Philadelphia Sports: Section 215 top 25 Philadelphia athletes revealed

Number 22: Freddy Galvis – Shortstop, Philadelphia Phillies

Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis was supposed to be a placeholder, a bridge between the Jimmy Rollins era and the reign of J.P. Crawford. In his two seasons as the Phillies’ starting shortstop, Galvis has proven himself to be much more than a stopgap option.

Galvis has never been an outstanding hitter. His .241 career batting average is about what you can expect from him at the plate. Galvis strikes out too much for a guy who profiles as a contact hitter; he was fanned 136 times in 2016. His home run total jumped to 20 last season, an unexpected burst of power that is either an anomaly or an exciting realization of potential.

Galvis has not found his way on this list of Top Philadelphia athletes because of his ability with a bat, however. Instead, Galvis has asserted his presence in the Philadelphia sports scene with his glove and impressive arm strength. He is simply a defensive force on the baseball diamond, a veritable vacuum whose value in the field is difficult to overstate.

While there is likely some convoluted sabermetric statistic that can precisely evaluate Galvis’ defensive impact, sometimes one just has to appreciate what his eyes tell him. And the eyes tell the fan that Freddy Galvis plays an exceptional shortstop.

Going forward, Galvis’ defensive versatility and ability to switch hit can make him a valuable bench player. He could also play every day anywhere in the infield. In other words, Crawford’s potential ascendance does not need to push Galvis out of the lineup or force a trade.