Phillies sign former top prospect to minor-league contract

The Phillies — according to Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia — have signed outfielder Dylan Carlson to a minor-league contract. The 27-year-old is set to report to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, per Salisbury.

Carlson was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the first round of the 2016 MLB Draft out of Elk Grove High School in Georgia. He reached as high as No. 17 on MLB Pipeline‘s top 100 prospects list ahead of the 2020 season, above players like Julio Rodríguez, CJ Abrams and Alec Bohm.

Obviously, Carlson’s career has not panned out how the Cardinals hoped when he made his MLB Debut as a 21-year-old during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. He did homer 18 times during the 2021 season, while driving in 65 runs and posting a .780 OPS. But across parts of seven MLB seasons with the Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays, Baltimore Orioles and Chicago Cubs, he’s hit just .233 with a .682 OPS.

Carlson appeared in three games for the Cubs earlier this season before being released. If you are wondering what the Phillies could be thinking in this signing, it’s always good to have organizational depth. Carlson is a switch-hitter, and has a respectable .753 OPS against left-handed pitchers during his career. In theory, he could be an interesting player to platoon with Justin Crawford and/or Brandon Marsh if a better option doesn’t emerge. He also has experience playing all three outfield positions, which is valuable from a potential bench option.

Basically, there’s nothing to lose. Shoot enough darts, and eventually you’ll hit a bullseye, even if it’s just in a minor role. Carlson is someone worth taking a shot on.