Philly Leader

Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas is preparing for the 2025 season with a focus on recovery and improvement. During the offseason, Rojas made an impact in the Dominican Winter League, earning Rookie of the Year honors and a Gold Glove Award while playing for Gigantes del Cibao. He achieved a .295 batting average, an OPS of .771, and stole 23 bases in 30 games.

However, Rojas injured his right shoulder during the playoffs while sliding headfirst into second base. This injury has limited his throwing ability at Phillies camp, but he remains optimistic about resuming soon. "I’ll be throwing back soon," Rojas said through a team interpreter. "It was bothering me, but not so much."

Despite some discomfort when throwing, Rojas reports improvement since the initial injury. Phillies manager Rob Thomson expressed confidence in Rojas' recovery: "We’re not really concerned about the shoulder," Thomson stated.

Rojas aims to build on his performance from last year after struggling at the plate with a .243 average over 120 games in 2024. In contrast, he posted a .302 average during his first year with Philadelphia in 2023.

Thomson noted adjustments in Rojas' swing this offseason: "He’s slowed down his movement... His swing is more under control." The team's strategy includes using Rojas as a designated hitter or outfielder against left-handed pitchers.

Rojas’ speed remains an asset both defensively and offensively. According to Baseball Savant metrics, he ranks highly in sprint speed and fielding run value.

As spring training progresses, competition for outfield positions will involve newly signed Max Kepler alongside Brandon Marsh and Nick Castellanos. The team plans to evaluate their left-handed hitters against southpaws before finalizing lineups involving Rojas.

Regarding his progress at camp so far, Rojas shared that he feels consistent with his winter league form: "It’s great... I feel exactly the way I felt during winter ball."