Report: Phillies Top Prospect has Lofty Goal for 2022

Johan Rojas is 21-years-old and currently one of the top prospects in the Philadelphia Phillies farm system. In fact, Inside the Phillies has the speedster fourth in our rankings.

But according to Matt Gelb of The Athletic (subscription required), it wasn't until last year that Rojas was truly unleashed on the baseball world.

“I actually approached the staff,” Rojas said last week, through a team interpreter. “I was like, ‘Listen, why don’t I have a green light? I have the speed.’ I guess they talked internally or something. All of the sudden, they came back to me and said, ‘All right, you got it.'”

As Gelb pointed out, he then went on to steal 21 bases in the last 31 games of the season.

Rojas has always has speed, he has stolen double digit bases every year of his professional career despite never playing more than 68 games until the 2021 season.

His 45 grade hit tool and level swing should give him the propensity to avoid strikeouts and allow him to get on base at an impressive rate. Combined with a 60 grade run tool and it's no wonder what the team sees in Rojas and why he wants to be unleashed.

In fact, Rojas believes he is capable of far more than what he has achieved, if he is afforded the chance.

“I have a personal goal of stealing 50 bases this year,” he said. “Hopefully, I can accomplish that. I want to do everything I can for my team. I’m not a quiet guy in the dugout. I like to be around the guys. I want to do everything I can to win. I don’t like to lose.”

The 2022 season will be a defining opportunity for Rojas. If he can learn to elevate the ball slightly more and he continues to make strides on the base paths, he could begin to see time in centerfield for the Phillies sooner rather than later.

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