Can this young Phillies OF turn a corner offensively?

The production out of the center field position has troubled the Philadelphia Phillies for years. 

The club thought they made a breakthrough when they traded for Los Angeles Angels outfielder Brandon Marsh at the 2022 MLB trade deadline, but the 27-year-old doesn’t hit lefties well and shares CF duties with Johan Rojas.

Rojas, 24, made somewhat of an unexpected MLB debut in July 2023 and has primarily been a liability at the plate. In 179 games, he’s slashed .261/.298/.355 with five home runs, 55 RBI, 18 walks and 111 strikeouts. However, Rojas’ defense and speed have allowed him to stay on the major league roster, perhaps to the team's detriment.

In 16 postseason contests over the last two seasons, Rojas has batted just .104 and struck out 16 times across 51 plate appearances. That said, Philadelphia hasn’t given up on its homegrown outfielder yet. Rojas has also worked tirelessly each offseason to improve his offensive skills.

That was evident when he showed up for spring training looking stronger than ever. Rojas has yet to play the outfield due to a shoulder injury, but he’s appeared as the designated hitter in nine games, hitting two home runs with seven RBI, two walks and a .953 OPS. He even belted a homer to the opposite field off New York Yankees starting pitcher Carlos Rodon.