Felix Reyes may be one of the most underrated prospects in the Phillies’ system, but he is being set up to fail. In fact, the Phillies may be repeating the same mistake they made with Otto Kemp by rushing Felix Reyes into a limited role he’s not ready for.
He brings legitimate power, gap-to-gap hitting ability, and the potential for a strong batting average and on-base percentage.
But there’s a catch: swing-and-miss tendencies and questionable pitch selection remain real concerns.
Defensively, Reyes is serviceable. His first baseman’s mitt is the one that he looks best wearing. He’s playable in left field and, to a lesser extent, in right.
You don’t win an Eastern League MVP by being a bad player. You win an Eastern League MVP by hitting 15 home runs, driving in 65 and slashing .335/.365/.572/.937, which Reyes did last season.
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However, there are still clear concerns
Felix Reyes is not quite there. He is not quite ready to play at the major league level. He is still somewhat awestruck at Triple-A, which is fine since he has only played 24 games at the highest level of the minors. Defensively, he has played just 44 games in left field in his professional career. And, he just turned 25 a little less than a month ago.
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That brings us to a comparable situation the Phillies already faced: Otto Kemp.
Otto Kemp (Triple-A):
Age: 26
Games: 87
HR: 16
RBI: 69
Slash Line: .295/.406/.526/.932
How did carrying Kemp as a platoon player work out? Why did the Phillies send Kemp to Triple-A? According to manager Rob Thomson: “It’s tough for him (Kemp), for a guy that doesn’t get consistent at-bats when he’s a young guy used to playing every day; now you’re playing sparingly. It’s tough sometimes to keep your rhythm, contact points. This will be good for him.”
How Felix Reyes is being set up to fail
In many ways, Felix Reyes and Otto Kemp are the same player. Both young, and in my mind, both under-rated prospects. The Phillies asked a lot of Kemp to take over a part-time job where he is not going to get consistent at-bats simply because all teams face far less left-handed pitchers than they do right-handers. That means that Kemp, and now Reyes, will be riding the pine for most of the games.
Just as Kemp was asked to take on a Herculean task, so is Reyes. Having seen a lot of both of these players at the minor league level, I would put the ceiling on Reyes higher than that of Kemp. Perhaps that will make the difference, but it’s doubtful. Keep in mind that Kemp also had a lot more experience at Triple-A than Reyes has had, albeit less left field experience, which is not to say that Reyes is comfortable in left.
Where Kemp and Reyes should both be playing
Sending Kemp down to Triple-A was the right move. He needs more time in left field and he needs consistent at-bats. You may ask “how would Kemp and Reyes both get consistent work in left field if they are both on the same roster?” I’m glad you asked.
Another similarity between Kemp and Reyes is that they have played some third base. Reyes has played 73 games at third base in the minors with just a .927 fielding percentage. Kemp meanwhile, has played over 200 games at third with a .964 fielding percentage. The average fielding percentage for a minor league third baseman is between .950 and .960, so judge for yourself.
You simply rotate both players between third base and left field. Alec Bohm’s struggles (.139/.213/.194) raise a fair question: how long can the Phillies stick with him at third base?
Don’t let Reyes’ size – 6’3″, 195 pounds – fool you. He has some speed and quickness in that body. If he can become a decent third baseman defensively, he could help the team there. He has also played right field where a slumping Adolis Garcia is now playing. He has also played at first base, which would free up Bryce Harper to DH with Schwarber getting a day off here and there, or with Harper getting a day off here and there.
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Meanwhile, in left field…
Bryan De La Cruz was a more logical short-term solution.
The 29-year-old has nearly 500 MLB games of experience, primarily in left field, with a .984 fielding percentage. From 2022–2024, he hit 53 home runs with 189 RBI.
Unlike Kemp or Reyes, De La Cruz has already proven he can handle inconsistent playing time.
Early in the Dominican Winter League (LIDOM) season, the Phillies pursuit of a right-handed power-hitter sent them to De La Cruz, who they signed to a minor league deal. He went on to win the LIDOM MVP award and put up big numbers in spring training, but was the final cut when the Phillies went with Dylan Moore over De La Cruz.
The point here is that De La Cruz has major league experience. It would be far easier for him to adjust to playing sparingly with the Phillies than it was for Kemp or will be for Reyes. They pursued this guy because he was a powerful right-hand hitting outfielder and in the end, they went with Kemp and now Reyes to fill that job.
For what it’s worth, De La Cruz is batting .244/.348/.423/.771 with four home runs and 16 RBI in 20 games at Lehigh Valley.
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