Realistic Expectations for Gabriel Rincones Jr.
Repeated playoff disappointments, the Bo Bichette saga, and the intense criticism for “running it back” have ruined essentially all optimism surrounding the Philadelphia Phillies. If the Phillies couldn’t add Bichette,…
Repeated playoff disappointments, the Bo Bichette saga, and the intense criticism for “running it back” have ruined essentially all optimism surrounding the Philadelphia Phillies.
If the Phillies couldn’t add Bichette, Alex Bregman, or another splashy offseason bat to their lineup, how can they prevent their window of World Series contention from closing?
Dave Dombrowski spoke after the 2025 season about balancing the equation of veteran additions with some promotions from the Lehigh Valley IronPigs.
“I'm not going to declare that anybody has a job, but there will be some people that were really open minded to being with our big league club next year coming out of spring training. Justin Crawford's one of them. Andrew Painter is another one… I wouldn't even preclude Aidan Miller from being that type (of) guy. We really like Gabriel Rincones, who's got a lot of pop in his bat and really hits right-handed pitching even better.”
-Dave Dombrowski
Gabriel Rincones Jr.
Hulking 6-foot-3 lefty Gabriel Rincones Jr. made an impression with three moonshot home runs in the Grapefruit League in 2025. The thought of a big league call-up crept into the minds of front office decision-makers.
Rincones then started relatively slowly in Triple A to begin the 2025 regular season. A strong second half bumped his power numbers to a respectable level with 18 home runs, 73 RBI, and a .430 slugging percentage.
IronPigs play-by-play announcer complimented Rincones’ raw tools during an interview on Unfiltered with Ricky Bottalico and Bill Colarulo.
“He brings some tools. He’s got some sneaky speed. Outfield wise, he can make some plays. He’s got a pretty good arm. He’s got some legitimate power. He hit some majestic home runs, but I think he’s still got some time left to develop as a hitter. Certainly against left-handers.”
Rincones currently ranks ninth among Phillies prospects. However, at age 24, he’s closer to the majors than prospects from the last two drafts with higher ceilings at lower levels of the minors. The shrinking timeline encouraged Dombrowski to group him with Painter, Crawford, and Miller with expectations for a major league debut in 2026.
Degler tempered expectations after watching Rincones everyday with Lehigh Valley, however.
“I think he needs some more seasoning at Triple A before you can consider him for a guy at the major league level at this point.”
The Phillies won’t count on Rincones as an everyday player in 2026, if ever. Right-handed outfield reserves Otto Kemp and Bryan De La Cruz have more obvious roles as potential platoon partners for Brandon Marsh.
Strong minor league systems produce contributing depth players. The Phillies have traded from the lower levels of their farm system with an aggressive spending approach under Dombrowski and Preston Mattingly. They’ll hope for the type of second-tier prospect contributions from Gabriel Rincones Jr. that they haven’t developed enough in recent franchise history.
Rincones will almost certainly begin the 2026 season in Lehigh Valley. Major league clubs desperately hope for internal promotions to solve depth issues, however, as opposed to spending resources in smaller trades. Rincones has shown potential for a situational role against right-handed pitching. A hitter with noticeable power can carve a bench role in the majors despite his imperfections, especially when paired with situational strengths in handedness.
Expect the Phillies to give the young lefty a few at-bats when a convenient opportunity presents itself this season.
