Brett Phillips used to pitch for fun -- now Yanks want to see what he's got

Former big leaguer Brett Phillips is no stranger to the pitcher's mound. He toed the rubber five times in blowouts during his seven-year MLB career, and seemed to have fun doing it. Now, he's taking things up a notch.

Phillips, 30, is looking to make his way back to the Majors as a pitcher, and his raw stuff has enticed the Yankees to sign him to a Minor League deal, a source told MLB.com's Mark Feinsand. The club has not confirmed the deal.

During an appearance on Monday for the GPS Legends in the National Baseball Congress World Series in Wichita, Kan., Phillips became a surprise social media star by throwing 97 mph fastballs and featuring a pretty good slider while striking out the side in the first inning.

Phillips usually tossed 50 mph lobs to batters during those few MLB pitching appearances, which led to a 15.19 ERA, so this version of him came as quite a surprise -- so much that the announcers calling the game on Monday weren't sure whether it was the Brett Phillips.

"He looks a lot like the Brett Phillips who played in the Major Leagues," one announcer said. "... I honestly still don't know if it is."

It definitely is, and Phillips' stuff sure got people's attention. The GPS Legends are an instructional team in Texas that gave Phillips the chance to develop his pitching skills.

“Honestly, it felt like I was playing in the big leagues,” Phillips told The Wichita Eagle after Monday's game. “Just because of how new [pitching] is to me, that’s how it felt emotions-wise. I’m excited to see where this takes me, but it was a great first step.”

While Phillips had a reputation as a jovial jokester during his MLB career, he's serious about the pitching venture. It's far from a fun whim.

“This wasn’t something where I got ready in a week for this,” he told the Eagle. “I’ve put in a lot of good work. This has been a thought-out process and something I really want to pursue, and I feel like I can still make a difference at the big league level.”

Phillips last played in the big leagues with the Angels in 2023. He signed as a free agent with the White Sox in January but was released in May. His biggest MLB moment came in the 2020 World Series, when, as a member of the Rays, he got a walk-off hit to win Game 4.

Overall, he's produced a slash line of .187/.272/.347 during stints with the Brewers, Royals, Rays, Orioles and Angels.

Along with the confidence Phillips has in his new mound abilities, his Legends coach is equally sure this new venture will succeed.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that he’s going to make that journey all the way back to where he wants to be,” Legends coach Daryl Reeves told the Eagle.

The love of the game has a tendency to keep the competitive fire burning – and it appears that Phillips will get a chance in the Yankees' farm system.