Phillies Bench Players: Who'll Stick and Who Won't in 2026?
As the Phillies enter the offseason, one area where the team can improve is their bench play. The results from last season's pinch hitters were underwhelming, with a batting average of just .232 and only two home runs across 190 plate appearances. However, utilityman Edmundo Sosa showed promise, hitting .276 with 11 homers over 89 games.
Sosa, entering his final year of arbitration eligibility, is likely to be back in the mix for a bench role. He played multiple positions and demonstrated a strong ability to fill in for injured players. The question remains whether he'll take on an even larger role next season.
Another player who's been touted as having a utilityman-esque role is Otto Kemp. The 26-year-old showed flashes of power and ability to play different spots on the field, according to Phillies President Dave Dombrowski. However, his potential spot on the roster may be more settled than initially thought, with Dombrowski hinting that he could become an everyday player.
For Wilson, who's out of minor league options and has one year left under team control, the fight for a roster spot in spring training is uncertain. A disappointing 2025 campaign, including a .198/.282/.369 slash line over 52 games, puts him on shaky ground.
Injuries also played a role in Johan Rojas's development as an outfielder. Despite a promising .224 batting average in his MLB debut, he struggled and was eventually demoted to the minors. With Kyle Schwarber potentially leaving via free agency, Harrison Bader holding a mutual option, and Castellanos being rumored for release or trade, Rojas is fighting for a spot on the roster as the team's fourth outfielder.
Garrett Stubbs and Rafael Marchán will face increased scrutiny behind the plate if the Phillies fail to re-sign J.T. Realmuto. Marchán was a primary backup in 2025 but struggled with a .210/.282/.305 batting average over 42 games, while Stubbs has two years left under team control but no minor league options.
As spring training approaches, these players will need to prove themselves if they hope to stick on the Phillies' roster.
As the Phillies enter the offseason, one area where the team can improve is their bench play. The results from last season's pinch hitters were underwhelming, with a batting average of just .232 and only two home runs across 190 plate appearances. However, utilityman Edmundo Sosa showed promise, hitting .276 with 11 homers over 89 games.
Sosa, entering his final year of arbitration eligibility, is likely to be back in the mix for a bench role. He played multiple positions and demonstrated a strong ability to fill in for injured players. The question remains whether he'll take on an even larger role next season.
Another player who's been touted as having a utilityman-esque role is Otto Kemp. The 26-year-old showed flashes of power and ability to play different spots on the field, according to Phillies President Dave Dombrowski. However, his potential spot on the roster may be more settled than initially thought, with Dombrowski hinting that he could become an everyday player.
For Wilson, who's out of minor league options and has one year left under team control, the fight for a roster spot in spring training is uncertain. A disappointing 2025 campaign, including a .198/.282/.369 slash line over 52 games, puts him on shaky ground.
Injuries also played a role in Johan Rojas's development as an outfielder. Despite a promising .224 batting average in his MLB debut, he struggled and was eventually demoted to the minors. With Kyle Schwarber potentially leaving via free agency, Harrison Bader holding a mutual option, and Castellanos being rumored for release or trade, Rojas is fighting for a spot on the roster as the team's fourth outfielder.
Garrett Stubbs and Rafael Marchán will face increased scrutiny behind the plate if the Phillies fail to re-sign J.T. Realmuto. Marchán was a primary backup in 2025 but struggled with a .210/.282/.305 batting average over 42 games, while Stubbs has two years left under team control but no minor league options.
As spring training approaches, these players will need to prove themselves if they hope to stick on the Phillies' roster.
. Philly needs someone with some real pop and a solid bat behind Schwarber's departure. Edmundo Sosa is def a player to watch, but Otto Kemp seems like he might be getting a spot on the roster before he even tries out 
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. It'll be tough for him to prove himself next season. And if they don't re-sign Realmuto, those catcher spots are gonna get super competitive 
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️. Rojas and Bader both showed flashes of potential last year, but it's hard to trust 'em without some more development time. And Castellanos... well, I don't even wanna think about that one 
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. But hey, spring training is all about provein' yourself, right? 
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, might be the only one holding it down this offseason 
. Kemp's power game could take him out of the bench role tho 
. Wilson's bat needs serious work 
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. wilson's gotta work hard to stay on the roster, his numbers were pretty bad last year 
And what about Kemp, is he getting too big for his britches trying to steal the everyday player role from others? 
. On one hand, you've got Edmundo Sosa, who's been pretty reliable in his utility role, but can he take on more responsibility? And then there's Otto Kemp, who could be an everyday player if the Phillies want to give him a shot 
. And what about Garrett Stubbs and Rafael Marchán? If the Phillies don't re-sign Realmuto, they're gonna need someone who can hold down the fort behind the plate 
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wilsn & rojas r on shaky ground tho. i think we need more depth in the outfield cuz schwarber might not come back 
& castellanos is like a wild card rn 
. marchán needs 2 step up behind the plate if they dont sign jt realmuto, lol 
. He's gotta prove himself in spring training but I got faith in him 
anyway, otto kemp could be the real deal but we'll see. wilson's numbers were straight trash so that's on him. johan rojas needs to get his act together or he's outta there