Garrett Stubbs is coming back for a fourth season in the Phillies organization. There’s no guarantee that he will begin the year with the big league club due to his contractual status: He has one minor league option remaining, but not enough major league service time to reject an optional assignment. His main competitor for the backup catcher role, Rafael Marchan, is also out of minor league options.
It’s why the Phillies and Stubbs agreed to a relatively unique one-year deal to avoid arbitration. The split contract, according to Ronald Blum of the Associated Press, guarantees him $925,000 if he reaches the majors and $450,000 if he’s in the minors.
After three seasons as the primary backup to J.T. Realmuto, Stubbs could spend next season as the starting catcher for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. There will be a formal competition between Stubbs, Marchan and perhaps a non-roster invitee or two for the backup spot, but in all likelihood, the Phillies prefer to begin next season with Realmuto and Marchan as the two catchers on the Opening Day roster.
It should be noted that Marchan has not appeared in an April game since 2019, when he was with the High-A Lakewood (now Jersey Shore) BlueClaws. 2021 is the last time he began a season healthy.
Since then, a hamstring strain, hamate fracture and lower back injury have prevented Marchan from starting the year on time. With the lack of suitable backup catchers on the market, the shortage of upper-level catching depth in the Phillies system and Marchan’s injury history, bringing back Stubbs at the price he signed for is a no-brainer.
In three seasons with the Phillies, Stubbs has played in 141 games, slashing .222/.305/.324 with seven home runs and 39 RBIs. He was very good at the plate in 2022, but has struggled in each of the last two seasons. The team loves the way he handles the pitching staff behind the scenes. At a position like backup catcher, where offense is virtually non-existent, teams value catchers who work well with the pitchers on the roster. For the Phillies, it’s probably more important to value having a good rapport with the pitching staff over more offensive production at the backup spot.
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