Tyler Nicholas Phillips (born October 27, 1997) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2024.

Tyler Phillips
Phillips during his Major League debut in July 2024
Philadelphia Phillies – No. 48
Pitcher
Born: (1997-10-27) October 27, 1997 (age 27)
Lumberton, New Jersey, U.S.
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
July 7, 2024, for the Philadelphia Phillies
MLB statistics
(through 2024 season)
Win–loss record4–1
Earned run average6.87
Strikeouts28
Teams

Career

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Amateur career

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Phillips attended Bishop Eustace Preparatory School in Pennsauken Township, New Jersey.[1] He was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 16th round of the 2015 MLB draft.[2] He signed with them for a $160,000 signing bonus, forgoing a commitment to State College of Florida, Manatee–Sarasota.[3][4]

Texas Rangers

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After signing, Phillips was assigned to the AZL Rangers of the Rookie-level Arizona League to make his professional debut; in 15 innings pitched for them, he posted a 0–1 record with a 3.60 ERA. In 2016, he made 13 starts for Spokane Indians of the Low–A Northwest League, going 4–7 with a 6.44 ERA, while striking out 57 in 58+23 innings. He split 2017 between Spokane and Hickory Crawdads of the Single–A South Atlantic League, going a combined 5–4 with a 4.21 ERA in 20 games (17 starts). In 2018 he went 11–5 with a 2.67 ERA with the Hickory, striking out 124 in 128 innings.[5] He earned a spot on the South Atlantic League mid-season all-star team.[6] Phillips finished the season with the Down East Wood Ducks of the High–A Carolina League, going 1–0 with a 1.80 ERA.[7][8] Phillips was the recipient of the 2018 Texas Rangers Nolan Ryan Pitcher of the Year award.[9]

Prior to the 2019 season, Phillips was rated by Baseball America as having the best control tool in minor league baseball.[10] Phillips was assigned back to Down East to open the 2019 season,[11] and went 2–2 with a 1.19 ERA in 37+23 innings for them.[4] On May 10, he was promoted to the Frisco RoughRiders of the Double-A Texas League.[12][13] With Frisco, Phillips went 7–9 with a 4.73 ERA over 93+13 innings.[14][15]

On November 20, 2019, the Rangers added Phillips to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.[16] Phillips did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the Minor League Baseball season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[17] He opened the 2021 season back with Frisco.[18] Phillips was designated for assignment on July 17, 2021, after struggling to a 1–5 record and 6.75 ERA in 10 games between Frisco and the Triple-A Round Rock Express.[19]

Philadelphia Phillies

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On July 24, 2021, the Philadelphia Phillies claimed Phillips off waivers,[20] and assigned him to the Double–A Reading Fightin Phils.[21] He was placed on the injured list on September 13 due to a right elbow impingement suffered while he was with the High–A Jersey Shore Blue Claws, ending his season.[21] Phillips was designated for assignment by Philadelphia on September 20.[22] He was released by Philadelphia the following day. On November 6, Phillips re-signed with the Phillies on a minor league contract.[23] Phillips missed the entire 2022 season after undergoing surgery to resolve the impingement he had suffered late in the 2021 season.[21] For the start of the 2023 season, Phillips was assigned to Reading, before being promoted to the Triple–A Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs on July 26.[21] In total, he finished with a 4.92 ERA over 122+23 innings across 26 outings.[21]

Phillips began the 2024 campaign with Triple–A Lehigh Valley, compiling a 7–3 record and 4.89 ERA with 78 strikeouts across 15 starts. On July 5, 2024, Phillips was selected to the 40–man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[24] Phillips made his debut two days later.[25][26] In his debut, Phillips tossed four innings of relief, striking out seven batters and allowing one run in a 6–0 loss to the Atlanta Braves. Due to injuries to starters Taijuan Walker and Spencer Turnbull, Phillips was added to the starting rotation. He made his first career start on July 13, against the Oakland Athletics, allowing four runs and striking out four over six innings, and earned his first career win in an 11–5 Phillies victory. On July 27, Phillips pitched a complete game shutout in an 8–0 victory over the Cleveland Guardians, becoming the first Phillies rookie to throw a complete game shutout since Zach Eflin in 2016.[27] On September 3, two days after being called up from Triple A and named the Phillies' new no. 5 starter, Phillips surrendered six runs on eight hits in only 0.2 innings of work against the Toronto Blue Jays; despite this, the Phillies came back to win the game, 10–9.

Personal life

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Phillips has one son, Frank.[21]

References

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  1. ^ Josh Friedman (May 6, 2019). "Baseball: 'Rare' control has Bishop Eustace grad Tyler Phillips excelling in minors". Cherry Hill Courier-Post. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  2. ^ Kevin Minnick (June 10, 2015). "BASEBALL: Phillips taken by Rangers". Cherry Hill Courier-Post. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  3. ^ Phil Anastasia (June 10, 2015). "Baseball: Bishop Eustace's Phillips selected in 16th round". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  4. ^ a b "Tyler Phillips". thebaseballcube.com. Retrieved January 9, 2019.
  5. ^ Jeff Wilson (September 3, 2018). "Rangers pitching prospect sets precise example. 'I just don't like walking people'". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  6. ^ "Tyler Phillips". milb.com. Retrieved January 9, 2019.
  7. ^ Jamey Newberg (September 16, 2018). "Breakouts: Six Rangers prospects who took the biggest leaps forward in 2018". The Athletic. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  8. ^ Fraley, Gerry (April 11, 2019). "Breakouts: Six Rangers prospects who took the biggest leaps forward in 2018". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  9. ^ "Texas Rangers have announced 2018 Minor League Award recipients". MLB.com. January 9, 2019. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  10. ^ "2019 Best Tools In The Minors". Baseball America. April 4, 2019. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  11. ^ Present, Matt (March 27, 2019). "Wood Ducks Announce 2019 Roster". MiLB.com. Retrieved March 27, 2019.
  12. ^ Adam J. Morris (May 9, 2019). "Grant: Winn to Hickory, Phillips to Frisco". Lone Star Ball. SB Nation. Retrieved May 10, 2019.
  13. ^ Matt Present (May 15, 2019). "Phillips Promoted to Double-A Frisco". MiLB.com. Down East Wood Ducks. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  14. ^ MiLB staff (September 6, 2019). "Farm system storylines: Aug./Sept. edition". MiLB.com. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  15. ^ Saad Yousuf (June 25, 2019). "Rangers grooming a future starting pitcher with the RoughRiders in Tyler Phillips". The Athletic. Retrieved June 26, 2019.
  16. ^ Evan Grant (November 20, 2019). "Rangers add six prospects to 40-man roster, topped by OF Leody Taveras and 3B Sherten Apostel". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  17. ^ "2020 Minor League Baseball season cancelled". mlb.com. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  18. ^ Kennedi Landry (April 30, 2021). "Where will Rangers' top prospects begin '21?". MLB.com. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
  19. ^ "Rangers Reinstate Sam Huff from 60-Day IL, Designate Tyler Phillips". July 17, 2021.
  20. ^ "Phillies' Tyler Phillips: Claimed by Phillies". CBSSports.com. July 24, 2021. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
  21. ^ a b c d e f Philadelphia Phillies 2024 Media Guide
  22. ^ "Phillies Designate Tyler Phillips For Assignment". MLB Trade Rumors. September 20, 2021. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
  23. ^ "Tyler Phillips Stats, Fantasy & News". MLB.com.
  24. ^ Coffey, Alex (July 5, 2024). "Phillies call up Bishop Eustace grad Tyler Phillips, option Yunior Marte to Lehigh Valley". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved July 7, 2024.
  25. ^ "Braves hit four homers to power past Phillies 6-0". ESPN.com. Associated Press. July 7, 2024. Retrieved July 7, 2024.
  26. ^ "'Unreal': Local kid Phillips breaks 123-year-old record in MLB debut". MLB.com. July 7, 2024. Retrieved July 7, 2024.
  27. ^ "Phillips dazzles with 1st shutout by a Phils rookie since 2016". MLB.com. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
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