Phillies calling up center field prospect Johan Rojas to fill in for injured Cristian Pache

Johan Rojas spent a mostly quiet week at home in Reading with his wife and infant son. But on Thursday night, they decided to punctuate the four-day All-Star break by inviting friends for a barbecue.

And then, the phone rang.

The news, delivered by Phillies farm director Preston Mattingly and double-A manager Al Pedrique, turned Rojas’ cookout into a full-blown party. The 22-year-old center field prospect was getting called up to make his major-league debut at Citizens Bank Park.

“I was so excited, I started jumping,” Rojas said Friday through a team interpreter. “My wife cried. My brother was super excited to the point where he was shaking. I was really emotional, too.”

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It hardly matters that Rojas may not be staying long. The Phillies needed a righty-hitting outfielder to replace Cristian Pache, who went on the injured list with irritation in his right elbow. The team doesn’t anticipate that he’ll be sidelined for long. He’s eligible to return as soon as next Friday.

But Pache’s absence will create opportunity for Rojas to make an impression.

Brandon Marsh will continue to get most of the playing time in center field. But manager Rob Thomson said he plans to use Rojas as he does Pache, starting him in center field against left-handed pitchers — and likely against some righties, too, when Bryce Harper begins playing first base.

Thomson said Pache reported discomfort in his elbow early in the week. He has a screw in his elbow from a previous injury, and the Phillies believe it may have moved, causing him pain. Pache was scheduled to see the team doctor Friday.

Like Pache, Rojas is an elite defensive center fielder whose offense has lagged behind. But after making changes to his swing path in spring training at the direction of first-year minor-league hitting director Luke Murton, Rojas is in the midst of a breakthrough season at the plate.

In 76 games for Reading, Rojas is batting .306/.361/.484 with 20 doubles, five triples, and nine homers. He also has 30 stolen bases in 38 attempts.

“He’s had a great year,” Thomson said. “He’s swung the bat well. He’s got power. He’s one of the best center fielders in the game. And he’s on the [40-man] roster, so it seemed like the right move to me.”

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Rojas’ speed and defense will always be his calling cards. Before last season, when he was still in A-ball, he predicted he could play major league-quality defense. Phillies officials agreed and hoped his bat would eventually catch up.

In the meantime, Rojas said he would play MLB: The Show in his idle time in the minors and dream of what it would be like to reach the big leagues. He even created himself in the video game.

“I would make sure that I had a lot of speed, a lot of power, a lot of agility, all the good stuff,” Rojas said, laughing. “I would play PlayStation, and I would be like, ‘Yeah, I can be one of those guys.’ And I’m finally here. Even when I got to the ballpark today, I was like, ‘Wow.’ I had to pinch myself. I am actually here. I made it.”

Rojas had a strong finish to last season in Reading. But his turning point at the plate may have come after the Phillies sent him to minor-league camp in spring training. Rojas met with Murton and double-A hitting coach Tyler Henson, who made adjustments to his swing and his routine.

“There’s been a small adjustment to his bat path,” Henson said recently. “He used to get the barrel real deep behind him, which didn’t allow him to keep the bat in the zone very long. We had a lot of one-on-one sessions after he was sent down to the minor-league side and came up with a really good, detailed routine. He’s sticking to the routine.”

It’s notable that Rojas’ promotion comes 18 days before the trade deadline. The Phillies refused to include him in deals last season. They’re richer in center field depth now, from Marsh and Pache in the majors to Símon Muzziotti in triple A, Rojas in double A, and 2022 first-round pick Justin Crawford at low-A Clearwater.

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But the decision to call up Rojas wasn’t designed to showcase him. He was their best righty-hitting outfield option on the 40-man roster. Muzziotti and Jake Cave, who are putting up big numbers at Lehigh Valley, bat from the left side.

“If Pache doesn’t get hurt,” Thomson said, “[Rojas] doesn’t come up.”

And when Pache returns, Rojas likely will head back to the minors.

“I came to bring my energy, day in and day out,” Rojas said. “I came here to win. I’m going to help this team win. I’m going to be available for whatever they need me for. It’s great to be here. I am ready for any task they want me to do.”