The Phillies have added a late contestant to their spring training outfield competition.
The club on Monday announced the signing of veteran Travis Jankowski to a minor-league contract. The deal includes an invite to big-league spring training camp, which begins this week.
Jankowski is a native of Lancaster County, Pa. He played high school ball at Lancaster Catholic and college ball at Stony Brook before being selected 44th overall in the 2012 draft by San Diego.
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Jankowski debuted in the majors in 2015 and played five seasons with the Padres before moving on to Cincinnati last season.
A lefty bat, Jankowski has not hit much in his career — .238 with a .628 OPS, eight homers and 42 RBIs in 884 big-league at-bats — but he does run well and can cover ground in center field, which has been his primary position.
Center field is the only position where there will be competition in Phillies camp. Roman Quinn, Scott Kingery, Adam Haseley and possibly Odubel Herrera will be in the mix. Jankowski will get some looks, as well, and beyond that provide depth at the position.
The Phils have yet to announce whether Herrera will be included in big-league camp. He has not played in the majors since May 2019 and served an 85-game suspension for violating MLB’s policy against domestic abuse that season. He remains under contract with the club but is not on the 40-man roster.
MLB
Last week, Phillies president of baseball ops Dave Dombrowski said the team was still working through some details before it made the call whether to bring Herrera to camp or not.
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