Logan O’Hoppe Provides Reason For Excitement

Logan O’Hoppe was working out back home on Long Island, N.Y., in late June when he got a call from Bryan Minniti and Josh Bonifay of the Phillies’ front office. They wanted to know if the 20-year-old catcher, just two years out of high school, would be comfortable reporting to big league camp.

“I tried to play it off and be all professional,” O’Hoppe said. “But inside I was like, ‘Are you kidding me?’ I was super excited. It was a pretty quick drive to Philly.”

The Phillies drafted O’Hoppe in the 23rd round in 2018 and lured him away from East Carolina with a $215,000 bonus.

He’s happy with the decision and so are the Phillies, who love his tools, work ethic, eagerness to learn and maturity. Those intangibles are a big reason he was added to the 60-man pool after playing at short-season ball in 2019.

O’Hoppe is a physical specimen at 6-foot-2, 185 pounds. He has power in his arm and power potential in his bat. He needs to cut down on the swing and miss, but so do a lot of players his age. The Phillies believe they have a very strong catching prospect on their hands.

O’Hoppe, who had five home runs in 45 games at short-season Williamsport in 2019, views this summer as a bonus. While many of his friends were home grinding it out any way they can, he was working on his game-calling and defense while getting live at-bats against experienced pitchers at the satellite camp.

“Big league summer camp was an incredible experience,” O’Hoppe said. “One thing I was able to observe is that each guy has a plan that they take very seriously, but they also have a good time.

“That ability to balance putting your head down and going to work with enjoying it is something I’m trying to learn because sometimes I get so wrapped up in the grind I forget to enjoy it.”

O’Hoppe is enjoying an unusual baseball summer. And the Phillies are enjoying seeing him blossom into legitimate prospect status.