Gabriel Rincones Jr., Grapefruit League slugger, might enter Phillies’ plans at some point

Things I keep think about when I’m not thinking about the Roman Empire, one week into Grapefruit League play ...

Gabriel Rincones Jr. is going to factor into the Phillies’ corner outfield situation at some point.

As we gather here to honor Gabriel Rincones Jr., let us take a few moments to reflect upon those who came before him.

Three years ago, the poets were scrambling to find words that rhymed with “Mickey Moniak.” Five years before that? You may remember it as the spring of the Brock (Stassi) Shot. Both electrified their respective springs with six home runs in Grapefruit League play (Moniak in 2022, Stassi in 2017). But neither came close to Maikel Franco, whose nine home runs in 2016 remain the standard by which all sluggers are judged.

One week into Grapefruit League play, Rincones already has half-a-Moniak. He is a third of the way to Franco. His third home run of the spring came in the fifth inning of a split-squad game on Sunday, a two-run jack that measured 105 mph off the bat against a certified big league pitcher in Bowden Francis. It was actually Rincones’ fourth home run in 17 career Grapefruit League at-bats. In 2023, he hit a home run in a big league spring training game as an extra man on loan from the minor league side.

I wrote a column about Rincones after that 2023 game. He has a heck of a story. But the thing that really caught my eye was his frame. Pair that with his approach and his pure left-handed power swing and he sure looks the part. Rincones isn’t a five-tool, blue-chip guy like Aidan Miller or Justin Crawford. But he does look different from your average young, big-power, prototypical-frame corner outfield bat (e.g., Dylan Cozens, Aaron Altherr, etc.).

Long story short, at the very least, Rincones qualifies as an interesting guy. He hasn’t gotten a ton of prospect buzz since the Phillies selected him in the third round of the draft out of Florida Atlantic in 2022. But he’s definitely someone who could factor into the corner outfield situation in the near future. The way I see it, he is a prime example of the steady improvement of the health of the Phillies’ minor league system under the guidance of Preston Mattingly.

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The lack of fanfare for Rincones is a bit curious given his clear physical attributes and his minor league production. His strikeout rate has remained steady at each level of the minors. It’s higher than you’d like (25ish percent), but it’s offset by his extra-base hit and walk rates. Case in point was his performance in the Arizona Fall League this past autumn. In 90 plate appearances, he had 11 walks, four doubles, two home runs, and seven strikeouts.

The rap on Rincones is injuries. Though, I’m not sure that is entirely fair. He missed his first professional season with a shoulder injury that he suffered in college. He played a full season in 2023, with 533 plate appearances split between low-A Clearwater and high-A Jersey Shore. Last season was a frustrating one. He suffered a thumb injury sliding into second base and essentially missed half of the season. But when he returned, he hit 11 home runs with an .843 OPS in 258 plate appearances at double-A Reading.

The only reason the Phillies wouldn’t bring in another right-handed bat is that there are none.

The Edmundo Sosa thing is interesting. By “thing,” I mean the decision to play him in center field this spring. The Phillies are clearly looking for an option that would lessen their need to keep Johan Rojas on the bench. That’s no knock on Rojas. Maybe he wins the job. But in a perfect world he would be getting regular at-bats, which he probably won’t be doing with Brandon Marsh slotted in as the everyday center fielder.

Using Sosa as the primary backup center fielder would give Rob Thomson and Dave Dombrowski some flexibility to balance out their roster with a better bat on the bench. It would also give the some flexibility to go out and add a right-handed bat now that Weston Wilson is expected to miss the start of the regular season with an oblique injury.

Only one problem. The free agent market is picked over. Does it really make sense to add someone like Robbie Grossman even on a minimum deal? I do think the Phillies are a prime candidate to swing a marginal mid-to-late spring trade or waiver claim for a player on the wrong side of a roster crunch. Again, slim pickings.

There is one guy in Washington who might make sense.

The rundown on Alex Call, a 30-year-old rotational outfielder who has played well in stretches for the Nationals over the last few years:

Rincones, a lefty, isn’t going to factor into the 2025 roster situation unless there is an injury. But the number-one issue facing this Phillies team remains the imbalance in the lineup and the room for improvement in the corners.

In a drama-free camp, it’s the one thing worth watching.