Recruiting Updates: Alabama QB jalen Milroe is training with former NFL Quarterback to better hismec….

Recruiting Updates: Alabama QB jalen Milroe is training with former NFL Quarterback to better hismec….

Luplow was released by the Braves on Thursday, giving him the opportunity to pursue other possibilities as he would not be on their Opening Day roster.

The right-handed hitting Luplow has played for six different major league teams over seven seasons, including the Blue Jays and Twins in 2023. In 2019, he had the most playing time with Cleveland, hitting.276/.372/.551 with 15 home runs and 15 doubles in 261 plate appearances. In announcing the trade, the Phillies noted out that he ranked in the Top 10 among active players in pitches seen per plate appearance (min. 1000), at 4.26., which is directly below Max Muncy.

Defensively, the analytics rank him as average to slightly above. He has played equally in right and left field, with a few dozen games in center.

Luplow is one of several outfielders pushing for a spot on the Phillies’ Opening Day roster. Nick Castellanos, Brandon Marsh, and Whit Merrifield are certainties, but everything else is subject to change.

Johan Rojas leads the team in bat appearances this spring as the Phillies give him every opportunity to win the starting center field position, but he hasn’t shown much offensive growth, going 5-for-35 with one walk and seven strikeouts.

Cristian Pache remains on the roster and is out of minor-league options. The same goes for Jake Cave. David Dahl isn’t on the roster and is out of options Weston Wilson and Kody Clemens have choices left.

The Rojas situation has an impact on the bench composition because if the Phillies start him in Triple A rather than the majors, two players from the group of Pache, Cave, Luplow, Dahl, Wilson, Clemens, and Darick Hall may make the squad instead of just one.

The Phillies’ only major drama in camp has been the Rojas situation, the final bench spot(s), and the last two bullpen jobs, which is a good thing. They have 11 more games in Florida and will conclude Grapefruit League play on March 25 before beginning the regular season at home against the Braves on March 28.