The Philadelphia Phillies have one of the best lineups in baseball entering the 2025 season. They ranked fifth in the majors with 4.84 runs per game a year ago and have former All-Stars throughout the lineup, including Trea Turner, Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto, Alec Bohm, Nick Castellanos and Kyle Schwarber.
With so much firepower, it’s hard to believe that the Phillies have room for another star to break out this season. But while candidates such as Max Kepler and Bryson Stott could make their first All-Star appearance, Phillies manager Rob Thomson believes a different player could become his team’s next superstar.
Rob Thompson Believes Brandon Marsh Can Be Next Phillies Superstar
Thomson was discussing his team with Joe DeCamara and Jon Ritchie of the 94WIP Morning Show on Friday and revealed that Brandon Marsh could be the next Phillies player to make a star turn. The 27-year-old has gone just 1-for-13 to start Spring Training ,but Thomson believes that’s not indicative of the progress he’s made as a hitter.
“I hope he realizes how great of an athlete he is and how great of a player and potential superstar he could be,” Thomson said. “If he thinks that way, he’s got a better chance of getting there.”
Marsh arrived in Philadelphia in a trade with the Los Angeles Angels midway through the 2022 season and took off, hitting .288/.319/.455 with three homers and 15 RBI to help lead the Phillies to the World Series. He had another strong season in 2023, hitting .277/.372/.458 with 12 home runs and 60 RBI, but he took a step back last season, hitting .249/.38/.419 with 16 home runs, 60 RBI, and 19 stolen bases.
While he owns a .266/.346/.440 batter’s line over the past three seasons, there are some areas that Marsh needs to improve. The biggest is his performance against left-handed pitching, as he’s a .216/.276/.306 hitter against southpaws in 347 career at-bats. There’s also a chance he’ll get to improve in that phase as Thompson has hinted at allowing Marsh to play more against left-handers this season.
But Marsh is already a solid defender with seven defensive runs saved last season and is a fan favorite thanks to his presence in the Philadelphia clubhouse. If he could put it all together, Philadelphia could have another star on their hands and another breakout in the 2025 season.