With the third pick in the 2018 Major League Baseball draft, the Phillies selected Alec Bohm.
Instantly becoming one of their top prospects, Alec rose through the organization. He made his debut in 2020 and has become a mainstay in the Phillies lineup over the last several years.
Entering professional baseball, Bohm was projected to have a high-level swing and the ability to spray the ball all around the field. He has done just that and has started to elevate his swing with each passing season. As it stands just 27 games into the regular season, Bohmer is currently the best third baseman in baseball.
Ball Don’t Lie
What if I told you that Alec Bohm ranked first amongst third basemen in each of the following categories: OPS, SLG, OBP, AVG, Doubles, and Hits.
He is second to Jose Ramirez in RBIs by just one. Combining that with above-average defense at the hot corner, Bohm has shot out of a cannon to start the year.
For the season Alec Bohm is slashing .347/.431/.568/1.000 with 10 doubles and 22 runs batted in. He has put up MVP-caliber numbers in March and April while anchoring the Phillies’ lineup. As players like Nick Castellanos and Bryson Stott have struggled, Bohm has picked up the slack.
One of the most telling stats for the young infielder is his cutch-time statistics. Alec is hitting .533 with a 1.722 OPS when there are 2 outs, with runners in scoring position. This means that he delivers more than half the time when given the opportunity.
Alec Bohm Has Arrived
Despite being a regular in the Phillies lineup for the past few seasons, it almost feels like Alec Bohm has just arrived. Fans and the front office knew that Alec had been playing well, but that he possessed another gear.
While most fans expect the next iteration of the former first-round pick to be in the power department, I feel as though his improvements with runners in scoring position are more valuable. Being able to deliver in a multitude of ways certainly can include homeruns, but not trying to hit the ball out is a skill to more balanced hitting.
Overall, if this is the version of Alec Bohm that the Phillies will be getting this season, they should once again be poised to make a deep playoff run. Trea Turner and Brandon Marsh have been just as hot, with Bryce Harper beginning to connect on the long ball. JT Realmuto and Johan Rojas have been very solid, with the aforementioned Nick Castellanos and Bryson Stott working on getting back in their grooves.
If he can keep up a pace close to these numbers, Bohmer will have a career year for the Phillies. He is on pace to finish with 132 RBIs, 198 hits, and 60 doubles. Some of those marks might be a little ambitious but something even remotely close is something this Phillies’ team would gladly take.
Bohm is keeping pace with some of the best players in Major League Baseball. A continuation could see himself nominated for his first All-Star appearance and maybe even a Silver Slugger at year’s end.
I’m sure if you asked Alec, he is more focused on a championship ring when the 2024 season comes to a close. For now, however, the Phillies’ third baseman has been a star, and his continued improvement can only spell good things to come.
Photo Credit: (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)
