Who are these guys, and should I care about any of them?
A few surprising names have hit home runs for the Phillies in early Spring action. Will any of them impact the team this year?
Throughout their first two Spring Training games, three members of the Phillies have hit home runs: Josh Breaux, Buddy Kennedy, Gabriel Rincones, and Christian Arroyo. Aside from maybe Kennedy, those names have caused most Phillies fans to consult their programs to figure out exactly who those guys are.
A quick summary for those unfamiliar:
Breaux – A 27-year-old catcher/first baseman drafted in the second round by the Yankees in 2018 but has never reached the majors. The Phillies signed him as a free agent last summer.
Kennedy – A 26-year-old utility infielder who was with the team in 2024. You probably remember him chipping in a couple of big hits near the end of the season.
Rincones – 23-year-old outfielder drafted by the Phillies in the third round of the 2022 draft. A lefty with some power, he’s generally regarded as one of the Phillies’ top ten prospects.
Arroyo – A seven-year journeyman infielder who spent the past four years as a bench player in Boston. The Phillies signed him as a minor league free agent
Barring a slew of injuries and/or an unworldly performance this spring, neither Breaux nor Rincones are going to be making the Opening Day roster for the Phillies this season. Rincones will likely start the season at Reading (or Lehigh Valley if the team wants to be more aggressive with him), while Breaux seems just as likely to be out of baseball this time next year.
On the other hand, there does seem to be at least one bench spot available for the other two. The Phillies will need a right-handed bench bat, and with Weston Wilson’ oblique injury likely to sideline him for the rest of the season, Kennedy and Arroyo feel like the favorites to earn that spot.
The question of the day is: Do you think any of the early Spring sluggers will make an impact for the Phillies this season?
