Philadelphia Phillies: Projecting the Opening Day 26 man roster

The Philadelphia Phillies infield is one of the only position groups set for 2021

First base: Rhys Hoskins

Rhys Hoskins returns for his fifth big league season coming off a bounce-back year that ended with elbow surgery. The shortened season was Hoskins’ best since his rookie campaign; had he continued his pace for 162 games he would’ve hit 40 home runs with a .384 on-base and .503 slugging percentage.

Coming off the surgery and also dealing with the sudden loss of his dog Rookie this month, Hoskins is just 3-20 at the plate this spring. Considering the limited at-bats and other circumstances, there’s little reason to be worried about Hoskins’ spring training stats or his status with the team this year, barring a horrendous start.

Second base: Jean Segura

Jean Segura’s contract almost by default made him a starter on the Phillies this year. Making $14.85 million both this season and next, Segura is the fourth-highest paid player on the team and one of the highest-paid infielders in baseball.

Segura has failed to be the .300 hitter Philadelphia hoped he was when they traded for him. Since hitting .302 in two seasons for Seattle, Segura has hit just .276 for the Phillies. He was on pace to match his career-high 20 home runs last year, but the Phillies really don’t need him to be that player. They need him to be even a shade of the .300 hitter he predominately was for the three years before acquiring him.

With only one guaranteed year left on his contract, Segura is likely to be in play for other teams next offseason as a trade commodity.

Third base: Alec Bohm

Alec Bohm was everything the Phillies and fans hoped for in his rookie season. Consistently ranked as the top third base prospect in baseball, Bohm reached the big leagues and produced almost immediately, hitting .344 in his first 10 games.

Bohm showed the potential to hit not just for average but elite power, something the Phillies hoped would develop as he grew through the minor leagues. The team has been without a franchise third baseman since Scott Rolen left, and Bohm has the opportunity to be the Phillies best homegrown position player since Chase Utley/Ryan Howard/Jimmy Rollins.

Barring injury or an unforeseen collapse, Bohm is on course to be the next young face of the Phillies franchise.

Shortstop: Didi Gregorius

Re-signing Didi Gregorius was considered improbable for most in the Philadelphia market. The franchise’s attention was expected to be primarily on retaining Realmuto and adding arms. With Segura and Scott Kingery already in the mix and top prospect Bryson Stott only a year or two away, the Phillies weren’t expected to back up the truck for a 31-year-old shortstop.

However, the hiring of Dave Dombrowski to lead the front office changed things and moved the Phillies back into a win-now mode. Bringing back Gregorius means balance in the lineup with a left-handed bat who has the potential to hit 20 home runs alongside a respectable average.

Despite a scary pitch to the head last week, Gregorius is expected to be the opening day shortstop for at least this season and possibly next depending on the development of Stott and the success of the big league team.