How prospect Starlyn Caba studied the Phillies’ stars and got a chance to take ground balls next to Bryce Harper

CLEARWATER, Fla. — On a normal day, Starlyn Caba isn’t required to report to camp until 10 a.m. He doesn’t have to be on the field until noon. But for the last few weeks, the Phillies prospect has been arriving to the Carpenter Complex at 6.

There is a reason for this. Caba, an 18-year-old shortstop from Bonao, Dominican Republic, is in his first spring training in the United States. When he signed with the Phillies in January 2023, he immediately reported to the Dominican Summer League’s high performance camp and then to DSL spring training. He was around players who were just like him.

This year is different. For the first time, Caba has exposure to the Phillies’ big leaguers. He is taking advantage of it. About three weeks ago, he decided to venture over to the half field. Caba watched as guest instructor Larry Bowa and infield coach Bobby Dickerson hit grounders to Trea Turner and Bryson Stott, and was transfixed.

He’s watched their drills, every morning, until this week, because minor-league spring training is starting to ramp up.

“I told myself I need to go to the big-league side,” Caba said. “These are guys that I normally see on TV. I need to learn from them.”

It doesn’t just stop at defense. Caba watches big-league batting practice, too. He is still far from that level — his goal this season is to play at single A — but he sees value in absorbing as much as he can.

“I like to see what their plan is when they’re going into their at-bat,” Caba said. “What pitches they take, and don’t take. Where they drive the ball. What they’re focusing on.

“When you see a player at that level, playing defense, batting, you notice how focused they are. They know what they’re about to do. When they’re stepping into the box, they have a plan.”

It’s rare to see a player in minor-league camp spend as much time on the big-league side as Caba is, but the prospect takes nothing for granted. He has the work ethic of someone with something to prove, which says a lot, considering Caba’s reputation.

The shortstop was recently ranked as the No. 5 prospect in the entire Phillies system by MLB.com. He was widely regarded as one of the best players in his international signing class. Caba followed that up with a .301/.423/.346 line last year in a season that was cut short because of an elbow injury. (He is healthy now.)

When Caba was signed, Sal Agostinelli, the Phillies’ senior adviser for international scouting, said the teen was the best defensive shortstop prospect he’d ever seen, but added that he would have to adjust to the emotion and awe of playing in the big leagues. This is another reason the teenager has made it a priority to be around.

“Something that I’ve picked up on from the big leaguers is their calmness,” Caba said. “It’s something that we don’t have on the other side. Our minds are going too fast. We’re not used to seeing a high-profile player, so when we do, we get ahead of ourselves and try to do too many things.

“But I think by spending time around them, I can have the ability to apply the same calmness to my game. So, when I’m closer to that stage, I’m ready.”

Beyond observing infield and batting practice, Caba has reached out to a few Dominican players, including Gregory Soto, Cristopher Sánchez, Johan Rojas, and Cristian Pache. There is still a language barrier — he is working on his English — but Caba has also talked a bit with Dickerson and Bowa, who noticed him leaning against the fence during drills.

“The first time I saw him there, I assumed that someone sent him over to take a look, but then he started posting up every day,” Bowa said. “You’d think a kid like that, after a couple days, he’d say, ‘OK, I watched for two days, I’m good.’ But this kid keeps posting. It’s pretty impressive.”

Last Monday, Bowa and Dickerson decided to give Caba a reward for his effort. There was a lull in their schedule, and Bryce Harper was taking some ground balls at first base.

Bowa turned toward the prospect.

“Hey Caba, why don’t you come play catch?” he said.

The shortstop grabbed his glove and sprinted onto the field. He caught a few ground balls and did some drills. One of the first things Bowa noticed was his footwork. Young players are typically heavy-footed. It’s normal for the dirt around them to be torn up. But not with Caba.

“When this kid takes grounders, there’s hardly any mess out there,” Bowa said. “He’s light on his feet.”

Dickerson told him to take some throws at second from Harper. Caba was in disbelief.

“I saw him look over at Bryce and go, ‘That’s Bryce Harper,’ ” Bowa said. “It probably made his whole camp.”

Caba summed up the experience with one word that needs no translation: “Increíble.”

It’s obvious to both Dickerson and Bowa that Caba is a gifted defender. His balance is good. He trusts his backhand, and he has strong instincts. But what has impressed them even more is his work ethic.

“I don’t think he wants to be good,” Bowa said. “I think he wants to be great. I really do. Usually with the generation now, I’m not saying they don’t work hard … but this kid goes beyond that. He’s like a sponge.

“He’s already got the label. What you’ve got to do now is stay humble. And I think this kid, just by watching him, he’s going to be very humble.”