Players on the big league roster who are participating in the World Baseball Classic will report to Spring Camp early - 2/13/23 is their date. Pitchers and catchers regular report date is Thursday, February 16th with first full squad workouts slated for Tuesday, February 21st. The first Grapefruit League game is Saturday, February 25th.
A stark contrast to 2022 spring training which had a delayed start due to the CBA lockout - there was a minor league mini camp which began on 2/16/22 with approximately 60 players attending. It also marked the return of fans to Carpenter Complex as about 30 folks were there to watch the initial practice. First live bullpens were on 2/26/22 - ten days after the start of mini camp. That led up to Minor League Spring training camp which opened on 3/5/22 which was historic in that the minor leaguers actually opened camp prior to the big leaguers who didn’t officially report to spring training till 3/14/22 after the lockout was ended with a new collective bargaining agreement on 3/9/22.
This year there will once again be a minor league mini camp slated to start on 2/13 with full blown minor league spring training on the docket for the first week of March ( pitchers and catchers start reporting on 3/2/23 ). We’ve witnessed our first live bullpen sessions already this year as four pitchers threw yesterday and it’s once again a more normal setting as 40 man roster spring major leaguers continue to filter in early - Connor Brogdon & Christopher Sanchez are now in town along with JT Realmuto, Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Jose Alvarado, Michael Plassmeyer, James McArthur and Simon Muzziotti.
Last year the major league manager Joe Girardi and his coaches were in attendance to watch minor league mini camp along with President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowksi ( whom I can attest actually watches practices and games intently - we’ve seen him do that first hand - great to see the boss getting his own impressions ). There was an abbreviated Grapefruit League schedule once big league camp started with only 20 games being played ( Phillies went 10-7-3 ) as compared to the 32 games scheduled this year - there’s also the wrinkle of the World Baseball Classic this season with nine of the players on the 40 man roster due to exit camp for at least a couple weeks to play for various countries in the tournament.
2023 camp brings the challenge of introducing new playing rules and adopting to them for skipper Rob Thomson marking his initial spring training stint as big league manager - bigger, flatter bases, limited step off rules for pitchers with runners on base, no overloaded infield shifts and a pitch clock limiting time between pitches. The club will introduce training schematics to address each. Minor leaguers have lived with these rules the last couple of seasons so will hit the ground running in that regard.
2022 major league camp saw outfielder Mickey Moniak shine which earned him an opening day roster spot - unfortunately he suffered a broken wrist during the last spring training game of the year and wasn’t afforded the opportunity. He’s now a member of the Angels organization having been traded there for RHP Noah Syndergaard. Others who excelled in 2022 camp included LHP’ers Damon Jones, Christopher Sanchez & Bailey Falter who all made the opening day roster. This year Damon is recovering from shoulder surgery while Falter and Sanchez will be in the competition for the 5th starter’s role.
In 2022 there were 17 non roster invitees included in big league camp including RHP Andrew Bellatti, INF Bryson Stott and 1B Darick Hall - all of whom had significant impacts on the 2022 season - this year all three are part of the 40 man roster and seeking or figuring in prominent roles for opening day 2023.
There were a couple minor league hurlers last year who lit up mini camp and minor league spring training - RHP Andrew Painter was virtually un-hit-able in camp and parlayed that into a remarkable season earning him numerous awards - this year he’s firmly in the mix for a big league opening day roster spot as an non-roster invitee. Brown turned heads in camp for those unaware of his skill sets with electric stuff - he was traded to the Cubs in August for reliever David Robertson. Ben is now turning heads in Cubs camp out in Arizona - on a big league path. Catcher Logan O’Hoppe was another 2022 spring camp success story - he turned his camp into a very strong 2022 season and was later traded to the Angels for outfielder Brandon Marsh. Logan is firmly in the mix with the Angels to open as their starting catcher in the show and Marsh has solidified center field for the Phillies - gotta give to get.
In last year’s camp Dalton Guthrie was battling for playing time as part of the projected opening day roster for Lehigh Valley - this year after a very strong 2022 campaign he’s in the hunt to break big league camp as the fourth outfielder. We knew all along the tools were there - when ya actually watch the practices and games you can tell 🤓.
So who’s gonna surprise this year ? Center fielder Johan Rojas is a much better player who can impact games than some folks give him credit for - I’ve got a good feeling he’s gonna light up big league camp. A young 18 year old RHP has already turned heads in High Performance Camp on the minor league side - I’m pretty sure I’ll be preaching the gospel on Enrique Segura a bit this year - don’t sleep on others as well - Andrew Baker & Billy Sullivan are right handed big arm relievers I think will get notice as NRI’s in 2023 big league camp and I’ve been giving notice that Carlos De La Cruz, Kendall Simmons & Hao Yu Lee will make some minor league camp “on the radar” notations this spring - I watch and listen - they are all three on the verge of having solid 2023 performances. Don’t dismiss my boy RHP Albertus Barber either - he’s back healthy and good things are about to happen. RHP’ers Eduar Segovia, Tommy McCollum, Cam Wynne & Tyler Phillips are others to keep focus on in minor league camp 👁️. Also I’m a big fan of RHP Francisco Morales and think he can show out as well in big league camp as an NRI - a dark horse reliever RHP Carlos Francisco has pitched very well this winter in the Puerto Rico Winter League - he’s got a chance to shine in minor league camp.
And there’s Mick Abel & Griff McGarry - they both have big league stuff and will show it in Grapefruit League action.
Here’s the 2023 Major League Spring Training roster : 61 players includes 21 non roster invitations
40 Man Roster :
Pitchers : 20
LH Jose Alvarado - playing for Team Venezuela in World Baseball Classic
RH Andrew Bellatti
RH Connor Brogdon
RH Seranthony Dominguez - playing for Team Dominican Republic in World Baseball Classic
LH Bailey Falter
RH Craig Kimbrel
RH Yunior Marte
RH James McArthur
RH Nick Nelson
RH Aaron Nola
RH Luis Ortiz
LH Michael Plassmeyer
LH Christopher Sanchez
LH Gregory Soto - playing for Team Dominican Republic in World Baseball Classic
LH Matt Strahm
LH Ranger Suarez - playing for Team Venezuela in World Baseball Classic
RH Erich Uelmen
LH Andrew Vasquez
RH Taijuan Walker - playing for Team Mexico in World Baseball Classic
RH Zack Wheeler
Catchers : 3
Rafael Marchan
JT Realmuto - playing for Team USA in World Baseball Classic
Garrett Stubbs - playing for Team Israel in World Baseball Classic
Infielders : 8
Alec Bohm
Kody Clemens
Darick Hall
Rhys Hoskins
Edmundo Sosa
Bryson Stott
Trea Turner - playing for Team USA in World Baseball Classic
Josh Harrison
Outfielders : 9
Nick Castellanos
Dalton Guthrie
Jake Cave
Brandon Marsh
Simon Muzziotti
Jhailyn Ortiz
Johan Rojas
Kyle Schwarber - playing for Team USA in World Baseball Classic
Bryce Harper - injured
Non-Roster Invitees : 21
Pitchers : 13
RH Jon Duplantier - signed 1/4/23 - pitched last year in Dodgers organization
RH Louis Head - - signed 1/6/23 - pitched last year in Orioles organization
RH Jake Jewell - signed 12/24/22 - pitched last year in Twins organization
RH Griff McGarry - 2021 5th round draft selection
RH Francisco Morales - signed 7/2/16 as International Free Agent - Venezuela
RH Mick Abel - 2020 1st round draft selection
RH Andrew Baker - 2021 11th round draft selection
RH McKinley Moore - acquired in trade with White Sox 3/29/22 for Adam Haseley
RH Andrew Painter - 2021 1st round draft selection
LH Ben Bowden - signed 1/23/23 - pitched last season in Rays & Giants organizations - power arm reliever - FB sits 92-94 mph - tops at 97 mph - changeup is best secondary pitch
RH Mark Appel - re-signed 1/13/23 as a minor league free agent - pitched last season @ Lehigh Valley
RH Billy Sullivan - signed as an un-drafted free agent 6/16/20
RH Jeremy Walker - signed 12/8/22 - pitched last year in Giants and Rays organizations - sinker ball pitcher - FB sits 93 mph - secondaries are curve and change up
Catchers : 3
John Hicks - signed 11/16/22 - played last season in Cubs organization
Max McDowell - signed 12/10/22 - played last season in Yankees organization
Vito Friscia - 2019 40th round draft selection
Infielders : 5
Vimael Machin - signed 1/10/23 - played last season in Athletics organization
Will Toffey - acquired in trade from Giants 3/27/22 for Luke Williams
Weston Wilson - signed 1/11/23 - played last season in Brewers organization
Scott Kingery - 2015 2nd round draft selection
Jim Haley - signed 12/21/22 - played last season in Rays organization
Phillies Press Release Notes on non-roster players :
Mick Abel, RHP – The 21-year-old struck out 130 batters in 108.1 innings over 23 starts between single-A Jersey Shore and double-A Reading in 2022, posting a 3.90 ERA while holding opponents to a .229 batting average. He ranked third among Phillies minor leaguers in innings and starts and was tied for third in strikeouts. The 15th overall selection by the Phillies in the first round of the 2020 MLB Draft, Abel was recently named the club’s No. 2 prospect, and No. 40 in baseball, by Baseball America.
Mark Appel, RHP – Appel spent most of the 2022 season with triple-A Lehigh Valley, where went 6-0 with a 3.15 ERA in 31 appearances. He had two stints with the Phillies during the season, posting a 1.74 ERA in his first six career major league appearances. Appel, 31, was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 MLB Draft by the Houston Astros and joined the Phillies in the 2015 trade that sent Ken Giles to Houston.
Andrew Baker, RHP – Baker, 22, struck out 72 batters in 54.1 innings and surrendered only five home runs in 46 appearances for single-A Jersey Shore and double-A Reading in 2022, his first full minor league season. He was selected by the Phillies in the 11th round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Chipola College (FL).
Ben Bowden, LHP – Bowden played the 2022 season at the triple-A level in the Colorado Rockies, Tampa Bay Rays and San Francisco Giants organizations. The 28-year-old struck out 76 batters in 57.2 innings over 50 relief appearances. Bowden, a second-round selection by the Rockies in the 2016 MLB Draft, appeared in 39 games in relief with the club in 2021.
Jon Duplantier, RHP – Duplantier, 28, made 14 starts and 20 relief appearances for triple-A Oklahoma City in the Los Angeles Dodgers system in 2022. He struck out 109 batters in 93.1 innings of work. Duplantier pitched in 19 major league games (7 starts) in 2019 and 2021 with the Arizona Diamondbacks, the team that selected him in the third round of the 2016 MLB Draft.
Vito Friscia, C – Friscia spent the majority of the 2022 season with double-A Reading, where he clubbed 16 doubles and 10 home runs while posting a .374 on-base percentage with 56 walks in 83 games. The 26-year-old played defensively at catcher (30 games), left field (8 games), first base (4 games) and right field (2 games) last season. He was a 40th-round selection by the Phillies in the 2019 MLB Draft out of Hofstra University.
Jim Haley, INF – Haley, 27, was born in Lansdowne, Pa., and resides in Upper Darby. He spent last season with triple-A Durham in the Tampa Bay Rays organization, where he played in 112 games which included starts at first base (71), second base (5), third base (23), shortstop (1), left field (3) and designated hitter (3). A 2013 graduate of Bonner and Prendergast Catholic High School, he later attended Penn State University from 2014-16.
Louis Head, RHP – Head made 28 major league appearances last season with the Miami Marlins (23) and Baltimore Orioles (5), and another 15 in the minors, primarily with triple-A Norfolk. The 32-year-old has a 4.10 ERA in 55 career major league games (2 starts) with Miami, Baltimore and the Tampa Bay Rays (2021). He was originally an 18th-round selection by the Cleveland Guardians in the 2012 MLB Draft.
John Hicks, C – Hicks, 33, spent last season with triple-A Iowa in the Chicago Cubs organization. In 95 games, he hit a professional-high 20 home runs with 47 extra-base hits and posted a .510 slugging percentage. He has appeared in 264 major league games over parts of six seasons with the Seattle Mariners (2015), Detroit Tigers (2016-19) and Texas Rangers (2021).
Jake Jewell, RHP – The 29-year-old Jewell split time between the Cleveland Guardians and Minnesota Twins triple-A affiliates in 2022, posting a combined 3.21 ERA with 65 strikeouts in 56.0 innings over 45 appearances while surrendering just one home run. A fifth-round selection by the Los Angeles Angels in the 2014 MLB Draft, Jewell has appeared in 31 major league games with the Angels (2018-19) and Chicago Cubs (2021).
Scott Kingery, INF – Kingery, 28, has appeared in games for the Phillies in each of the last five seasons. He spent the majority of last season with triple-A Lehigh Valley, where he appeared in games defensively at second base (48) and shortstop (39). Kingery was originally selected by the Phillies in the second round of the 2015 MLB Draft.
Vimael Machín, INF – A veteran of eight professional seasons, Machín split last season between the Oakland Athletics (73 G) and triple-A Las Vegas (64 G). With Las Vegas, he slashed .324/.401/.457 with 33 walks to 30 strikeouts. A native of Humacao, Puerto Rico, he was originally selected by the Chicago Cubs in the 10th round of the 2015 MLB Draft. He was selected by the Phillies in the Rule 5 draft on Dec. 12, 2019, and then traded to Oakland that same day.
Max McDowell, C – McDowell, 29, spent the last two seasons in the New York Yankees organization. He played for triple-A Scranton Wilkes/Barre last year, starting 51 games at catcher and eight as the designated hitter. McDowell is a 2012 graduate of Norwin High School (PA) and resides in North Huntingdon, Pa. He attended the University of Connecticut and was originally selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 13th round of the 2015 MLB Draft.
Griff McGarry, RHP – McGarry, 23, posted a 3.71 ERA and averaged 13.40 strikeouts per nine innings (130 SO, 87.1 IP) in 19 starts and eight relief appearances with single-A Jersey Shore, double-A reading and triple-A Lehigh Valley in 2022. Following the season, he was ranked as the No. 3 prospect in the Phillies system by Baseball America. McGarry was a fifth-round selection by the club in the 2021 MLB Draft out of the University of Virginia.
Francisco Morales, RHP – Morales, 23, appeared in 45 games in relief between double-A Reading and triple-A Leigh Valley last season. He struck out 70 batters in 51.0 innings, allowing one home run. Morales also appeared in three games across two stints with the Phillies, earning a save in his second major league appearance. A native of Venezuela, Morales was signed by the Phillies as an amateur free agent in July 2016.
McKinley Moore, RHP – Moore pitched in 39 games for double-A Reading in 2022 after the Phillies acquired him from the Chicago White Sox for outfielder Adam Haseley just prior to the start of the season. He struck out 31.3 percent of the batters he faced (71-227) and surrendered just three home runs while posting a 4.35 ERA. Moore, 24, was originally selected by the White Sox in the 14th round of the 2019 MLB Draft.
Andrew Painter, RHP – The club’s top prospect, and the No. 5 prospect in baseball, according to Baseball America, Painter led all Phillies minor leaguers in strikeouts (155), ERA (1.56) and WHIP (0.89) in 2022. The 19-year-old pitched for single-A Clearwater, single-A Jersey Shore and double-A Reading, making 22 starts in his first full professional season. Among several other accolades, he was selected as the Paul Owens Award winner as the top pitcher in the Phillies system and was named Baseball America Minor League Pitcher of the Year and MLB Pipeline Pitcher of the Year. Painter was selected by the Phillies in the first round (No. 13 overall) of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Calvary Christian High School (FL).
Billy Sullivan, RHP – Sullivan, 23, averaged 13.59 strikeouts per nine innings in 2022 with double-A Reading, posting a 4.59 ERA in 44 games. A Wilmington, Del., native, Sullivan was signed by the Phillies as a non-drafted free agent in June 2020. He was originally selected by the club in the 28th round of the 2017 MLB Draft, but did not sign.
Will Toffey, INF – Toffey, 28, joined the Phillies organization last season on March 27 when he was acquired from the San Francisco Giants for Luke Williams. In 2022 with triple-A Lehigh Valley, Toffey posted a .350 OBP in 97 games. He had his contract selected by the Phillies on July 13 but did not appear in a game before being optioned back to Lehigh Valley. He was originally selected by the Oakland Athletics in the fourth round of the 2017 MLB Draft.
Jeremy Walker, RHP – Walker spent most of the 2022 season at the triple-A level, first with Sacramento in San Francisco’s system, then with Durham in Tampa Bay’s. He made 44 relief appearances and two starts overall. Walker, 27, has a career 4.00 ERA in five minor league seasons after being selected in the fifth round of the 2016 MLB Draft by the Atlanta Braves. He has appeared in six major league games, all in 2019 with Atlanta.
Weston Wilson, INF – Wilson, 28, has played professionally for six seasons after being selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 17th round of the 2016 MLB Draft out of Clemson University. He spent last season with triple-A Nashville and played in 118 games. In 2021 with Nashville, he slashed .267/.354/.548 with 16 home runs in 70 games.
Happy Day, Happy Baseball ⚾️
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