Phillies experimenting with Edmundo Sosa in center field

The Phillies think the utility infielder's athleticism and intelligence could make him a good fit to to be a righty-hitting backup to Brandon Marsh.

Phillies utility infielder Edmundo Sosa only has one game of experience playing center field in the major leagues.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer

by Alex Coffey

Published Feb. 20, 2023, 3:22 p.m. ET

CLEARWATER, Fla. — The Phillies don’t have many roster spots to fill in spring training, but one vacancy is a right-handed hitter to back up Brandon Marsh in center field. Marsh has been working on evening up his right-left hitting splits, but he likely won’t face a left-handed pitcher with a funky delivery, like a Clayton Kershaw or Chris Sale.

That’s where a backup comes in. After bench players Nick Maton and Matt Vierling were sent to Detroit in the trade for Gregory Soto this winter, there aren’t many options left. Recently acquired utility man Josh Harrison is one, and Dalton Guthrie is another. Manager Rob Thomson added a third possibility on Monday afternoon: Edmundo Sosa.

Sosa was acquired from St. Louis at the trade deadline in July for left-handed pitcher JoJo Romero. He has been used as a utility infielder over his career, with only one-third of an inning of big league experience in center field, in 2021 with the Cardinals. His only other outfield experience: three innings in left with the Phillies last year. Nevertheless, the Phillies think Sosa’s athleticism and intelligence could make him a good fit to back up Marsh.

Thomson first broached the idea with Sosa about a month ago. He said the infielder was not just “all in,” but seemed to have been thinking about playing some games at the position already. He has spent his spring training working on learning the position with first base/outfield coach Paco Figueroa.

“We’re going to experiment a little bit and get Sosa some work in the outfield, especially in center field,” Thomson said. “We think he can do it. It’s tough in Florida, to try to teach a guy to play the outfield, because of the high sky every day, the sun, the wind, so sometimes it gets frustrating. But I just told him to stay after it.”

Thomson said Sosa has a legitimate chance at playing center field in big league games this season. At a minimum, he’ll play there in some minor league games this spring, just so the Phillies can see how he’s progressing.

“He’ll get some [chances] during spring training, for sure,” Thomson said. “But having said that, he’s still an infielder. And a really good one. So we’re not taking that away from him at all.”

Hall getting a look in outfield

Thomson said Darick Hall also has been taking outfield reps. He was working out with Figueroa in left field on Monday.

“He plays first base very well,” Thomson said. “We may give him some reps in the corner outfield just to see what he can do. Just to give him a little more flexibility, a little more value. If he swings the bat the way he did last year, it’s going to be tough to keep him off the club.”

It’s a little early to be asking about lineup decisions, but Thomson said he likes the idea of Trea Turner leading off and Kyle Schwarber hitting close behind him. He said either Rhys Hoskins or Schwarber would profile well as a cleanup hitter.