Rafael Marchán #5

Rafael Alejandro Marchán…Engaged, fiancée’s name is Paola…Hobbies: Spending time with family, going to the beach, watching movies and playing basketball…Signed by: Jesús Méndez.

2025

Made his first career Opening Day roster and played 42 games for the Phillies, making 30 starts at catcher...Set single-season career highs in games, hits, RBI, walks and runs, while tying his 2024 mark with four doubles...Per Statcast, ranked tied for fourth among all ML catchers (second in NL) with an 83.7 mph arm strength...Tied his career high with three RBI in a game three times, 5/29 vs ATL (gm 1), 8/24 vs WSH and 9/16 at LAD...Walked from both sides of the plate on 4/6 vs LAD, the first Phillie to do so since Johan Camargo on 5/29/22 at NYM and the first Phillies catcher since Andrew Knapp on 7/10/21 at BOS...On 4/6 vs LAD, was the first Phillies catcher with three walks in a game since J.T. Realmuto on 7/8/21 at CHI...Registered a 1.83-second pop time on 4/20 vs MIA and 5/29 (Game 1) vs ATL, tied for his fastest pop time to 2B on a catcher caught stealing...Threw out multiple base runners attempting to steal for the first time in his career on 5/29 vs ATL (gm 1)...Clubbed his first HR of the year on 5/29 vs ATL (Game 1) and gave the Phils a 5-4 lead in the eighth inning with a bases-loaded HBP...Hit a game-winning three-run HR (Treinen) with two outs on 9/16 for his first career go-ahead HR in the ninth inning (or later); also broke up LAD’s no-hitter in the sixth inning...Made his first career postseason roster for the NLDS vs LAD but did not appear in a game.

2024

Saw his first MLB action since 2021 and slashed .294/.345/.549 over 17 games with the Phillies...Began the season on the 10-day IL with lower back pain; was reinstated and optioned to Lehigh Valley (AAA) on 5/27...In 13 games (eight rehab apps) between the IronPigs and Clearwater (A) from 5/14-6/4, slashed .233/.382/.395 with one double, two HR, eight RBI, 10 walks and four runs...Served as the additional player for the London Series against NYM from 6/8-9, but did not play...Recalled from Lehigh Valley prior to the game on 6/11 (optioned on 7/20)...Made 14 starts at catcher for the Phillies and slashed .300/.352/.560 (.912 OPS) with seven XBH and six RBI in those games...His 3 HR were a career high; averaged a HR every 22.20 AB in MLB (111 AB) compared to 174.56 AB/HR in MiLB (9 HR, 1571 AB)...6/12 at BOS marked his first ML appearance since 9/10/21 vs COL...Tallied a career-high four hits on 6/17 vs SD, the youngest Phillies catcher (25 years, 113 days) with four hits since Darren Daulton in 1985 (23 years, 226 days)...Went 29 straight PA without a strikeout from 6/17-7/3, the longest streak by a Phillie who primarily plays catcher since Carlos Ruiz (29 PA, 9/4-14/13)...Doubled twice on 7/9 vs LAD for the first time in his career...Registered a career-high-tying four-game hitting streak (also, 8/29-9/2/21) from 7/3-9, slashing .500/.529/.875 with a 1.404 OPS...Appeared in 29 games at catcher for Lehigh Valley and threw out 12 of 37 attempted base stealers (32.4%)...Was a part of the club’s stay-ready camp for the duration of the postseason.

2023

Began the season on the ML 60-day IL with a right hamate fracture; appeared in rehab games for Clearwater (A), Jersey Shore (A) and Lehigh Valley (AAA) before being reinstated on 6/20 and optioned to Lehigh Valley...Threw out 13 of 42 (31.0%) attempted base stealers in 43 non-rehab games at catcher for Lehigh Valley; threw out 15 of 48 (31.3%) attempted base stealers overall at the triple-A level...After his rehab assignment, slashed .316/.402/.480 (.882 OPS) with 18 XBH (13 2B, 3 3B, 2 HR) and 27 HR in 44 games for Lehigh Valley...Following the season, played for Aragua in the Venezuelan Winter League, where he slashed .333/.436/.546 with a .982 OPS and 16 walks to 11 strikeouts in 32 games.

2022

Began the season on the ML 60-day IL with a left hamstring strain; appeared in rehab games for Jersey Shore (A) and Lehigh Valley (AAA) before being reinstated from the IL on 6/12 and optioned to Lehigh Valley...Appeared in 56 games at catcher for Lehigh Valley and threw out 23 of 66 attempted base stealers (34.8%)...Was recalled by the Phillies on 7/12, but did not appear in a game before being returned to Lehigh Valley on 7/14...Following the season, played for La Guaira in the Venezuelan Winter League, where he slashed .361/.477/.389 with 15 walks to 13 strikeouts in 26 games...Was rated the best defensive catcher and as having the best strike-zone discipline in the Phillies minor league system by Baseball America following the season.

2021

Began the season with Lehigh Valley (AAA)...Had six stints with the Phillies: 4/30, 5/13-28, 6/10-11, 6/19-25, 7/29-8/3 and 8/27-9/11...Was 2-for-5 (40.0%) in throwing out attempted base stealers in 17 games (13 starts) at catcher with the Phillies...The Phillies went 8-5 in his starts...Made his first ML appearance at 1st base, 8/1 at PIT...Collected his first career triple on 8/29 vs ARI...Also played in one game for Reading (AA)...Following the season, was named the No. 9 prospect, the best defensive catcher and as having the best strike-zone discipline in the Phillies minor league system by Baseball America.

2020

Batted .429 (3-7) in six spring training games...Was added to the club’s player pool during summer camp...Had his contract selected from Lehigh Valley prior to the second game of the doubleheader on 9/13 at MIA...On 9/14 at MIA, made his ML debut in a start at catcher and singled in his first career plate appearance...At 21 years, 202 days, became the youngest Phillie to collect a hit in his first ML plate appearance since Orlando Isales (20 years, 283 days) on 9/30/80 vs CHI...The last Phillie to make his ML debut as the starting catcher at a younger age was Mike Loan (17 years, 357 days) on 9/18/1912 vs STL (that was the lone game of Loan’s ML career)...Became the youngest Phillie to make his ML debut since Elizardo Ramirez (21 years, 118 days) did so on 5/25/04 at NYM...On 9/18 vs TOR (gm 2), hit his first career HR (A.J. Cole), a three-run, game-tying shot; it was also his first professional HR, having never homered in 765 career at-bats in the minor leagues...At 21 years, 206 days old, became the youngest Phillies catcher ever to homer in a game and the youngest Phillies player to homer since Scott Rolen (21 years, 155 days) on 9/6/96 vs CHI... The last catcher in the majors to homer at a younger age was Salvador Pérez for each of his first three career homers between 8/29-9/23/11 (between 21 years, 111 days and 21 years, 136 days for all three)...Following the season, was named the No. 5 prospect in the Phillies minor league system by Baseball America.

2019

Opened year with Lakewood (A)...Promoted to Clearwater (A) on 7/30 for the remainder of the season...Caught 36.5% (31-85) of runners attempting to steal in 70 games (68 starts) at catcher...Was on the IL, 5/2-24, with a left wrist contusion...Following the season, was named the No. 6 prospect and rated as the best defensive catcher in the Phillies minor league system by Baseball America.

2018

Named a New York-Penn League All-Star...Ranked 4th in the NYPL in AVG (.301)...Among qualifying hitters in the NYPL, was the 3rd-most difficult hitter to strike out (11.67 PA/SO)... Spent the entire season with Williamsport (A)...Led NYPL catchers in assists (57) and was T-1st in double plays turned (5)...Among qualifying NYPL catchers, ranked 4th in catcher caught stealing percentage (29.4%, 20 of 68) l Hit .377 (20-53) against LHP...Participated in Florida Instructional League.