Phillies sign 2024 Gold Glover to minor-league contract

The Philadelphia Phillies reaffirmed their commitment to structural depth Friday by agreeing to a minor-league contract with veteran utility player Dylan Moore, according to Will Sammon of The Athletic. The deal includes a non-roster invitation to major league spring training and provides Moore with a clear path to earn a spot on Philadelphia’s 40-man roster ahead of the 2026 season.

The peculiarity of Moore’s contract lies in its incentive structure. If he reaches the major league roster, the deal carries a $1.85 million base salary and can escalate to a maximum value of $3.25 million through plate-appearance and active-roster bonuses. Such upside is uncommon for a minor-league agreement and indicates that the Phillies view him as more than a conventional depth option.

The 33-year-old has seven seasons of major league experience and has appeared in 689 career games. Moore owns a .206 batting average with 63 home runs, 1922 plate appearances, and a .693 OPS. He spent the majority of his career with the Seattle Mariners before being designated for assignment and released last August. Moore later signed with the Texas Rangers, the franchise that originally selected him in the seventh round of the 2015 MLB Draft out of Central Florida, and finished the season with the organization.

During the 2025 season, Moore’s 243 plate appearances yielded a .201/.267/.374 slash line, including 11 homers and 25 RBIs. Six of those home runs came in April. Against southpaws last season, Moore’s output languished at .167/.590, but his larger body of work suggests steadier production in similar scenarios. For his career, Moore is a .216 hitter with a .727 OPS against lefties, compared to a .668 OPS versus right-handed pitchers.

Moore’s value has long rested on his adaptability and defensive skill. He has started games at seven different positions, most frequently at second base (139 starts), shortstop (93), left field (99), and right field (67). He has played every position except catcher across his career. That defensive reliability earned him the American League Gold Glove Award for utility players in 2024, a season in which he appeared in a career-high 135 games and made 108 starts. With a 103 OPS+ that year, his offensive output was a touch higher than league average.

Speed is another component of Moore’s profile. He has amassed 118 stolen bases, recorded at least 11 steals in all but one season, and produced three campaigns with 20 or more steals. He ranked in the 68th percentile in sprint speed in 2024, according to Baseball Savant. Plate discipline has also been a strength, particularly against left-handed pitching, as he ranked in the 99th percentile in chase rate and 94th percentile in walk rate during the 2024 season.

In Philadelphia, Moore becomes part of a crowded utility corps alongside Edmundo Sosa and Otto Kemp. Sosa, who is entering his final year of arbitration at a projected $4.4 million salary, hit .318 with an .895 OPS against left-handed pitching in 2025 and finished the season with a .276 average and .777 OPS overall. Moore’s right-handed bat and ability to cover both infield and outfield positions could also factor into platoon considerations, particularly in left field alongside Brandon Marsh, who owns a career .581 OPS versus left-handed pitching.

Moore will report to spring training with the opportunity to compete for a role similar to the multi-positional bench spot Philadelphia relied on last season, providing the Phillies with experienced, award-winning defensive depth.

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