By Robert Masusock
*AVG/OBP/OPS: .241/.338/.827
*HR:5 *RBI:22
*Only 161 plate appearances
MiLB Stats: .293/.367/.854, 14 HR, 67 RBI
Aaron Altherr came up in late 2014 and got to experience a cup of coffee at the major league level but was unable to do anything quite of note. This year Altherr was able to bring his game to the next level as he tore up Double-A and Triple-A (performing slightly better in Triple-A) to earn a couple up in mid August, a few weeks ahead of traditional September call ups. The tools he was able to display in his short amount of time should make every Phillies fan excited to see what he can bring to the table in 2016, when he should be given the opportunity to start.
Altherr made a historic first impression in August getting an extra base hit on each of his first 7 hits. This is no small feat as he became the first Phillies to accomplish this milestone and the first in MLB since a guy named Carlos Gonzalez did it for the Athletics in 2008, according to Elias Sports Bureau. If Altherr can be even close to what Gonzalez is when healthy Philadelphia has a great talent on it’s hands.
Altherr’s shining moment of the season came against the Washington Nationals on September 25 when he pulled off one of the most exciting plays in all of sports, a grand slam inside-the-park home run. In this game Altherr also hit a double as well as a classic out-the-park home run to finish the game 4 for 5 with 2 homers and 5 RBI.
Altherr isn’t only a threat at the plate but on the bases as well. He stole 6 bases on 8 attempts and was able to hit 4 triples in his short stay, a testament to his speed and the threat it adds to this line up. In fact, Altherr is so athletic that despite his baseball success he actually received division I basketball offers but turned them down to pursue baseball and it is especially on display watching him glide to catch fly balls in the outfield. His long stride allow him to have great range and his instincts seem to be very sharp when it comes to reading the ball of the bat. Perhaps most impressive is his discipline at the plate. For such a young player to have the amount of success he had and to remain patient is something you don’t typically see (see Freddy Galvis) as they try to do too much due to their success.
Altherr surely earned a spot on this roster in 2016 (unless he has just an awful spring) and I personally am chomping at the bit to see what he can do when given a chance over the course of an entire season. It is not out of the question to predict him being a 30/30 guy at some point in his career.
Follow me on Twitter: @President_Rob51 Instagram: @RMasusock
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