The Philadelphia Phillies will more or less run it back after re-signing Kyle Schwarber and JT Realmuto in free agency. In the aftermath of their 11th-hour swing-and-miss at Bo Bichette, the front office did little to move the needle. Fringe additions, like Brad Keller and Kyle Backhus in the bullpen, could pay off, but the Phillies of 2026 are basically the Phillies of 2025.
Like last season, the roster is mostly set as spring training commences. There are a couple areas of uncertainty — their fifth rotation spot, their fourth outfielder, backup catcher — but opportunities for true breakouts will be limited. These notable spring training invitees are probably going to spend next season in the minors, or on a different team entirely.
Veterans likely to be released or traded
Garrett Stubbs, C
The Phillies have reached a fork in the road with Rafael Marchán and Garrett Stubbs, their persistently underwhelming backup catchers. Both are out of minor league options, which means the loser of this particular position battle probably ends up on a new team before long.
Marchán won the job last season, mainly because he was out of options already and Stubbs was not. While Marchán did little to wow fans as a hitter (.587 OPS), he at least exhibited strong swing decisions and faired well behind home plate. Since Stubbs is six years older, with an even longer track record of middling production (career .603 OPS across seven MLB seasons), it feels like this is Marchán's job to lose.
Another factor is the imminent arrival of 25-year-old Caleb Ricketts, Philly's No. 22 prospect at MLB Pipeline, who received a non-roster invite to camp. Ricketts probably starts the year back in Triple-A, but there's a window open for him. Even if he can't out-duel Marchán this spring, there's a good chance the youngster graduates to the Majors before season's end — especially if Marchán does not produce in his second go-around with the Phils.
Stubbs is beloved in the clubhouse, which is a factor, but he will spend a chunk of his spring competing with Israel in the World Baseball Classic, which means Marchán (and Ricketts) get more facetime with Philly's pitchers and coaches.
Bryse Wilson, RHP
Philadelphia inked Bryse Wilson to a minor league contract with a camp invite, hoping to kick the tires on a once-promising arm. Wilson was 20 years old when he made his Braves debut all the way back in 2018. He has since journeyed to Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, and last season, the South Side of Chicago, all in search of a consistent role that has never quite manifested.
The White Sox put Wilson on the bump 20 times (including five starts), but the righty put up a 6.65 ERA and 1.82 WHIP across 47.1 innings. He didn't function well as a starter, nor as a reliever, and there's little reason to believe he suddenly discovers the missing piece with Philly.
Wilson actually outperformed his metrics last season. By a lot. His expected ERA (8.26) fell in MLB's bottom percentile. The Phillies could need a stopgap fifth starter while Zack Wheeler recovers from shoulder surgery, but Andrew Painter has the faith of management and teammates. Meanwhile, other young arms are knocking on the door in camp, while recent KBO star Tucker Davidson feels like the most probable MLB pitcher out of Philly's non-roster invitees.
Phillies ticketed for the Minors
Dante Nori, OF
Dante Nori probably deserves a bit more anticipation from Phillies fans. The 21-year-old is with the team at spring training after just two years in the program. A former first-round pick and the son of NBA assistant coach Micah Nori, sports are in the kid's blood. He offers advanced swing decisions as a lefty, with the core of his value coming in ancillary departments. Nori is a burner on the base paths and a potentially elite glove in center field.
Given Philadelphia's longstanding outfield woes, the door is not entirely closed to Nori. In reality, though, he has five games of Double-A experience. The soonest Philadelphia fans can expect to see him with the main club is late in the regular season, at the absolute earliest. And that's only if Nori mashes his way up the pecking order in Reading, then in Lehigh Valley. He's more of a 2027 or 2028 debut candidate, given the Phillies' track record of slow-playing prospect development.
Is Nori a more exciting option than Johan Rojas or one of the non-roster invitees, like Bryan De La Cruz or Dylan Moore? Absolutely, but this is the nature of the game. Philadelphia won't start the clock until Nori has a lineup spot locked up.
Aroon Escobar, 2B
Aroon Escobar occupies a similar bucket as Nori. He appeared in five Double-A games last season. He's threatening to climb the ladder of Philly's pipeline fairly quickly, but the 21-year-old just does not have the necessary experience to claim an MLB spot out of camp. The Phillies are too patient. More importantly, Philadelphia just has zero gaps in the infield.
Say what you will about Alec Bohm, but he's the cut-and-dry starting third baseman until his contract expires — or until Philadelphia finds a trade partner. Bryson Stott has a couple more years of club control left. Bryce Harper and Trea Turner are staples at first base and shortstop, respectively. With Edmundo Sosa and Otto Kemp more or less locks to fill utility and platoon roles off the bench, it's hard to envision a spot for Escobar this soon, even under the most optimistic of assumptions.
While he's not an elite athlete, Escobar is built strong with a highly promising swing profile. He's beyond his years in terms of seeing pitches through the zone and working deep into counts. If he can learn to drive more hits into the gap and elevate for power, the Phillies will be cooking with gas. I'd say the most realistic outcome is another couple years working through the Minors before Nori takes over to Stott at second base, barring an outside addition.
Aidan Miller, SS
Aidan Miller is awesome. He's the best positional prospect in the Phillies' system and he is almost certainly "ready" for MLB, even with just eight games of Triple-A experience under his belt. Miller rocketed up the ladder in 2025, hitting .264 with 14 home runs, 59 stolen bases and an .825 OPS across 116 games of Minor League competition.
That said, his path is blocked right now. The Phillies didn't sign Bo Bichette, but that also means they didn't trade Alec Bohm. Miller's natural home of shortstop is off limits for a while, so he figures to take more reps at third base (both in spring training and next season) before debuting on Opening Day in 2027. He provides such a clean and easy succession plan for Bohm, whose Phillies tenure will almost certainly end as a free agent next winter, if not sooner. Miller could force Philadelphia's hand, perhaps garnering a call-up when the roster expands in September. But he probably won't be a Phillies regular until 2027.
If the Phillies were taking a more frank and honest approach to this season — recognizing that the roster, as is, won't compete for a World Series — then we could be having a different conversation. Miller is deeply unproven, but his ceiling so far exceeds what Bohm is capable of. If the Phillies want to move the needle without a marquee free agent signing, Miller represents their best chance to do so. That's now how Dombrowski and the front office typically operate, though. So do not count on seeing Miller with the main club beyond spring.