Rafael Marchán was patient, just like his dad advised. It paid off when he made the Phillies roster.
Marchán texted his parents Thursday morning after learning he made the team. “He was waiting for that,” he said of his father. “He knows I'm a good player.”
NORTH PORT, Fla. — Rob Thomson feared the worst.
Mere hours after Rafael Marchán had officially been designated the Phillies’ backup catcher, he absorbed a pitch to his left elbow in a 7-0 loss to Atlanta on Thursday. At first, Thomson thought the ball had struck the 26-year-old’s hand.
But after Marchán was given the once-over by Phillies trainers, he remained in the game for the next five innings, and escaped with nothing more than a bruise.
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Thomson had valid reasons to be worried, however. Injuries have hampered the switch hitter’s career, with back and shoulder injuries bothering him in 2024, and a hamate fracture in his wrist shortening his 2023 season. But this year, as Marchán is set to officially break camp with the Phillies for the first time, he feels stronger than ever.
He focused this offseason on building muscle, and said he added about five pounds.
“When I wake up in the morning and I feel good, that’s something that I’m really proud of myself,” he said. “I know that I put in the hard work in the offseason. So it’s paid off.”
Thomson called Marchán into his office on Thursday morning before the road game against Atlanta to deliver the news that Garrett Stubbs had been optioned to triple A and Marchán had made the team.
“Marchán can really throw,” Thomson said. “He’s very intelligent. He does a great job handling pitchers and staying with a plan. I think he’s actually swung the bat a lot better than his numbers, and he hit a couple balls hard [Thursday] that just didn’t get through. I’m happy for him. I really am, because he’s been waiting for this for a long time.”
Marchán is hitting .231 in 26 at-bats this spring. He’s also caught three runners stealing.
He entered camp knowing he had an opportunity to make the team this year, since he is out of minor league options while Stubbs had an option remaining. If Marchán is sent down to triple A, the Phillies have to risk losing him on the waiver wire. But he didn’t want to dwell on that, and instead focused on doing his job every day at camp.
Now, it has paid off.
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“Just happy,” Marchán said. “I’ve been waiting for this for so long. I’ve been on this team for a while, and makes me feel like I’m like doing a good job to be part of this group. So I’m excited for that.”
Marchán texted his parents on Thursday morning after he left Thomson’s office. He said his father wasn’t surprised at all.
“He was waiting for that,” Marchán said. “He knows I’m a good player. [He said], ‘Your moment is gonna come. So just be patient. Try to do your job at the right time, play the right way, and good things are gonna happen.’”
With J.T. Realmuto entering his age-34 season, the Phillies are planning to be cautious with the veteran’s workload. That likely means more opportunities for Marchán as a backup.
“Being on the big-league team, I think that’s the dream that all [kids have], and to be part of this group and play with all these guys make you feel like you’re in a great position,” Marchán said. “Having those guys around [makes] you feel like you’re in a good spot. So I want to be ready whatever they need me. I want to be doing my job, doing my homework, doing all the stuff to play well.”