6 position battles to watch as the Phils prep for spring camp

PHILADELPHIA -- For many Phillies players, this Spring Training will simply be about ramping up to get ready for the regular season.

But for a few others, it will be about fighting for a starting job or even just a spot on the roster.

While the Phillies’ starting lineup may seem mostly set, there are still quite a few camp battles that will play out over the next two months.

Here are six competitions worth monitoring when the Phils report to Clearwater next week:

1. Backup catcher
Similar to last year, Rafael Marchan and Garrett Stubbs will come into camp competing to back up starter J.T. Realmuto. Unlike last year, however, neither Marchán nor Stubbs has a Minor League option remaining. That was essentially the deciding factor last year, as Marchán did not have any options remaining and Stubbs did.

As for this time around, barring an injury in camp, the Phillies will have to make a decision about which one they want to keep on the big league roster and which one they want to risk losing. The 26-year-old Marchán has more upside. The 32-year-old Stubbs has proven he can be a serviceable backup while also providing a boost in the clubhouse. This could be a decision that truly comes down to camp performance, though Marchán likely has the initial edge.

2. Center fielder
The Phillies are hoping this one is easy. They have said all offseason that they are going to give Justin Crawford -- the No. 53 overall prospect, per MLB Pipeline -- every opportunity to secure the center-field job. Without any other obvious candidate on the roster, it would take a disastrous turn of events for anyone other than the speedy Crawford to be in center field come Opening Day.

3. Left fielder (vs. left-handed pitchers)
Brandon Marsh will be the club’s starting left fielder against right-handed pitchers, but the other half of that platoon isn’t set quite yet. The Phillies have spoken highly of Otto Kemp, and he appears to be the frontrunner for that position. He had ups and downs as a rookie following his June callup, but he was playing with through left knee and left shoulder issues for most of that time. Those were cleaned up with a pair of surgeries following the season.

4. Last bench spot
It seems safe to say that three of the four bench spots will be occupied by the backup catcher, Kemp and Edmundo Sosa. As for that final spot, one that was essentially vacated when Weston Wilson was designated for assignment last month, there figures to be a bit more intrigue.

One of the top candidates to watch will be utility man Dylan Moore, who was signed to a Minor League contract this week that included an invite to Spring Training. The seven-year veteran has played all four infield positions and all three outfield positions, though he's been used primarily up the middle in the infield and at the corners in the outfield.

If the Phillies decide to go with more of a true outfielder, the other top potential options figure to be Johan Rojas and Bryan De La Cruz.

5. No. 5 starter
Assuming Zack Wheeler isn’t ready by Opening Day as he continues his rehab from thoracic outlet decompression surgery, the Phils will need a fifth starter to join Cristopher Sánchez, Jesús Luzardo, Aaron Nola and Taijuan Walker. It will almost certainly be Andrew Painter (MLB Pipeline’s No. 28 prospect), but he won’t just be handed that spot. As we saw last year when Painter remained in the Minors for the entire season, the Phillies will not rush his MLB debut if he doesn’t prove he’s deserving of a rotation spot.

There aren’t many other obvious candidates as of now, but the Phils are actively looking to add some rotation depth.

6. Two bullpen spots
Six of the eight spots in the Phillies' bullpen are seemingly accounted for between right-handers Jhoan Duran, Brad Keller, Orion Kerkering and Jonathan Bowlan, as well as left-handers José Alvarado and Tanner Banks.

There are plenty of candidates for the final two spots in what figures to be one of the most competitive roster battle this spring. Individual performance will obviously be the primary factor, but other elements -- such as which pitchers have Minor League options remaining -- will certainly be considered. With that in mind, Zach Pop -- who is out of Minor League options -- and Zach McCambley -- a Rule 5 Draft pick who has to be offered back to the Marlins if he’s not on the active roster -- figure to enter camp with a bit of a headstart.

Other options include right-handers Yoniel Curet, Nolan Hoffman, Seth Johnson, Max Lazar and Chase Shugart, as well as left-hander Kyle Backhus, among others.