Phillies prospect Tommy Joseph made his major league debut last night at Citizens Bank Park. Joseph played first base and hit sixth in the Phillies lineup. He went 0-2, but had a solid at bat in the fourth inning, drawing a walk that would eventually lead to him scoring on a Tyler Goeddel triple.
The Phillies acquired Joseph, 24, as the top-prize in a deal that sent beloved slugger Hunter Pence to San Francisco during the 2012 trade deadline. At the time, Joseph was a multi-tool, slugging catcher in the Giants farm system. The belief was that he would possess enough offensive skill that he would be a must-play on a regular basis for a contending team.
Unfortunately, the Phillies never got to see what he could do behind the plate. Joseph fell victim to multiple concussions that would ultimately put his career in jeopardy. Combined with several other minor injuries, he would struggle to get back behind the plate, and ultimately decided that he would be best suited at first base.
In a position to finally stay healthy, Joseph overcame his injuries and produced an impressive .347/.370/.611 line, that would place the struggling Philadelphia team in a position where they would be forced to look elsewhere for production at the position.
The hope is that Joseph can continue developing into a capable infielder, and produce offensive stats that will place the big league club in position to build on their early success.
While Tommy Joseph may not be a significant part of the future, he presents an opportunity to develop yet another quality young player who could contribute at multiple positions. With glaring weaknesses in the outfield, and numerous prospects that can play first base, it’s fair to wonder if Joseph will make the switch that many before him have tried to make. Most recently, Cody Asche moved from third to left field. Asche is currently rehabbing with the Clearwater Threshers.
It’s hard to not get behind a guy like Joseph, who seemingly has the tools to succeed. He will have some growing pains at whatever position he finally settles into, but swinging a hot bat will place him in the good graces of the Philadelphia faithful.
Let’s hope he can force the Phillies to make a tough decision as more of their prospects become MLB-ready.
Photo credit goes to CSNPhilly.
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