Rafael

Lantigua

Unless maybe they’re good friends of something, Lantigua, who rejoined the Blue Jays as a minor league free agent this winter, has to be hoping that out-of-options Leo Jimenez fails to make the Blue Jays and gets claimed off waivers. That’d probably put Lantigua next in line for any infield spots that open up due to injury. The 27-year-old is a lifetime .270/.381/.380 hitter in Triple-A, and he’s off to an 8-for-13 start this spring.

Lantigua spent 2017-24 in the Blue Jays system before becoming a minor league free agent last year and signing with the Phillies. He was actually called up to the majors for the first time in September, but he was sent down three days later without having gotten into a game. The 27-year-old, who has experience everywhere besides catcher and first base, has hit .270/.381/.380 in 426 career Triple-A games.

Lantigua sipped a quick cup of coffee with the Phillies during the final month of the regular season, but ended up being shipped back to the minors before making his big-league debut. The 27-year-old infielder should be able to latch on somewhere as organizational depth this offseason.

Lantigua was summoned from the minors on Tuesday to provide some emergency depth on the infield with Edmundo Sosa banged up. The 27-year-old did not appear in a game during his brief stay with the Phillies. He’ll head back to Triple-A with Alec Bohm (shoulder) returning from the injured list on Friday.

Lantigua receives his first call up to the majors as emergency infield depth after nearly a decade in the minors with veteran Edmundo Sosa landing on the shelf with a groin strain. The 27-year-old has batted .232/.359/.333 with seven homers and 17 steals across 124 games this season at the Triple-A level.

Lantigua provides the Phillies with some extra infield depth at Triple-A Lehigh Valley after spending the last seven seasons in Toronto’s system. The 26-year-old second baseman batted .265/.367/.336 with four homers and 16 steals in 521 plate appearances last season for Triple-A Buffalo.

Lantigua spent all of last season at Triple-A Buffalo, posting a .305/.435/.469 triple-slash line with 12 homers and 28 stolen bases across 578 plate appearances. The 25-year-old infielder boasts a contact-oriented approach, and doesn’t offer a ton of over-the-fence pop, but could get a shot at some point as a versatile reserve infielder at the highest level.