Phillies Bryson Stott showing great improvement
The Phillies haven’t gotten off to the start they would like, falling to 3-6 following in their first nine games, but one of the pleasant developments has been the play of second baseman Bryson Stott.
Remember the struggles that Stott had as a rookie? There were high expectations for Stott, who was a first-round draft choice (14th overall) out of UNLV in 2019.
Last year in his first Major League experience, Stott got off to such a slow start that he was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley after he appeared in nine games for the Phillies and was batting .133. At Lehigh Valley, Stott hit .333(12 for 36) with two home runs, seven RBI and a .986 OPS in nine games.
Due to injury, he was recalled to the Phillies on May 7 but still struggled.
Stott entered last June batting just .143.
Stott entered last June batting just .143.
He was still hitting just .195 after Aug. 5 but then Stott began turning things around. Over the next 50 games, he had a more than respectable .290/.344/.426 slash line.
When the Phillies clinched a playoff berth in their 160th game of the season, a 3-0 win at Houston, Stott went 3-for-3 with a solo home run.
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For the season he hit .234 with 10 home runs and 49 RBI, but after his slow start, he came on strong.
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For the season he hit .234 with 10 home runs and 49 RBI, but after his slow start, he came on strong.
As well as he finished the regular season, Stott struggled in the postseason, with a .136/.255/.227 slash line that included 0-for-14 in the World Series.
Yet Stott, who turns 26 in October, worked hard in the offseason and the results have been impressive.
He had a hit in the Phillies first nine games and began the week hitting .429 that included a walk-off hit in Saturday’s 3-2 comeback win over the Cincinnati Reds.
Last year Stott played 87 games at shortstop, 47 at second base and two at third base. With the addition of shortstop Trea Turner, Stott is expected to play mainly at second base.
He gives the Phillies a key lefthanded bat down toward the bottom of the order, although in Sunday’s 6-4 loss to the Cincinnati Reds, Stott moved up to fifth in the order and promptly went 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
A left-handed hitter, what has been most impressive is how he has fared against lefthanders.
A left-handed hitter, what has been most impressive is how he has fared against lefthanders.
It is early, but in the first nine games, Stott was 5-for-11 (.455) vs. lefthanders. Last season he hit better against lefties than right-handed pitchers. Stott went .263/.336/.414 against lefthanders last year and .226/.282/.342 against righthanders.
Now it’s way too early to say that Stott has turned the corner. This is only his second Major League season and there are still adjustments he is making to pitches and vice versa.
Yet he has shown great progress and that bodes well for the Phillies future.
Author: Marc Narducci
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