Jul. 14—Center fielder Johan Rojas, who has spent the entire season with the Double-A Reading Fightin Phils, has been called up to the Philadelphia Phillies, the Phillies announced Friday.
Rojas, 22 and rated the Phillies’ No. 6 prospect by mlbpipeline.com, is taking the roster spot of outfielder Cristian Pache. Pache was placed on the 10-day injured list with right elbow irritation Friday.
Like Pache, Rojas is a right-handed hitter most known for his speed and defense. That being said, Rojas is also having his best professional season as a hitter.
He is hitting .306 with nine home runs, 20 doubles, five triples, 45 RBIs, 30 stolen bases and a .845 OPS in 76 games. He leads the Eastern League in hits with 98 and runs with 56, and is second in stolen bases.
Last season, Rojas hit .260 with four homers, eight doubles, five triples, 16 RBIs, 29 stolen bases and a .721 OPS in 60 games for Reading after being promoted from Single-A Jersey Shore.
It is expected that Rojas will fill the same role as Pache, starting in center against left-handed pitching, being a late-inning defensive replacement and pinch running.
Rojas is the first player this season to be called up to the majors directly from Reading.
Last season, three players — outfielder Simon Muzziotti and right-handed pitchers Francisco Morales and Bubby Rossman — went from the Fightin Phils straight to the Phillies.
Rojas, signed by the Phillies as an amateur free agent in January 2018 out of the Dominican Republic, will be the first position player to make his major league debut for the Phillies this season.
Right-handed pitcher McKinley Moore has been the only player to make his first major league appearance this season for Philadelphia.
Also Friday, the Phillies recalled infielder Drew Ellis from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He takes the roster spot of infielder Josh Harrison, who was placed on the 10-day injured list Wednesday with a right wrist contusion.