Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas will start in center field and hit ninth in Friday's season opener versus Spencer Strider and the rival Atlanta Braves. Rojas was battling for the starting center field job in spring training and has seemingly won it despite a tough showing at the plate in Grapefruit League action. The 23-year-old hit just .176 without a homer and four stolen bases across 56 spring plate appearances. However, he also hit .302 with two homers and 14 stolen bases alongside a .772 OPS in a 59-game debut in the 2023 season while playing excellent defense in center field. The move pushes Brandon Marsh to left field and veteran Whit Merrifield to the bench to begin the season.

Despite not having a good spring, outfielder Johan Rojas remains the favorite to open the year as the Philadelphia Phillies' starting center fielder, according to team sources. There could be an official verdict later this week, according to manager Rob Thomson. The Phillies will continue to monitor Rojas' Grapefruit League at-bats as he continues to make mechanical changes to his swing. He chased some pitches in four hitless at-bats on Tuesday and is hitting .156/.174/.267 this spring. The Phillies know that Rojas will bat ninth and play an elite defense in center field if he's on the big-league roster, but they want him to chase less and refine his swing. If Rojas isn't the everyday center fielder, the Phillies would be committing to regular playing time for Whit Merrifield as their left fielder, with Brandon Marsh in center. Ideally, the Phils want Merrifield to play two or three times a week.

When asked if outfielder Johan Rojas would be a starter in 2024, Philadelphia Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said, "Likely, yes. Definitively, no... I think he can do enough offensively... and when you add his speed in there and his defense, he becomes a real plus." Rojas became the team's primary center fielder late last season after slashing an impressive .302/.342/.430 in his first 164 big-league games in 2023. The 23-year-old never spent time at Triple-A in the minors, though, and he struggled in the postseason. Dombrowski said late last year that Rojas would have to earn playing time in center field in 2024. Rojas is more of a contact/speed guy whose high average last year was propped up by a lofty .410 BABIP. Playing time isn't guaranteed, and Rojas' bat isn't all that special.

Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas is in the starting lineup for Monday's game against the Baltimore Orioles. This marks the first time that Rojas has been in the starting lineup since being recalled on July 16. The 22-year-old is 3-for-11 with two RBI and a stolen base since being called up after the All-Star break. Rojas is the Phillies' No. 6 prospect according to MLB Pipeline. The assumption is that he'll get a decent amount of playing time with Cristian Pache (elbow) sidelined. He'll bat ninth and cover center field versus right-hander Dean Kremer on Monday.