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What Do the Phillies Need From Alec Bohm in 2022?

Alec Bohm's redemption in 2022 could be a game-changer for the Phillies. How might that be achieved and what exactly would it mean for the club?

Author:
Ben Silver
Dec 21, 2021 6:00 PM EST

Alec Bohm’s WAR in 2021 was -1.4, the lowest total for any Phillies position player not named Andrew Knapp since Ryan Howard in 2015. The list of what went wrong for Bohm in 2021 is not short: power hitting, contact hitting, on-base ability, defense, etc., were all sub-standard. Yet, he must still be considered a key piece for the Phillies in 2022 and beyond.

Hamstrung by the luxury tax threshold, owner John Middleton has limited the moves his team can make this offseason. The Phillies still need a left fielder, center fielder, and bullpen pieces before they improve at third base. Thus, Bohm’s high upside makes it seem increasingly likely that he will begin the 2022 season as the Phillies' starting third baseman, and President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski expressed his favor of that outcome earlier in the offseason.

While Bohm may have looked like a minor league replacement player for much of the 2021 season, underlying statistics could provide some optimism for his future.

In 2021, Bohm’s BABIP dropped .083, while his exit velocity increased by nearly two mph. His launch angle increased too, but at the cost of a greater strikeout rate and a depressed walk rate. These statistics may seem somewhat encouraging, but Bohm’s barrel rate plummeted from 10.3% to 6.6%.

If it wasn’t evident to the eye test in 2021, Bohm could not consistently square up the ball. His improved launch angle was largely due to an increase in pop-ups. In 2020, Bohm had not one infield fly ball; in 2021, 6.5% of his at-bats resulted in an infield pop-up.

He also struggled to catch up with fastballs throughout the season. Bohm was worth -15.6 runs on fastballs in 2021, a drop of more than 17 runs from 2020.

It seems evident that Bohm’s swing needs help. These struggles with pop-ups and fastballs are new, unlike Bohm’s advantageous use of the opposite field in 2020.

Therefore, it made sense the Phillies hired hitting coach Kevin Long, mentor of former 2021 hitting coach Joe Dillon. Long was able to overhaul the swing of current Phillies target Kyle Schwarber, who had a career year in 2021. The Phillies anticipate Long can do the same for Bohm.

The list of players with brilliant rookie seasons that struggled in their sophomore year is long. Fans should hope that Bohm’s name will join Roy Halladay’s on the list of those who found success after their second year struggles.

If Bohm can overcome his issues and become a league average player, it would open up a myriad of new possibilities for the Phillies. More money could be allocated for upgrading the team at other positions like shortstop and bullpen at the deadline.

Currently, it seems the Phillies will need Bryson Stott to perform consistently at shortstop given Didi Gregorius’ poor play in 2022. Since Stott is a lefty like Gregorius, it would be difficult to platoon the two players. A right-handed shortstop bat could be another high priority move at the deadline.

Of course, flexibility is a virtue all baseball teams strive for. Bohm’s redemption in 2022 would not only aid the Phillies at third base, but also escalate the priority of other Phillies issues and begin a chain reaction that turns them into a top team in 2022.