Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Bryson Stott. Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Bryson Stott returning to form will be key for Phillies in 2025

By Lauren Amour | Last updated Dec 16, 2024 4:25 PM ET

Philadelphia Phillies infielder Bryson Stott took a step forward during his sophomore campaign in 2023 following a lackluster 2022 rookie season.

He stepped into full-time second-base duties for the club, and that stability seemed to help him offensively and defensively.

Stott batted .280 with 32 doubles, 15 home runs, 62 RBI and 31 stolen bases while playing stellar defense, quickly cementing himself among the best 2B in the National League.

After taking that leap last season, Stott took a step backward in 2024. He went from 4.3 WAR in ‘23 to 2.5 in 2024, amassing fewer doubles, homers and RBI, and a significant drop in batting average — from .280 to .245.

Some positives were that Stott was still a threat on the base paths, stealing a team-leading 32 bases across 148 games. He also struck out less (100 Ks in '23 to 93 in 2024), walked more (39 BBs in 2023 to 53 in 2024) and was an NL Gold Glove Award finalist for the second straight year, but he lost to Milwaukee Brewers’ Brice Turang.

yep, that's our second baseman pic.twitter.com/gaSYCPSsMz
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 8, 2023

Stott's third season in the majors looked similar to his rookie year stat-wise, which should be a concern if you're the Phillies. After all, this is the same guy who started the 2023 campaign on a 17-game hitting streak, which set a new franchise record. The same guy who hit a grand slam in the 2023 NL wild-card series that practically lifted Citizens Bank Park off the ground. The same guy who acts as a spark plug for the team’s offense.

So, yeah, when that guy’s not hitting, when he can’t come through in big spots, that's a problem. Stott had his moments in 2024 but could not find consistency at the plate. He wasn't the same hitter, especially not the same one who once got considered for lead-off duties because of his ability to get on base.

However, it was recently learned that Stott played with a sore elbow for most of the season, Jim Salisbury of PHLY reported. This ultimately hindered his swing and affected his ability to drive the ball.

Still, Stott’s inconsistency may have slightly thrown off the Phillies’ offensive harmony. Of course, it's not his fault; the entire team lacked consistency in the second half and the postseason.

That said, Philadelphia is confident in Stott's return to form in 2025. His continuing offensive improvement in his age-27 season will be key to getting Philadelphia back on track after a disappointing early exit from the playoffs.

Lauren Amour

Lauren Amour is a writer and editor based in the Greater Philadelphia area. She currently works as an editor and writer at Yardbarker, covering MLB and the Philadelphia Phillies.

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