With an injury to one of their outfielders, the Phillies have called up Johan Rojas to join the team in Philadelphia. A top ten prospect in the Phillies farm system according to MLB.com, this will mark the first time that Rojas has joined the big club. Here’s a closer look at the young outfielder.
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A Look at Rojas
Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas has intrigued for years, dating back to when he hit .321 in his first pro season in the Dominican Summer League back in 2018.
The 22-year-old outfielder has steadily moved his way up the ladder since then. Rojas moved up to full-season ball in 2021, and put up solid results. Rojas hit eleven home runs and hit .263 that year, and swiped 34 bases across three levels. His offensive numbers (seven HR, .663 OPS) took a dip in 2022 with Jersey Shore (A+), but he did steal 62 bases in 130 games.
This season with Reading (AA), Rojas recorded an impressive .306 average, an .845 OPS, and stole 30 bases in 76 contests. Those numbers are impressive, although one does need to take those with a grain of salt. Reading is a hitter-friendly ballpark, and that is certainly reflected in his numbers:
- Home: .353 AVG, 7 HR, 1.101 OPS in 37 games
- Road: .265 AVG, 2 HR, .699 OPS in 39 games
There is some power there, and he’s been known to drop the barrel and drive balls in the air. But, Rojas is a glove-first center field with plus speed. In the Minors, he was known to make catches like this.
Rojas’ ceiling is a defensive-first outfielder with plus speed, but an average hit and power tool and a player that would likely slot in the back half of a team’s lineup.
Fellow outfielder Cristian Pache, who was acquired by Philadelphia earlier in the year, hit the IL. That opened up a spot on the roster for the young outfielder.
A Look at the Phillies
The Phillies outfielder has been quite productive this season. Nick Castellanos turned in an All-Star first half, while Brandon Marsh hit 27 extra base hits and provided good defense over the first couple of months of season. Kyle Schwarber hit 22 home runs, while the aforementioned Pache hit .327 in 53 plate appearances (24 GP).
Given what the Phillies have right now in their outfield, it’s likely that Rojas takes on the role of Pache in the interim. Pache saw most of his at-bats against left-handers, so expect the right-handed Rojas to follow suit.
