Look: Phillies Fan Favorite Appears on Cover of Lehigh Valley’s Pork Illustrated

The Philadelphia Phillies optioned this catcher to Triple-A Lehigh Valley and he appears to be embracing everything that comes with it.

Sep 9, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies catcher Garrett Stubbs (21) fields a ball Tampa Bay Rays at Citizens Bank Park. / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

In Garrett Stubbs’ three seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies the fans have embraced him, and he’s embraced the fans. He’s become a favorite, not just of rank-and-file fans but of his teammates and coaches.

He’s one of those “clubhouse guys,” a player that doesn’t get much attention for his play but manages to galvanize the clubhouse in a way that is unique to him and, in those unique ways of building a team, indispensable.

In the clubhouse, Stubbs was considered the “Chief Vibes Officer” and for three years the Phillies made the playoffs, including a run to the 2022 World Series. He made baseball fun for his teammates and Phillies fans.

So, when the Phillies optioned him to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on March 20, it was somewhat of a surprise. He has served as a capable backup to starter J.T. Realmuto, even as his offense has suffered the past two seasons.

The batting average and slugging have dipped from his peak in 2022, when he slashed .264/.350/.462 with five home runs and 16 RBI. The emergence of Rafael Marchán, especially at the plate, negated the need for a third catcher. Plus, Marchán did not have a minor league option remaining, and Stubbs did.

So, on Friday night, he made his season debut with the Iron Pigs as they hosted Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees. This being Stubbs, he embraced the role of minor league catcher, even appearing on the franchise’s digital game program, aptly named Pork Illustrated.

The cover featured Stubbs in an Iron Pigs uniform, holding a bat with the word “Vibes” crossed out and the headline reading “Chief Bacon Officer.” Below that, the cover read, “Stubbs arrives in Piggyland.”

Check out the first 2025 issue of Pork Illustrated!https://t.co/YFns1dmtF2 pic.twitter.com/T0yq2Pb1az

— Lehigh Valley IronPigs (@IronPigs) March 28, 2025

Was there really any doubt that Stubbs wouldn’t embrace the role give him to him? Not when it comes to this franchise.

He joined the Phillies after three rather forgettable years at the plate with the Houston Astros, though he remained one of baseball’s best defensive catchers.

Stubbs, a San Diego, Calif., native played his college baseball at USC, where he won the 2015 Johnny Bench Award as the nation's best collegiate catcher. The Astros selected him in the eighth round of the 2015 MLB draft and needed four years to reach the Majors. In 2023 he played for Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic.

Recommended Articles

feed