A lot of the Phillies’ off-season has been focused on what players they could add that would help get them over the hump. Phillies fans coveted guys like Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Josh Hader, Cody Bellinger, and Juan Soto. But all of those players signed elsewhere. And it seems like the Phillies will mostly be the same team this season. Whitt Merrifield is the only notable addition, but he will come off the bench. So if the Phillies are going to get over that hump, they will have to rely on the guys already here.
Believe it or not, some teams rely on homegrown talent to win baseball games. We have seen that a bit here with guys like Aaron Nola, Bryson Stott, Ranger Suraez, and Alec Bohm. But they have just 1 homegrown All-Star since 2014. That said some young guys in the organization could help the team get better next season.
I am not just talking about prospects. Though there are a few of them that could help the Phillies in 2024. There are also some guys already on the team, who could be ready to step into bigger roles. Can a guy like Cristopher Sanchez become a legit starter? Will Orion Kerkering step into a big role in the bullpen? Can Johan Rojas claim an everyday role? Those 3, and more, may be able to help the Phillies become a much better team. Even if the Phillies never made a big move in Free Agency.
I left out guys like Alec Bohm and Bryston Stott. Not because I don’t think they can take another leap, but because they are already everyday players and were big parts of the team last season. These are guys who can step into bigger roles, or maybe even bounce back from a bad season last year.