Rojas brings healthier bat, healing shoulder into Phils camp

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas made some noise this offseason in the Dominican Republic, and he’s hoping to carry that over into the 2025 regular season.

Rojas was named the Dominican Winter League Rookie of the Year and earned a Gold Glove Award for his work in center field. The 24-year-old hit .295, had an OPS of .771 and swiped 23 bases in 30 games without being caught for Gigantes del Cibao.

While tearing it up with Gigantes, Rojas injured his right shoulder sliding headfirst into second base during the playoffs. That injury has hindered the right-hander from throwing thus far in camp, though he’s expected to start ramping up before long.

“I’ll be throwing back soon,” Rojas said through a team interpreter. “It was bothering me, but not so much. So I played through it. I finished the season in winter ball, and then we came in and decided to stop for a while, but I’m positive that I’ll be throwing here soon.”

When asked what it feels like when he throws, Rojas said there’s discomfort, but things have improved since the initial injury.

“It feels a little uncomfortable,” Rojas said. “But it’s really gotten better.”

Phillies manager Rob Thomson said the club is not worried about the injury.

“We’re not really concerned about the shoulder,” Thomson said. “We’re just being precautionary, really. It’s probably going to be another close to a week before he throws, but it’ll be a quick ramp-up I would think. And he’s getting plenty of at-bats.”

After having a down year at the plate for the Phillies in 2024, Rojas turned some heads while playing in the Dominican Republic, especially offensively. In 111 plate appearances, Rojas posted an OBP of .382, drew 12 walks and scored 20 runs.

“I felt great,” Rojas said of his play. “It’s a very good league. It’s a very competitive league, and it’s helped me a lot with my development as a player.”

Rojas hit just .243 in 2024 in 120 games, driving in 32 runs and swiping 25 bags. In ‘23, his first year with the Phillies, Rojas posted a .302 batting average in 59 games with 14 steals.

Of the adjustment Rojas has made in the offseason, Thomson said, “He’s slowed down his movement. The movements are smaller in his load. His swing is more under control – more of a line drive-type swing, and that’s what we want.

“I like what I see so far.”

Rojas’ quickness is a weapon both in the outfield and on the bases, as he ranks in the 100th percentile in sprint speed according to Baseball Savant. His fielding run value sits in the 93rd percentile, with his arm value in the 97th and range in the 93rd.

“He’s as good as they get,” Thomson said of Rojas’ defensive value. “He’s a top-three center fielder in baseball, defensively. If he can contribute offensively, then we’ve got something.”

Rojas served as the Phillies’ designated hitter in a 5-4 win over the Rays at Charlotte Sports Park on Tuesday. He flied out, lined out and was hit by a pitch on his shin guard in the third, but he remained in the game and scored on an Edmundo Sosa single.

Rojas will battle this year to see time in the outfield around newly signed Max Kepler, Brandon Marsh and Nick Castellanos.

The most likely scenario for Rojas to get playing time is manning center when the Phillies face southpaws, though the team has said it wants to see Marsh get plenty of at-bats against lefties throughout the spring. Last season, Marsh hit just .192 in 90 plate appearances vs. left-handed pitchers, striking out 33 times. Rojas wasn’t much better against lefties, hitting just .212 in 106 plate appearances.

“It all depends on how [Phillies left-handed outfielders] do against left-handed pitching,” Thomson said about the avenue to get Rojas into the lineup. “We’ll find starts for him. Things seem to work out.”

As for how Rojas has felt about his swing in camp thus far, he said the feeling in the box is the same as it was a few months ago.

“It’s great. It’s incredible. I feel exactly the way I felt during winter ball in the Dominican,” Rojas said. “[Going to the opposite field] is something we’ve been working on – to let the ball travel where it needs to be.”