Philadelphia Phillies Outfielder Surprisingly Named Top 10 at His Position

While many look at the Philadelphia Phillies' outfield as a weakness, one member of that starting three was named as a top 10 player at his position.

Oct 8, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Brandon Marsh (16) reacts to striking out in the eighth inning against the New York Mets during game three of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies have put together one of the best rosters in MLB over the years, headlined by the best starting rotation in the sport and superstar first baseman Bryce Harper.

While the infield and the pitching staff are massive strengths for the club, many look at the outfield as a glaring weakness, with Nick Castellanos being the face of the trio.

While Castellanos has failed to live up to the contract the team bestowed upon him ahead of the 2022 campaign, another acquisition from that year has been highly underrated by many despite being one of the most consistent performers on the roster.

Outfielder Brandon Marsh has quietly flown under the radar as one of the more consistent offensive producers in the sport since joining the Phillies as part of a trade with the Los Angeles Angels.

The young star has batted .266/.346/.440 across 1,086 plate appearances in 309 games since being acquired, with 31 home runs, 135 RBI, and a 117 OPS+.

Marsh also provides top-tier defense in both left and center field, though most of his time in 2024 came in left field with the emergence of defensive phenom Johan Rojas.

Despite the consistent performance on both sides of the ball, and being the best outfielder on the team, many overlook Marsh's abilities because he does not carry as much popularity as Castellanos.

That could change very soon, however, as for the second time in as many years, Marsh ranked as a top 10 center fielder by MLB Network's "Shredder" when he came in at No. 6.

Phillies outfielder Brandon Marsh cracks our #Top10RightNow for a second consecutive year, this time landing as the #6 center fielder!#Top10RightNow pic.twitter.com/UEOalqGQo5

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) January 8, 2025

An argument can certainly be made that Marsh is even too low on the list, with guys like Julio Rodriguez, Byron Buxton, and Mike Trout ranked higher.

Rodriguez is a defensive wizard but has regressed year-over-year offensively every season since debuting in 2022. His OPS + marks across those three campaigns read 147, 130, and 116 respectively.

The best ability is availability, and Buxton is the worst player in the sport in that department.

The overly popular outfielder has played in only 772 games since debuting in 2015, posting for 100 or more in a single season twice, with one of those only being 102. It is hard to be one of the best if he never qualifies for the batting title, regardless of how good his small sample size is.

Unfortunately for Trout, his recent years have been much the same as Buxton's.

Since 2019, the superstar who was once looked at as the best player in baseball, has played in only 319 games, posting for 100 or more only once in that time.

Marsh has played in 130 or more games in each of the last three seasons, and would have played in more if the club was not trying to force Austin Hays into an everyday role.

While it is certainly worth praising the national broadcast outlet for recognizing Marsh's ability and trying to bring that knowledge to a much larger audience than just those familiar with the team, popularity did still play a massive role in the rankings, and Philadelphia's young star should have been much higher than sixth.