Former Top Philadelphia Phillies Prospect Could Become Spring Training Trade Chip

One of the players involved in the catcher battle this spring is seen as someone the Philadelphia Phillies could trade.

Jul 5, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies catcher Rafael Marchan (13) hits a single against the Atlanta Braves in the second inning at Truist Park / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

While the Philadelphia Phillies' roster is pretty much set, there is one position battle that could have major ramifications going forward.

The goal of the organization this year is to reduce the workload of their star catcher J.T. Realmuto, ideally getting him more time off his feet throughout the regular season so he has more gas left in the tank for when it matters in October.

But for that to happen, the Phillies need a backup catcher they can rely on.

Garrett Stubbs has been in that role since they acquired him from the Houston Astros ahead of the 2022 campaign, but while he's well-liked in the clubhouse and by the fan base, the reality is his offensive output has been poor.

During his time in Philadelphia, he's produced a .222/.305/.324 slash line and OPS+ that's 23 points below the league average.

Because of that, former top prospect Rafael Marchan could be in line for a greater role this year.

Since he's out of minor league options, the Phillies would risk having another team claim him off waivers if he doesn't make the Opening Day roster, signaling there is going to be a huge roster battle during the spring.

However, Corey Seidman of NBC Sports Philadelphia thinks there's a chance Marchan could be on the move as a late trade chip.

"Don't rule out Marchan as a spring training trade candidate, either, if another team becomes so enamored that it offers something enticing. Injuries throughout the league in March can change a lot of plans," he wrote.

That would be very surprising.

Once reaching top five status in Philadelphia's pipeline rankings, the ceiling is there for him to become a real contributor on this roster if he can stay healthy.

That was apparent during his limited Major League stint last season when he went 15-for-51 with three homers and six RBI across 17 games that resulted in an OPS+ of 147 during this small sample size.

If Marchan gets dealt, that doesn't necessarily mean Stubbs is going to be the backup.

Caleb Ricketts, Paul McIntosh, Josh Breaux and Payton Henry will also be in camp as non-roster invites, but it would take a monster showing from one of the four to jump into true consideration for the secondary role.

This will be something interesting to watch during Spring Training.

With the roster battle between Stubbs and Marchan already one of the major competitions that will take place, adding the possibility of a potential trade at any point just thickens the plot when it comes to their catcher position.