Expect Dalton Guthrie to Get More Looks in 2023
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Early in September, Nick Castellanos suffered an injury and the Philadelphia Phillies needed a replacement for the active roster.
Enter Dalton Guthrie.
It took five days, but Guthrie ripped two hits, the first two of his career, along with two RBI in a 5-3 victory over the Washington Nationals.
Guthrie never appeared nervous following the callup from Triple A-Lehigh Valley.
He seemed to fit right in.
“It was pretty cool,” Guthrie told reporters after his first two hits and RBI. “Hopefully you get the first one out of the way and they come.”
Guthrie gave the baseball from his initial hit to his parents. His father, Mark, pitched 15 seasons in the Major Leagues and won a World Series with the Minnesota Twins in 1991.
Guthrie was a sixth round draft pick in 2017. The path to the Phillies was a difficult twisty road, including a stoppage with the COVID-19 pandemic slowdown. But he found his spot in the outfield and slowly began to figure things out at the plate.
And he became a contributor down the stretch.
“I’ve always tried to be open with anything,” Guthrie said in September. “One day a couple years ago, I brought up catching to them and they shot that down quick. But anything they want me to do, I’ll do it. It’s a fun little challenge. It keeps it fresh. I’m still learning out there, but I’ve made some progress and I’ll go anywhere they put me in that lineup.”
Coming out of spring training, Guthrie wasn’t considered a top prospect. Then with the IronPigs in 2022, he hit .302 with 10 home runs and 52 RBI.
In a very small sample size with the Phillies, Guthrie went 7-for-21 with one home run and five RBI. It was enough to see that Guthrie had the skills to become a player who could produce.
Last year, Guthrie received only three at-bats in Grapefruit League action. Expect more in a few months.
He’s worth taking a long look at this time around.
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