Philadelphia Phillies Have Two Players Featured on Elite List
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As Spring Training and the 2023 MLB season approaches, every type of list and rankings come out from every publication imaginable. However, MLB has just released their list of the best player at every position in baseball.
The Philadelphia Phillies have two players that made the 10-person list in catcher J.T. Realmuto and shortstop Trea Turner.
Realmuto is affectionately known amongst the Phillies faithful as the "Best Catcher in Baseball" or BCIB. His combination of Gold Glove defense behind the plate, speed on the base paths, and his consistent bat make him the most elite catcher in the league.
Having a career year in 2022 helps as well.
As for Turner, the Phillies got him on a deal. The shortstop reportedly turned down more money elsewhere to come to Philadelphia and MLB has him ranked as the best shortstop in all of baseball coming into the season.
Here is what Manny Randhawa said of Turner in his rankings:
"As he prepares to don a Phillies uniform for the first time, Turner tops the chart for shortstops heading into the 2023 season. Although he got off to a slow start at the plate last year, taking a .686 OPS into his 30th game of the season, he took off from there, hitting .306/.348/.487 with 20 homers and 22 steals the rest of the way for the Dodgers. He managed to post the highest Baseball Reference WAR of his career, at 4.9. As he enters his age-30 season, Turner could be just what Philadelphia needs to follow up a pennant-winning season with one that ends in a World Series title."
The Phillies will miss Harper for the better part of the first half of the season, but adding an impact player like Turner should help mitigate that.
Speaking of Harper, had he not undergone surgery, the Phillies very well could have placed three players on this list.
Dangerous stuff.
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