Will the real Bryson Stott please stand up?
A first-round draft pick (14th overall) for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2019, Stott debuted in the Major Leagues just three seasons later, becoming the starting shortstop for the squad that advanced to the 2022 World Series, before falling to the Houston Astros. Although Stott’s overall offensive numbers throughout the 2022 MLB playoffs were less than impressive, with a .136 batting average and .255 on-base percentage over 16 games, Stott provided solid defense and did produce during some crucial at-bats.
In 2023, Stott took significant steps toward being a long-term infield answer for the Phillies. With the free agent signing of Trea Turner during the offseason, Stott was moved to second base and provided the defensive excellence that made him a finalist for the Gold Glove. But it was Stott’s offensive improvements that really got people’s attention, as he became one of the game’s best two-strike hitters, posting a slash line of .280/.329/.419 with 15 homers and 62 RBIs.
“Bryson Stott should be an on-base type of guy,” Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said. “We’re not looking [for him] to hit 20 home runs. He’s a guy that can work the count, he has a good eye. We want to make sure he really settles into that. That’s the type of guy we want [Stott] to be.”
Bryson Stott Struggled Through an Elbow Injury in 2024
But in 2024, Stott was not that guy. Although Stott still flashed the defensive skills that again made him a Gold Glove finalist, the offensive numbers dropped, and he finished the season slashing .245/.315/.356 with 11 homers and 57 RBIs. However, it was revealed over the winter that Stott had played through an injury for most of the season that could explain the regression.
“He had a sore elbow for a lengthy period last year,” Dombrowski said in December. “It was nothing major, per se, but enough that it bothered him a lot from an extension perspective.”
So as the Phillies prepare to open the 2025 season, what can they expect from Stott? In the opinion of Sports Illustrated, the happy days could be here again for the 27-year-old, as the publication selected Stott as Philadelphia’s “breakout candidate” for the upcoming season.
“Stott seemed on the verge of becoming an All-Star after he rapped 164 hits, batted .280 and stole 31 bases in ‘23,” Tim Capurso wrote. “But he took a step back in a disappointing ‘24 campaign in which he was playing through a nerve issue in his elbow. Now healthy and with a strong spring under his belt, Stott is poised to become an All-Star for the first time.”
Bryson Stott Feels Good After a Strong Spring Showing
Stott had an encouraging spring for the Phillies, batting .268 with an eye-opening .444 on-base percentage. He finished camp among the team’s leaders in runs (10) and walks (13), but most importantly, Stott said his elbow feels good, and the swing feels right.
“Not really getting stuck anywhere,” he said. “I got into some bad habits last year with all the stuff going on. It forced me into losing my energy to first base. I was falling toward first. Just trying to get the bat around, it would make my body go [to the right] just so I could get around and not snap my arm in half. I think I just got into a subconscious bad habit [that led to me] not really being able to hit the ball to left.
“I was fine when the pitch was in, because I was leaning that way already, but just being able to swing and where the ball goes is where it goes is a good feeling. [I’m] not thinking about my arm and not thinking about anything other than seeing the ball and putting a good swing on it. It’s just being more free and letting it rip.”
And for a lineup hoping to be among the best in the league, a free and ripping Stott could be the difference-maker.
“We think that he’s going to have a much better year,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “He’s healthy, and he’s working right now at getting flatter and getting back to seeing the baseball and working counts and using the entire field.”
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