I know what you are thinking, 2023 was a breakout year for Bryson Stott, how can 2024 be a breakout year? Just wait because 2023 was only the beginning for Stott. I think we are about to witness a breakout year from Bryson Stott that we have not seen from a homegrown Phillie in a long time.
Stott was 1st round draft pick for the Phillies in 2019 and made his MLB debut in 2022 when Joe Girardi named him the Opening Day third baseman. After a rocky start to the season, Stott was optioned down to AAA, but returned to the Phillies and was a factor in their run to the 2022 World Series. He split his time during the regular season between 2B, SS, and 3B, but became the primary SS throughout the 2022 Phillies playoff run.
After the departure of Jean Segura and the acquisition of Trea Turner, Stott became the everyday second baseman in 2023. Stott elevated his game in 2023 both offensively and defensively and was named a finalist for the Gold Glove award for 2B in the National League.
From 2022 to 2023 Stott's offensive production took big steps forward. Check out his 2022 to 2023 difference.
2022 | 2023 | |
Hits | 100 | 164 |
RBI | 49 | 62 |
Slash line | .234/.295/.358 | .280/.329/.419 |
WAR | 1.3 | 4.4 |
Home runs | 10 | 15 |
In a lineup that is filled with big time sluggers, Stott is emerged as one of the most reliable players in the lineup. You can see so much potential in Stott and I do not think we are close to seeing his best yet. His numbers against both righties and lefties have both increased. The Phillies have a large number of lefties in their lineup, but with the big strides of Stott, I am fully comfortable to see him hit against both lefties and righties.
His offensive production is a result to his swing. From 2022 to 2023 he spent a large of amount of time working with Kevin Long adjusting his swing.
Check out the side by side of Stott from 2022 to 2023 that they showed on MLB Network. He looks much more comfortable from 2022 to 23'. His right leg is not out as much, and his hands are slightly lower. This is going to allow him to turn his body smoother and a shorter swing.
In 2022 pitchers would love to attack Stott with a fastball up in the zone. By dropping his hands very slightly, allows his top hand to get on top of the baseball and avoid the strikeouts. The more athletic batting stance has allowed him to shorten his swing and allowed a lot more hits.
The change in batting stance has done wonders for Stott, and his production at the plate has shown. Stott is right on the cusp of being considered one of the game's most consistent and top hitters. With a full year under his belt with the changes to his batting stance, don't be surprised when he takes even bigger strides at the plate in 2024.
The change from SS to 2B was the big question mark in 2023 for Stott. Without question, Stott solidified himself as one of the game's best defensive second baseman. He was a finalist for the Gold Glove for the NL in 2023 and is my favorite to win it in 2024.
For eligible players, Stott finished the season with a .992 fielding percentage (FP) which was good for 3rd in Major League baseball, while there the top players for FP was .993. He finished 2023 with 5 throwing errors which was 3rd lowest among all second baseman. He was a premier defender in 2023 and will continue to build on that in 2024.
Even with the great strides in offensive and defensive production, his most underrated breakout stat in 2023 was his stolen bases. He finished 7th in Major League Baseball with 31 stolen bases. He was caught stealing only 3 times. In 2022, he had 12 stolen bases while being caught 4 times. Himself and his coaches both trust his baserunning ability and it has shown. In just his second season, he has proven to be a major threat on the base path.
From 2022 to 2023, we have seen major improvements to Stott's hitting, fielding, and base running. Now the question will be, will we continue to see progression in his young career or will he plateau or decline. There really is no way for sure to know what he will do in 2024, but from everything he has shown I am going to make a few bold predictions for Stott.
In 2024 Bryson Stott is not only going to participate in his first (of man) All-Star Games, but he will also win his first (of man) gold glove awards. Between his production as both a hitter and a fielder, his 2024 season will put him into the debate of the game's best second baseman. He will have a full season under his belt of all the changes to his game. Bryson Stott is going to have a major breakout season in 2024. With all the stars on the Phillies, do not get lost that Bryson Stott is about to be considered one of the best 2B players in baseball.
There are a lot of great second baseman in baseball. You have Luis Arraez in Miami, Ozzie Albies in Atlanta, and Marcus Semien in Texas to name a few. Even though the top group of second baseman is crowded, you can make the argument that Stott should be included in that group. He is a consistent hitter, elite fielder, and top base runner. Throughout 2022 we saw great progress in his confidence, in 2023 we saw great progress in skills, and in 2024 we are going to see an even bigger progress in his confidence and his skills.
The Phillies roster features many different stars like Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, and Kyle Schwarber, but I promise you the breakout year from Bryson Stott is going to make this team elite. He has put in the work and it pays off. Now it is time for 2024 to be an epic breakout year for Stott!
-Adam Mack (@adammackMLB)