After glimpses of talent in his rookie year and a very strong first half in 2023, the Philadelphia Phillies looked to have a future top second baseman on their hands with Bryson Stott. Now entering 2025, the Phillies and Stott are looking to get back on track.
Once the 2024 season concluded, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski released to the media that the second baseman and organizational standout dealt with a nagging elbow injury during most if not all of the season, which definitely hindered his performance. The 27-year-old’s OPS dropped 0.76 down to .671 in 2024.
While his resume is short, the Las Vegas native has had long stretches during his career of elite play. In 2023, Stott carried a .300 batting average or above until Aug. 11, hitting to a slash line of .302/.345/.445. While he ultimately finished the season with an OPS of .747, he also finished with 4.3 bWAR, 1.8 higher than any other mark of his career.
A Bryson Stott bounceback season could shake up Phillies’ 2025 lineup
During his hot stretches, Stott is one of the most frustrating hitters to face. His “certified Bryson Stott ABs,” depicting his ability to go down early in counts and continuously battle to create eight-, nine- and 10-pitch sequences that can not be fun for opposing pitchers, add to his ability to not only make results but to impact the game in more ways than one. In every season of his career, he has been in the 89th percentile or above in whiff percentage and always ranks near the top in two-strike hits.
After disappointing ends to the last three MLB playoffs, manager Rob Thomson and the front office have evaluated ways to make the lineup more lethal and better prepare them for the postseason. With little available money and many pieces stuck in place, it is likely the Phillies will need a majority of the help from guys already in their system, and Stott’s unique ability could bring just that.
One of the biggest dilemmas in Philadelphia sports since he joined the team in 2022 has been the role of Kyle Schwarber. His big-time power and below-average athleticism profile him better as a middle-of-the-order bopper, more so than a leadoff hitter. But with that being said, something is working.
A return of a healthy Stott could open the door to that conversation again. While Schwarber’s impact at the beginning of games brings momentum to the good guys, the former UNLV Rebel’s bat-to-ball ability, low strikeout percentage, and ability (as well as mindset) to work counts and get on base by any means possible throw another possibility for Thomson if he feels changes are needed.
Along with being a good leadoff hitter, Stott is the yang to the yin of this Phillies lineup. The star-studded cast features five different players with 25+ homer seasons as well as a lot of strikeouts. Stott can be the nuisance between the stars like Bryce Harper and Nick Castellanos to deepen the order and provide more run scoring opportunities for them, allowing them to showcase their power. He could realistically hit anywhere in the lineup other than the heart of the order.
An all-around player like Bryson Stott does not come around often. Successful teams have players of his archetype and playstyle that give them the extra drive down the stretch and into the postseason. A consistent and healthy Stott is a difference-maker for a swing-and-miss heavy lineup.
