One of the bigger trades that the Oakland Athletics completed during the offseason was the Jeff Samardzija trade that sent Samardzija to the Chicago White Sox in return for now everyday starting shortstop Marcus Semien and a few other players. One of those other players was catcher Josh Phegley. Since coming to Oakland, Phegley has been proving his worth and that his spot on the team’s 40-man roster is well deserved.
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Even though Phegley is only a backup catcher for Oakland, he has taken each start as an opportunity to shine. First of all, he has proven that he is a true power hitter. Over the 29 games he has played in this season, Phegley has had three homers and 10 RBI.
Additionally, against lefty pitchers, Phegley has a .303 batting average and .921 OPS. Normally, Stephen Vogt – a left handed hitter – does not bat well against lefties, which is why Phegley would come in handy if the A’s wanted Vogt and Phegley to platoon at the catching position. However, Vogt’s bat is so hot right now that he is batting equally as well against lefties and righties. If Vogt does fall into his usual ways and begins to struggle against left handed pitchers, Oakland always has Phegley, who has a strong bat and is not afraid to use it.
In addition to his offensive production, Phegley has above-average defensive skills as a catcher. He is able to block wild pitches effectively and he has a very strong arm. As it turns out, Phegley’s arm strength has already come in handy a few times so far this season.
Phegley’s strong arm and quick release allows him to easily throw out base runners trying to steal. In his minor league career, Phegley caught 47% of base runners stealing. This season with the Athletics, Phegley has thrown out 43% of baserunners trying to steal. A shining moment for Phegley came in late May against the Detroit Tigers when he threw out three base runners in one ballgame.
Because of Vogt’s recent success as the Athletics’ everyday starting catcher, there have been some rumors that other teams are interested in Vogt. If Vogt does end up getting traded either before the July 31 deadline or in the offseason, the Oakland Athletics have a pretty good backup with Phegley. Like many other Athletics, there is a strong possibility that Phegley will only improve and continue to shine if he is given the opportunity to be an everyday starting catcher with the A’s.