The Philadelphia Phillies announced their next round of cuts over the weekend as they move along with their Spring Training schedule. On Sunday, before their contest with the Orioles, the Phillies reassigned Austin Schulfer to the minor league camp. Schulfer joins the quartet of right-handed pitchers to be reassigned this weekend.
Prior to Saturday’s action, the Phillies optioned right-handers Jean Cabrera and Moises Chace to AA Reading while right-hander Griff McGarry was reassigned to the minor league camp. Max Lazar wrapped up the crew of reassignments Saturday, being optioned to AAA Lehigh Valley following the completion of Saturday’s contest with the Toronto Blue Jays.
McGarry and Schulfer, the non-roster invitees (NRI’s) of the bunch, will continue in the minor league camp before finding out their assignments for the 2025 season. Cabrera, Chace, and Lazar meanwhile, as 40-man roster members, will begin their respective seasons at either Reading or Lehigh Valley.
More On the Phillies’ Moves
Austin Schulfer was a member of the Detroit Tigers’ organization before electing free agency this past offseason. The Phillies picked up the 25-year old on a minor league contract in December and gave him an invite to Spring Training. In four appearances on the Spring, Schulfer allowed three runs on four hits over 3.1 innings. Schulfer also recorded two holds.
Moises Chace made recent headlines, jumping to the No. 5 spot on the Phillies’ Top Prospects list per MLB.com. Chace jumped up from the No. 23 slot in 2024. The 21-year old pitched a total of 10 pitches in Spring Training action, getting one scoreless inning under his belt. The Phillies acquired Chace from the Baltimore Orioles in the trade for Gregory Soto.
Jean Cabrera meanwhile has been steady in his prospect rankings, moving up one slot to No. 11 this year. Appearing in two games and pitching 3.0 innings, Cabrera allowed one run on the Spring while striking out five batters. Cabrera worked his way up to AA Reading toward the end of last season where he made five starts for a 4.85 ERA.
Griff McGarry has fallen in the ratings over the past few years. Once touted as the Phillies’ No. 3 prospect, McGarry has a zero on the end of that three now. Expected to start the year in AAA Lehigh Valley, McGarry did not have a good showing this Spring. Over two outings, McGarry pitched 1.2 innings, allowing three runs, a 16.20 ERA. It is worth noting, however, that four of McGarry’s five recorded outs were strikeouts.
Max Lazar, 25, made his MLB debut with the Phillies late last season. Appearing in 11 games in the final two months of play, Lazar pitched a mediocre 4.61 ERA over 13.2 innings. This Spring, he had two solid appearances against the Blue Jays, including one scoreless inning on Saturday, but had two abysmal outings against the Yankees and Tigers, combing to allow seven runs in 1.2 innings against them.
Lazar will begin his season with the Iron Pigs looking to lock in what had gone astray in those two outings. With Major League experience under his belt, Lazar will likely be called upon to fill in at some point this season.
Aidan Miller, Carson Taylor, Caleb Ricketts, Justin Crawford, and Tristan Garnett were reassigned to the minor league camp earlier this week. With under three weeks to go, time is running out for players show off why they deserve a slot on the 40-man, if not the active roster, come Opening Day.
Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
