Toward end of the 2024 season, the Phillies called outfielder Cal Stevenson to the majors to serve as outfield depth. His stay with the major league club was largely nondescript, with most of his appearances
coming as a defensive replacement. But he had one memorable game against the New York Mets in which he had a two-RBI double to give the team the lead and then made a home run saving catch in centerfield.
Entering Spring Training, Stevenson seemed to be behind other outfielders like Kody Clemens, Buddy Kennedy, and Weston Wilson on the Phillies’ depth chart. He was a longshot to make the team out of camp, and sure enough, he did not, starting the season with AAA Lehigh Valley.
In late April, starting outfielder Brandon Marsh suffered an injury, and Stevenson was recalled to fill his spot on the roster. Once again, he mostly served as a defensive replacement, receiving just eight plate appearances in five games.
He soon returned to the minors and put up lackluster numbers. By August, he suffered an undisclosed injury, and with the team needing a roster spot, he was placed on waivers and eventually became a free agent.
2025 stats
8 PA, .250/.250/.250, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 2 K, -0.2 bWAR
What went right
He only had two hits in the majors, but he made one of them count: He had a game tying infield single in the eighth inning of a game against the Marlins.
In the minor leagues, Stevenson showed he could take a walk (59 walks in 87 games), steal a base (22), and play good defense.
What went wrong
The ability to walk is nice, but Stevenson didn’t do much when he swung the bat, hitting .237 with just 18 extra base hits at AAA.
His future with the Phillies
Stevenson is currently a free agent, and life can be tough for a 29-year-old career “quad A” player who hasn’t shown much offensive ability. But he does bring speed and defense to the table, which aren’t bad attributes for a back of the roster player. He might get an invite to Spring Training for a team in need of minor league outfield depth, but with other, younger options on hand, it seems unlikely that it will be with the Phillies.
