Phillies Predicted to Replace J.T. Realmuto With Slugger Luke Stevenson originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
As the Philadelphia Phillies look to prepare for a world without J.T. Realmuto, unless they sign him to an extension during the offseason, there will be some tough decisions that have to be made.
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The Phillies could look at the upcoming draft as a way to find the long-term answer at the catcher position, even if it takes a year or two for a college catcher to make his debut in the show.
Baseball America recently predicted them to do just that in the form of Luke Stevenson, a catcher out of North Carolina. Stevenson has been excellent during his time at UNC and showed off some pop during the 2025 campaign, hitting 19 home runs and posting a .965 OPS.
Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto (10) hits a walk-off RBI single during the ninth inning against the New York Mets USA; at Citizens Bank ParkEric Hartline-Imagn Images
“Stevenson could fit anywhere in the 15-30 range. There’s a decent argument to say he should go in front of LaViolette. Both have hit tool questions with lefthanded power and on-base skills, but Stevenson is a much better bet to provide above-average value at a premium defensive position. He’s a better prospect than Malcolm Moore from the 2024 class, who went 30th overall to the Rangers,” BA wrote.
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While drafting Stevenson makes sense, he’s only 20 years old, meaning it might take him a couple of years to get called up.
Sure, players have been called up much quicker than usual in recent years, but the Phillies haven’t been too willing to call up many of their young guys in recent seasons.
That could change for a player of his caliber, especially if they let Realmuto walk; however, knowing the Phillies, they might opt for a veteran option instead.
Related: Phillies Trade Idea Lands Two-Time World Series Champion Closer
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared.