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Harrison Bader (Photo by Matt Krohn/Getty Images)
The Phillies acquired outfielder Harrison Bader from the Twins on Thursday, sending prospects Hendry Mendez and Geremy Villoria to Minnesota in return.
Bader, 31, is in the midst of an offensive resurgence this season, and the 2021 Gold Glove winner is still playing his customarily valuable defense in left and center field. Bader gives the Phillies a righthanded bat who can complement Max Kepler in left field or provide coverage in center. This marks the second trade between the two teams in as many days, following Philadelphia’s acquisition of closer Jhoan Duran on Wednesday.
TWINS RECEIVE
Hendry Mendez, OF
Age: 21
Mendez was originally part of the Brewers organization—his first taste of full-season ball came on a Low-A Carolina club that also included Jackson Chourio and Jeferson Quero—but he was traded to the Phillies in the deal that brought Oliver Dunn to Milwaukee. Mendez has long shown an ability to hit the ball hard. Problem was, he struggled to get it in the air. The same is true this year—his groundball rate at the time of the trade was 52.8%—though he’s made improvements in that area year over year. Mendez also does a solid job controlling the zone. He’s likely limited to left field, so there will be considerable pressure on his bat to produce the kind of output associated with a corner profile. Mendez ranked 15th in the Phillies system at the time of the trade.
Geremy Villoria, RHP
Age: 16
Villoria was signed as part of the Phillies’ most recent international signing class and made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League. He’s tall and projectable at 6-foot-4 and 180 pounds and already brings his fastball into the mid 90s. Villoria complements the heater with a high-spin slider and a changeup that is behind his other two offerings. His combination of stuff and projection makes him a solid upside play for the Twins.
PHILLIES RECEIVE
Harrison Bader, OF
Age: 31
Bader proved to be an astute signing for the Twins in the offseason. He’s been a solid league-average hitter while providing exceptional outfield defense. This is the best season he’s at the plate since 2021, as he’s hitting .258/.339/.439 with 12 home runs in 96 games while playing all three outfield spots. While he’s generally hit lefties better than righthanders, he’s shown little of a platoon advantage this year. His combination of plus defense and a solid bat make him a very useful addition to the Phillies outfield. He’s not as good defensively as Johan Rojas has been, but he’s a much better hitter, and he should be a significant upgrade on Max Kepler as well.