The Phillies continued to acquire inventory Saturday. While the Phillies expect to make all kinds of moves, with nothing off the table, having some depth at the AAA level and on the bench gives them options, as nothing else as placeholders while the team builds their own depth. Thus, the Phillies added two free agent outfielders with big league experience on Saturday.
Matt Eddy, editor of Baseball America, reports:
#Phillies sign OFs Brian Bogusevic & Darin Mastroianni, #BlueJays sign RHP Bobby Korecky, #Athletics sign RHP Kevin Whelan to minors deals.
— Matt Eddy (@MattEddyBA) November 1, 2014
Both Bogusevic and Mastroianni have several years' major league experience to offer.
Bogusevic spent 2014 in the Miami Marlins system. As a member of the AAA New Orleans Zephyrs for most of the season, Bogusevic batted .260 with six home runs and 33 RBI. Bogusevic has a .236 batting average in 690 major league at bats over four seasons with the Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs. Bogusevic is a left-handed batter who has played mostly right field, but plays center field and left field too. Bogusevic was drafted as a pitcher in 2005 and is just 26 years old.
Mastroianni did see some major league time in 2014 with both the Minnesota Twins and the Toronto Blue Jays, splitting the remainder of the time beween AAA Syracuse and AAA Buffalo. Mastroianni plays center field and has 273 major league at bats on his resume, in which he batted .212 with four home runs and 24 RBI. Mastroianni was originally drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays and made his Major League Debut with them before being claimed by the Minnesota Twins. Mastroianni returned to the Blue Jays in 2014 after playing seven games for the Twins and landed on waivers.
In other news, former Phillies prospect Michael Taylor has been granted free agency:
Clarification on earlier news: Michael Taylor declined an assignment to Triple-A Charlotte and opted to become a minor-league free agent.
— Dan Hayes (@CSNHayes) October 24, 2014
Taylor spent the latter part of 2014 with the Chicago White Sox after a mid-season trade.
One of the key pieces that the Phillies sent to the Toronto Blue Jays, Taylor has yet to find success in the major leagues. Prior to the trade, Taylor was a promising prospect, winning the 2009 Paul Owens award for being the most outstanding offensive player in the Phillies system. The other Paul Owens award winner in 2009, Kyle Drabek, also went to Toronto in the Halladay deal.
Toronto immediately traded Taylor to the Athletics in exchange for third baseman Brett Wallace. Then, Wallace was later sent to the Houston Astros to acquire Anthony Gose, whom the Phillies later sent to Houston for Roy Oswalt.
Despite two outfielders being signed, I would not be shocked if the Phillies did not reconnect with Michael Taylor. Ruben Amaro Jr. loves fellow Stanford alumni, and Taylor fits the bill. Now 29, Taylor has hit .167 in 102 major league at bats with one home run, which accounted for his only big league RBI.
