The pressure is on. After two straight playoff implosions in 2023 and 2024 — following a World Series loss in 2022 — the Phillies are running it back and are hoping to prove that their highly paid and highly talented roster has what it takes to be champions.
Philly will enter 2025 with the fourth-best World Series odds, behind the juggernaut Dodgers, Yankees and division rival Braves. They are tied with another rival in the Mets (at +1100 via FanDuel).
The NL East will be the division of death this summer, but the Phillies believe they have what it takes to defend that title.
As we do every season, as players work out and play exhibition games in Clearwater, we'll check in and tell you the prognosis and expectations for every player we expect to make the roster.
We'll start today with the catcher spot, which for the first time in half a decade carries with it some unknowns…
Scouting report
J.T. Realmuto will be 34 when the season begins. He'll be healthy and expected to play in 130 games again for the Phillies. But it's possible he might be playing some of them elsewhere in the field this season — and somewhere else entirely next season.
In order to minimize wear and tear and curb potential decline, Realmuto said he was open to playing in the outfield if necessary, helping to keep his right-handed bat in the lineup among a lefty-heavy batting order. With his contract up at the end of the year, Realmuto will need to do two things this season: show he's deserving of another contract in Philly and that he is not in decline.
Catchers often feel the negative baseball effects of aging more than other positions due to the grueling nature of the position. The three-time All-Star and Silver Slugger — and two-time Gold Glover — has not really shown true signs of decline yet, as he had a productive 2024 (missing some time due to injury) hitting .266 in 99 games. His OPS has gotten lower in three consecutive seasons, as has his home run and RBI output, so seeing where his power stroke is at the plate could be key in deciphering whether he is indeed declining.
Garrett Stubbs, a light-hitting locker room beloved lefty is expected to be his No. 2 again, but don't be surprised if Rafael Marchán, a 25-year-old homegrown catcher who has been among the team's top prospects for a long time, puts Stubbs out of a job. He has a lot more offense to give than the 31-year-old Stubbs, and has no remaining minor-league options.
NL East ranking
Realmuto is still among the absolute best at what he does, and we have no hesitation placing him at the top of the NL East pecking order (projections and WAR courtesy of baseball-reference).
| Team | Catcher (age) | 2024 stats | 2025 proj | Career WAR |
| Phillies | J.T. Realmuto (33) | .266, 14 HR, 47 RBI | .257, 16 HR, 56 RBI | 36.3 |
| Braves | Sean Murphy (30) | .193, 10 HR, 25 RBI | .235, 14 HR, 45 RBI | 13.3 |
| Mets | Francisco Alvarez (23) | .237, 11 HR, 47 RBI | .237, 18 HR, 57 RBI | 1.9 |
| Marlins | Nick Fortes (28) | .227, 4 HR, 29 RBI | .225, 9 HR, 37 RBI | 0.8 |
| Nationals | Kiebert Ruiz (26) | .229, 13 HR, 57 RBI | .249, 15 HR, 56 RBI | 4.0 |
Once again, at least on paper prior to any games being played, Philly has a big advantage behind the plate. Murphy had an injury-riddled 2024 in Atlanta (like the rest of his team) and his track record suggests he'll be back to being an above-average hitter this season. Alvarez remains raw and the Mets hope to see a leap from him in 2025, as do the Nationals with former stud prospect Ruiz. The Marlins have some talented prospects who might make an impact at catcher at some point this year, but Fortes will likely start the year for them.
Phillies' future
There's really only one name to know — besides Marchán, who will at some point be playing in the majors in 2025 — and that's Eduardo Tait. At just 18, the Panama native is already the No. 5 prospect in the team's farm system according to FanGraphs.
Tait hit .302 over two minor league levels last season with 11 homers and 73 RBI in 79 games. He'll probably begin 2025 in Clearwater but it's possible he plays his way to Double-A before you know it. Here's some of his scouting report from the aforementioned FanGraphs. It's tantalizing:
He already has average big league raw power, which is very exciting for a hitter his age, even more so when you consider he’s a lefty-hitting catcher. He’s performed well in spite of a semi-concerning lack of plate discipline. In addition to his indulgent, expansive approach, Tait can struggle to get on top of fastballs up and away from him. He’s likely to have a flawed offensive skill set exposed as he climbs the minors, but so long as Tait keeps getting to power and developing behind the dish, that’s going to be okay. [FanGraphs]
He's still a teenager so there's a long road to his major league debut. But if he mashes in the minors again and the Phillies keep Realmuto in town on a shorter term contract extension, Tait could be the heir apparent.
Phillies season preview
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