Has Muzziotti Played Himself Into a Starting Role?

It was Friday night when Simón Muzziotti picked up his first major league hit. It was a bright spot in a rather bleak night for the Philadelphia Phillies during a disappointing opening week.

Barely 20 minutes later, Muzziotti made the defensive play of the night, robbing Jesús Aguilar of extra bases leaping against the wall in center field.

Muzziotti wasn't supposed to be there on Friday night. He wasn't even backing up the guy who was supposed to be there. But a strange set of circumstances forced the Phillies' hand and now Muzziotti might see himself getting regular playing time this season for the Phillies—playing time that seemed impossible just a year ago.

COVID-19 meant the suspension of the minor league season in 2020. Muzziotti played in no professional games that year, but did spend some time with the Phillies instructional league in the fall, a way for prospects who missed training at the alternate site to receive some professional instruction during the global pandemic.

But 2021 spelled an even greater disaster for Muzziotti, who eagerly awaited the chance to spend time honing his skills in the minor leagues after a career best 2019.

This time it wasn't COVID that kept him sidelined, or even injury, but VISA issues, returning from his home country of Venezuela. That problem kept him stuck at home until late-August 2021.

Finally, Muzziotti returned to the United States Aug. 31 and breezed through all five levels of minor league play, from Rookie-ball to Single-A to High-A to Double-A and finally Triple-A with the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, all in the span of a month.

He played well at each station, slashed .296/.375/.380 for the month and established himself as a steadfast defensive centerfielder.

Muzziotti continued to play baseball in the fall and winter at the Phillies Arizona affiliate Peoria Javelins and Venezuelan league Aguilas del Zulia.

When spring camp started for the Phillies in 2022, Muzziotti, like every other player on the 40-man roster was sidelined until the end of the MLB lockout. But in the 10 plate appearances he received after its resolution, Muzziotti collected three hits, a double, two walks and a stolen base.

Suddenly, the young centerfielder was on the Phillies big league radar after Odúbel Herrera suffered an injury early in the spring. Then was forced into the Opening Day picture as the only center fielder on the 40-man roster when Mickey Moniak fractured his hand during the final day of spring training.

Now that Muzziotti's established himself as Major League-ready center fielder, it's uncertain what will happen when Moniak and Herrera return from injury. Matt Vierling certainly hasn't shown any desire through his play to stay in the majors. His defense has been poor and he's yet to collect a hit.

Herrera is currently rehabbing his injury in Clearwater, and is likely just a week or so away from the majors as of April. Undoubtedly, one of Muzziotti or Vierling will be demoted when Herrera returns.

It was unthinkable just two weeks ago, but Muzziotti may play his way above Vierling on the depth chart if things continue to trend as they have.

While still unlikely, if Vierling continues to slump—he's batted .000 with an xBA of .225—and Muzziotti plays solid defense and gets on-base at a clip above .300, there's a solid possibility the Phillies decide to get Vierling on the right track by getting him regular at-bats in Lehigh Valley and keeping the versatile Muzziotti in the Major Leagues.

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