The Philadelphia Phillies entered the offseason with question marks regarding who will back up starting catcher J.T. Realmuto during the 2025 season. Following a mixed 2024 campaign in which Realmuto spent considerable time on the IL recovering from knee surgery, the Phillies want to lighten the workload on the three-time All-Star heading into the last season of the five-year, $115.5 million deal he signed in 2021. With extension talks between the Phillies and Realmuto seemingly non-existent, it’s beginning to look more likely we’ll see a new face donning the catcher’s gear for the Phillies in 2026.
Replacing Realmuto’s bat in the lineup presents challenges, and the Phillies front office knows as much, evidenced by the team re-signing longtime backup catcher Garrett Stubbs to a split contract at the non-tender deadline in November. With former top prospect Rafael Marchán reestablishing his value following an impressive 17-game stint last summer that saw him bat .294 in 51 at-bats, the pressure will be on Stubbs to win back his roster spot with a solid showing in spring training next month.
While the position battle between Stubbs and Marchán is one of the major storylines to follow in spring training, Phillies top catching prospect Eduardo Tait has been flat-out raking since signing as an international free agent in 2022.