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{{Short description|Venezuelan baseball catcher}}
{{Short description|Venezuelan baseball catcher}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name = Rafael Marchan
|name = Rafael Marchan
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| teams =
*[[Philadelphia Phillies]] (2020–present)
*[[Philadelphia Phillies]] ({{mlby|2020}}–present)
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'''Rafael Alejandro Marchan''' (born February 25, 1999) is a [[Venezuelans|Venezuelan]] [[professional baseball]] [[catcher]] for the [[Philadelphia Phillies]] of [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB). Marchan signed with the Phillies organization as an amateur free agent in 2015, at age 16. Originally an [[infielder]], he converted to catcher and impressed scouts and coaches early in his minor league career with his prowess on defense.
'''Rafael Alejandro Marchan''' (born February 25, 1999) is a [[Venezuelans|Venezuelan]] [[professional baseball]] [[catcher]] for the [[Philadelphia Phillies]] of [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB). Marchan signed with the Phillies organization as an amateur free agent in 2015, at age 16. Originally an [[infielder]], he converted to catcher and impressed scouts and coaches early in his minor league career with his prowess on defense.


Despite never playing above the [[Class A-Advanced]] level of the minor leagues, he entered major league spring training in and eventually made his major league debut in September 2020, hitting his first professional [[home run]] on September 18. He returned to the minor leagues before the start of the 2021 season and, as of 2020, ranks among the top five prospects in the Phillies' [[farm system]].
Despite never playing above the [[Class A-Advanced]] level of the minor leagues, he entered major league spring training in and eventually made his major league debut in September of 2020, hitting his first professional [[home run]] on September 18. He returned to the minor leagues before the start of the 2021 season and, as of 2020, ranks among the top five prospects in the Phillies' [[farm system]].


==Career==
==Career==

Revision as of 08:52, 29 April 2021

Rafael Marchan
Marchan with the Lakewood Blueclaws in 2019
Philadelphia Phillies – No. 12
Catcher
Born: (1999-02-25) February 25, 1999 (age 25)
San Cristóbal, Venezuela
Bats: Both
Throws: Right
MLB debut
September 14, 2020, for the Philadelphia Phillies
MLB statistics
(through September 20, 2020)
Batting average.500
Home runs1
Runs batted in3
Teams

Rafael Alejandro Marchan (born February 25, 1999) is a Venezuelan professional baseball catcher for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB). Marchan signed with the Phillies organization as an amateur free agent in 2015, at age 16. Originally an infielder, he converted to catcher and impressed scouts and coaches early in his minor league career with his prowess on defense.

Despite never playing above the Class A-Advanced level of the minor leagues, he entered major league spring training in and eventually made his major league debut in September of 2020, hitting his first professional home run on September 18. He returned to the minor leagues before the start of the 2021 season and, as of 2020, ranks among the top five prospects in the Phillies' farm system.

Career

The Phillies signed Marchan as an international free agent in 2015, for a $200,000 signing bonus.[1] Originally a shortstop, the Phillies converted him into a catcher, drawing comparisons to former Phillies' all-star catcher Carlos Ruiz, who had also converted to catcher from the infield after being signed as a teenager.[2] He began his professional career with the Dominican Summer League Phillies in 2016, with whom he led Phillies' short-season league rookies in runs batted in (RBIs), posting 34 in 44 games. The next year, he advanced to the Gulf Coast League Phillies, also a rookie level team. Over his first two seasons, he caught 42 percent of attempted base-stealers, demonstrating his defensive potential.[3][4] In 2018, Marchan advanced to the Williamsport Crosscutters of the New York-Penn League, where he was named an all-star as he posted a .301 batting average with 12 RBIs and eight doubles. He earned another promotion in 2019, splitting his season between the Lakewood BlueClaws and Clearwater Threshers. After the season, Baseball America named him the sixth-best prospect in the Phillies' minor league system.[3] Throughout his early minor league career, he showed promise on defense, being named the farm system's best defensive catcher in 2019 and winning the team's Larry Rojas Award for work ethic in spring training the same year.[2][5]

Marchan saw time in the Phillies' major league spring training camp in 2020 as a relief catcher and caught the eye of manager Joe Girardi, a former catcher himself.[1] Despite having never played above Class A-Advanced, Marchan was added to the Phillies’ 60-player roster pool during the pandemic-adjusted 2020 season on July 16, 2020,[6] leading to his promotion to the major leagues on September 13 when starting catcher J. T. Realmuto suffered an injury.[7] At age 21, he became the youngest Phillie to make his major league debut since 2004.[3] On September 14, 2020, during that debut, Marchan singled in his first big league at bat.[8] Four days later, on September 18, Marchan hit the first home run of his professional career, which to that point had spanned over 850 plate appearances.[9] At season's end, Marchan was named the fifth-best prospect in the Phillies' minor league system and was viewed as a darkhorse candidate to start at catcher in 2021 if the Phillies were unable to re-sign Realmuto.[4][10]

Ultimately, the Phillies did re-sign Realmuto and Marchan entered spring training 2021 behind both Realmuto and Andrew Knapp on the team's depth chart at catcher.[11] Marchan sustained a hamstring injury during spring training and ultimately was sent to minor league camp in late March.[12]

Personal life

Marchan resides in Caracas, Venezuela.[2] His hobbies include playing basketball and spending time at the beach.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b Salisbury, Jim (August 3, 2020). "Rafael Marchan Finds A Supporter In Joe Girardi". baseballamerica.com. Baseball America. Retrieved September 15, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c Salisbury, Jim (March 28, 2019). "A Converted Catcher, Phillies' Rafael Marchan Shows Promise Behind The Plate". baseballamerica.com. Baseball America. Retrieved September 15, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d Clark, Bonnie, ed. (2021). 2021 Philadelphia Phillies Media Guide (PDF). Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Philadelphia Phillies. pp. 124–125. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 3, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  4. ^ a b Clemens, Ben (April 7, 2021). "Rafael Marchan Powers Up". Fangraphs. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  5. ^ Breen, Matt (September 19, 2020). "Phillies catcher Rafael Marchan's first home run was a long time coming". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  6. ^ Seidman, Corey (July 16, 2020). "Phillies release Bud Norris, add Rafael Marchan and Austin Davis to player pool". nbcsports.com. NBC Sports. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
  7. ^ Seidman, Corey (September 14, 2020). "Phillies call up catcher prospect Rafael Marchan with J.T. Realmuto injured". nbcsports.com. NBC Sports. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
  8. ^ Zolecki, Todd (September 15, 2020). "Despite losses, Phils confident: 'We're in this'". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  9. ^ Seidman, Corey (September 19, 2020). "The most improbable home run in recent Phillies memory". NBC Sports Philadelphia. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  10. ^ Daubert, Ty (December 4, 2020). "What role will catcher Rafael Marchan have in 2021?". Phillies Nation. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  11. ^ Morgenstern, Leo (March 16, 2021). "2021 Player Previews: Andrew Knapp and Rafael Marchan". The Good Phight. SBNation.com. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  12. ^ Salisbury, Jim (March 24, 2021). "Another sign from Phils camp that Realmuto will be ready for opener". NBC Sports Philadelphia. Retrieved April 7, 2021.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rafael_Marchán&oldid=1020476484"