The Philadelphia Phillies have a few areas to address before the 2022 season opens. Their pre-lockout action included adding only relief pitcher Corey Knebel to the bullpen. The club could still use an upgrade at shortstop, some pitching, and at least one outfielder.
Preferably, the Phillies need to find a guy to play center field. I think it’s far easier to find a guy to play left field than it is to find someone capable of playing around 162 games in center field. Unfortunately, it’s a task easier said than executed.
When the lockout ends, the Phillies will have three directions to go as far as improving their center field situation goes. Each option is better than the last. We begin with using what they already have.
Philadelphia Phillies center field candidates: The weak in-house choices like Mickey Moniak
Mickey Moniak could go down as of the biggest busts in MLB history. Drafted first overall, his professional career has been unmemorable. His future in the big leagues looks bleak.
The Phillies have no business starting Moniak anywhere in the field in 2022. Even giving him a 26-man roster spot can be a bit of a stretch.
Almost equally as weak of a choice but slightly better would be going with a guy like Adam Haseley. Another first-round draft pick the team appears to have missed on, Haseley missed a good portion of last year when he stepped away from the team for an undisclosed reason.
Sadly, those are the two best options the Phillies have to start in center field next season. Needless to say, they need to reach outside of the organization for an answer. They have two ways to do it. One is to dip into free agency.