 20 homeruns in 2023.
Bohm is in his first year of arbitration and will have two more years before he becomes a free agent. In this case, he beats Bryson Stott by just a year, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he has to get an extension first.
For his career, Alec Bohm is hitting .276 with a .731 OPS and 101 OPS+. The stats reflect Bohm to be an average big-league hitter, which is a fair analysis. It would be a solid idea if two sides wanted to sign a deal to buy out the remainder of arbitration. However, a long-term deal is not yet in the cards for Alec Bohm.
The Case for Stott
Everything is A-Okay with Bryson Stott’s tenure in Philadelphia.
Like Alec Bohm, the former shortstop turned second baseman has lived up to the expectations. Another former first-round pick, Stott, was drafted in the first round of the 2019 draft, a year after Alec.
Bryson made his debut on Opening Day in 2022. After a rough start to his big league career, he began to turn it on once the team moved on from veteran Didi Gregorius. Stott has shown a keen eye at the plate and a knack for running up pitch counts. His growth on the offensive aspect of the game is certainly impressive. His defense is also impressive, as he finished runner-up for the Rawlings Gold Glove award at second base.
Stott is not eligible for arbitration for another season and won’t become a free agent until 2028. The Phillies might look to skip over the arbitration period with an extension to their second basemen. This move makes a little more sense than Bohm, who has already entered that period.
Bryson Stott is hitting .261 for his career with a .708 OPS and 96 OPS+. This means Stott is slightly lower than an average major-league hitter. His jump from ’22 to ’23 shows he is not a finished product.
Good Options for the Phillies
If you are the Phillies, having young players you want to extend is a blessing.
The team doesn’t have to make a move if they do not want to. They can wait for other contracts like Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos to expire in a few seasons first. However, they can get more team-friendly deals by signing a contract now.
I think Bryson Stott would be the better option if the team had to choose. First-round pick Aidan Miller lurks in the minor leagues as the potential replacement for Alec Bohm, and Stott has a better all-around game.
The 2024 season can change that opinion or potentially confirm it. Either way, I expect both to shine this year for the Phillies.
Photo Credit: (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)
