Josh Phegley

Josh Phegley

36-Year-Old CatcherC
 Free Agent  
2024 Fantasy Outlook
There was no outlook written for Josh Phegley in 2024. Check out the latest news below for more on his current fantasy value.
$Signed a one-year, minor-league contract with the Cubs in January of 2020.
Opts for retirement
CFree Agent  
February 3, 2021
Phegley's agency, Pro Star Management, announced Wednesday that the 32-year-old catcher has elected to retire from professional baseball.
ANALYSIS
The agency cited "family considerations and business opportunities" as factors in Phegley's decision to end his playing career. The veteran backstop saw big-league action in each of the last eight seasons, accruing a career .225/.268/.381 slash line to go with 35 home runs over 388 games with the White Sox, Athletics and Cubs.
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
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In his age-31 season, Phegley split time behind the dish for Oakland and battled a thumb injury for several weeks after the All-Star break. Phegley's production rebounded slightly from his output over 2017 and 2018, as he recorded a .239/.282/.411 slash line with 12 home runs and 62 RBI, with most of the damage being done against left-handed pitchers (.284/.320/.526). He brought his strikeout rate down to 18.4% after it spiked to 26.5% in 2018. Oakland was reluctant to increase his role which was understandable given his career splits vs. RHP, and the club went ahead and non-tendered him in the offseason. Phegley's playing time is likely to be capped regardless of where he ends up as he's proven to be best suited for a short-side catching platoon. There should be better second catcher options, even in a mono league.
Phegley has been pigeonholed as an option to play primarily versus lefty pitching, based on early-career success against southpaws. However, for the past few seasons, he's been more effective versus right-handers, serving as another example why it takes righty swingers 2,000 plate appearances against lefties (approximately 10 years of full-time play) before he truly owns his splits. The reality is Phegley isn't especially productive in either scenario, even when factoring in the low expectations of the current catching inventory. Phegley spent the early part of 2018 alternating between Oakland and Triple-A Nashville before being promoted for good June 4. He played sparingly, appearing in only 39 games and posting a .631 OPS in 69 plate appearances versus righties and a .504 mark in 33 trips to the dish with the platoon edge. Phegley will return to Oakland, reprising his part-time role. Even in deep two-catcher formats, there are better options.
Phegley's ceiling as a short-end platoon player is well established as he enters his age-30 season, as he has hit just .207/.249/.343 in 451 career chances against right-handed pitching. His numbers against lefty pitching aren't great, but they are much more respectable (.253/.290/.425). Phegley puts the ball in play often enough (16.1 strikeout percentage last season) and his batting average seems likely to rebound as his .223 BABIP corrects toward the mean. He can also run into one on occasion although the power has dipped in recent seasons as Phegley has battled through a variety of injuries (knee issues in 2016, concussion and an oblique injury in 2017). Even if something were to happen to primary catcher Bruce Maxwell, the A's would likely find a way to avoid expanding Phegley's role too much. He's only worth considering in deep two-catcher formats.
After Stephen Vogt underwent elbow surgery prior to the start of the 2016 season, Phegley was expected to carry a heavier load early on. Unfortunately, a decrease in power and health ended up limiting the 28-year-old to just 78 at-bats over the course of the season. During the times he was able to play, his slugging percentage and performance against left-handers endured precipitous drops from the previous season. He only put up a .658 OPS against southpaws (as compared to his .709 OPS versus right-handers). His season was then cut short when he suffered a setback while recovering from July surgery to remove a cruciate ligament cyst from his right knee. His past numbers should carry some weight as he fights for a roster spot during spring training. Vogt appears poised to see a good deal of starts at DH while Bruce Maxwell may have passed Phegley on the organizational depth chart at catcher. It is possible, however, that the A's will keep three catchers out of spring training, given Vogt's likely deployment at DH.
Phegley moved to Oakland in the offseason as part of the Jeff Samardzijia trade and spent most of the season as a right-handed platoon mate for Stephen Vogt. Phegley appeared in 72 games for the A's hitting .249 with nine homers. Phegley was more effective against lefties, posting a .788 OPS as opposed to a .709 against righties. He started the season strong with a .805 OPS at the break, but faded late in the season with an OPS under .700 in the second half. Phegley could have some hidden power upside as he has flashed a bigger power in the minors, including a 23-homer season in Triple-A in 2014. Assuming he is recovered from a late-season concussion, Phegley should be back in his platoon role and could also see some at-bats against righties when the A's move Vogt out from behind the plate to first base or DH to give him a rest.
After earning an extended look with the big club in 2013, Phegley spent much of 2014 at Triple-A Charlotte. He displayed 20-plus home run power for the second straight year, but did not earn a call up to the major leagues until September. Phegley enters 2015 as A's likely No. 2 option following a November trade from the White Sox, though he could find himself in the starting role following a flurry of trade in Oakland.
Is Phegley the White Sox's catcher of the future? It looked like he may be after he hit home runs off David Price, Matt Garza and Anibal Sanchez in his first five games in the majors. Then the answer became much more unclear after he hit just one more home run over his next 60 games to go with a .223 OBP. Defensively, he threw out 30 percent of would-be basestealers, but he also had a hard time blocking wild pitches. He heads into 2014 as a slightly better option than Tyler Flowers, but the two will likely battle it out for the team's starting catcher job.
More Fantasy News
Returns to roster
CChicago Cubs  
September 30, 2020
The Cubs selected Phegley's contract from their alternate training site Wednesday ahead of Game 1 of the team's wild-card series with the Marlins, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune reports.
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Outrighted off 40-man
CChicago Cubs  
September 3, 2020
Phegley cleared waivers and was assigned outright to the Cubs' alternate training site Thursday, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.
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Bumped off roster
CChicago Cubs  
August 30, 2020
The Cubs designated Phegley for assignment Sunday, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.
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Gets second start of season
CChicago Cubs  
August 17, 2020
Phegley will serve as the Cubs' designated hitter and will bat seventh in the first game of Monday's doubleheader with the Cardinals.
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Earns roster spot
CChicago Cubs  
July 23, 2020
The Cubs selected Phegley's contract Thursday, Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic reports.
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
May be headed out of Oakland
COakland Athletics  
November 27, 2019
Oakland has made Phegley available in trade discussions this offseason, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.
ANALYSIS
The frugal Athletics are once again looking to cut costs this offseason, and three players entering their final year of salary arbitration -- Phegley, reliever Blake Treinen and utility man Jurickson Profar -- are all seemingly at risk of losing their spot on the 40-man roster. If Oakland can't find a trading partner for Phegley, the backstop will likely be non-tendered rather than receiving the estimated $2 million he would likely net in arbitration. Oakland plans to proceed with youngster Sean Murphy as its full-time catcher in 2020 and is presumably reluctant to pay Phegley at that salary level when he's in line for a backup role.
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