Brandon Apter, Sports Talk Philly editor 
The Philadelphia Phillies are just days away from their first full squad workout of Spring Training and the battle for a bench spot could get interesting throughout Grapefruit League action over the next month. The Phils signed a handful of major league veterans to minor league deals with invites to Spring Training, but one guy to keep an eye on for a bench role is Brock Stassi. According to Matt Breen, the 27-year-old will have the opportunity to earn a spot on the big league roster this spring.
Brock Stassi will play in the outfield this spring along with first base. Has a real shot to make team as a bench player.
— Matt Breen (@matt_breen) February 15, 2017
Stassi was selected in the 33rd round of the 2011 draft by the Phillies and he's had a slow, but steady, rise through the minor league system. His most impressive season as of late was 2015 with Double-A Reading, a year that saw him slash .300/.394/.470 to go along with 32 doubles, 15 home runs and 90 RBI's en route to winning Eastern League MVP. His strong year with Reading got him a promotion to Triple-A to start 2016, but his play regressed at the plate as he finished the season with a .267 average, 12 homers and 58 RBIs.
In addition to Stassi, Daniel Nava, Chris Coghlan and Pedro Florimon are some veterans fighting for a spot on the big league roster.
