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Brock Stassi gets emotional after making Philadelphia Phillies (Video)

By John Buhler

Mar 24, 2017; Tampa, FL, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Brock Stassi (78) works out prior to their spring training game against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 24, 2017; Tampa, FL, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Brock Stassi (78) works out prior to their spring training game against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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Twenty-seven-year-old first baseman Brock Stassi tears up after finding out that he has made the 2017 Philadelphia Phillies Opening Day roster.

When a baseball player finally gets the call that he’s made it to the big leagues, it’s always a huge deal. Not everybody’s path to the MLB is the same and some players’ are more difficult than others. Brock Stassi’s has been a long time coming.

Stassi is a 27-year-old first basemen that had spent six years in the minor leagues before getting the nod from Philadelphia Phillies manager Pete Mackanin on Thursday. Needless to say, Stassi got a little emotional about the news.

Stassi was a 33rd round draft pick in the 2011 MLB Draft. He was taken No. 1,021 by the Phillies out of the University of Nevada-Reno. Six years in the minors and spending the offseason as a substitute teacher to making the Phillies’ 25-man roster would definitely bring one to tears.

Spring training was good to Stassi. He had six home runs and hit .333 at the plate for the Phillies. For most of his minor league career with the Phillies, Stassi had been buried on the depth chart behind slugger Ryan Howard. The former NL MVP had been a staple at first base for the Phillies for over a decade.

Now that Howard is a free agent, this has allowed players in the Phillies organization to rise to the top and compete for important roster spots. Most MLB teams will only a spot or two unfilled heading into spring training, one in the field and one in the bullpen. From the looks of it, Stassi emerged as the guy to get that 25th spot on the Phillies roster.

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Philadelphia will be either a middle-of-the-pack team in the National League or slightly below that this summer. Will Stassi’s bat help the Phillies contend in the National League East?

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