Entering play on Thursday the Phillies were in the basement of the NL East with the second-worst record in the National League at 5-8. Most of the struggles have been bullpen related, but the club already bolstered the staff by promoting top prospect Spencer Howard, and are now dipping into the system once again to promote third baseman Alec Bohm. The Phillies could use some extra help on offense with Adam Haseley being placed on the 10-day IL with a wrist issue. The big league roster has some versatility and Jean Segura will slide to second base and Scott Kingery will play center which creates a spot for the 2018 third overall pick.
THE RANKINGS
Bohm ranks second on our Phillies top 30 list and 20th on our Fantasy Top 500 list.
THE TOOLS
Hit (55 present/60 future): Bohm is a rarity in today’s game, a slugging third baseman that excels at making contact and using all fields. Long and lanky, with a build similar to Kris Bryant, it’s unusual for long-limbed guys like this to only have a 14 K% rate while also showing the type of power to hit in the middle of a lineup. He covers the plate well and is direct to the ball with a tight, aesthetically pleasing swing.
Power (60 game/70 raw): Bohm has double-plus raw power but his in-game power is plus. He could sacrifice some of the contact skills or hit tool to get that double-plus power in-game, but it’s the right move to keep the elite bat-to-ball with the plus power. He fought with some extreme timing issues in 2018 after entering pro ball, and was hitting the ball on the ground at a 58% clip. He’s made the adjustments by simplifying the swing while still maintaining his slight uppercut and cut the groundball rate to only 43% in 2019. An impressive turnaround for the Wichita State product.
Defense (40 field/60 throw): Lack of mobility and questionable hands lead to some important defensive questions that need answers here. Bohm played first base in the AFL and that will likely be his eventual position, but the only true fit on the Phillies roster is for him to play third base. There is no guarantee that the designated hitter is around in 2021, and it would be rare for a team to commit to a 24-year-old as their everyday option there. The presence of Rhys Hoskins obviously creates an issue as well. His lack of mobility makes him a poor candidate for a potential move to the outfield, so the plan is for the Phillies to go with Bohm at third as long as possible. His plus arm can make up for some of the defensive shortcomings but would be a non-factor if he moved to first.
Speed (40 present/30 future): He’s not an asset in the speed department and will slow down as the frame thickens up. While he shares a similar build to Kris Bryant he doesn’t run as well. He lacks first-step quickness and profiles as a below-average runner.
Prediction: Bohm is expected to play everyday at third base for the Phillies and really lengthens the lineup as they try and recover from their poor start. Injuries and poor performance accelerated this call-up after just 13 games, and in more traditional seasons he would likely come up around this time, after four months in Triple-A. Bohm hit sixth in the lineup during his debut but will likely hit out of the seventh spot when Hoskins returns. Bohm is the rare young hitter who has a chance to flirt with a .300 average at peak while also swatting 30 homers. There’s enough upside here that Bohm shouldn’t be left on the wire in any formats.