As the Philadelphia Phillies look to improve their roster during the offseason, the front office will face some tough decisions on who to let go. Some guys are under contract for the foreseeable future, so that could require them to release or trade them.
Many potential candidates could fit that description, as a few players on the Phillies roster didn’t do as much as they needed to throughout the year.
Of those players included Johan Rojas, one of the worst hitters in Major League Baseball.
It’s easy to point to his defense and be impressed by the type of player he is, but the reality of the situation in 2024 is that if a hitter doesn’t provide anything at the plate, their defensive abilities don’t provide much value to a team.
That isn’t to say defense doesn’t matter, but guys have to swing the bat at least an average mark to be a winning player, which is why his future is in question.
Edward Eng of FanSided doesn’t expect him to be back either, highlighting his struggles at the plate.
“Finally, it might be surprising to some to find Phillies’ outfielder Johan Rojas on this list. After all, the former top prospect has shown some promise since making his debut with the club last season. Without a doubt, his main calling card has been his elite speed and defense, registering 19 DRS since joining the big league roster… However, his bat was exposed during the 2023 playoffs, showing that a lot of work still needed to be done to make it MLB-ready. Unfortunately, despite some brief glimpses of hope from time to time, it remained Rojas’ weakness throughout the 2024 season,” Eng wrote.
If Rojas gave Philadelphia even slightly below-average production offensively, he’d be somebody who could play nearly every game. Unfortunately, this is the player he is.
For any front office member who believes he could turn into something, his time is about up.
This team doesn’t have time to watch youngsters struggle, as winning a World Series has to be at the top of their priority list. Having a hitter who posted an OPS+ of 69 doesn’t help.
He only had 15 extra-base hits on the season, perhaps his biggest issue as a hitter.
Rojas could find a new home with another team, but his time with the Phillies should be done. Perhaps a rebuilding team would be interested in him developing.