A Look at Freddy Galvis

    Due to Chase Utley's continuing injury issues, the Phillies needed to find a replacement for Utley at second base.
    It has been an unfortunate last few years for Utley who had established himself as one of the top 5 second basemen in baseball before a recent battle with injuries. Utley did not debut last season until late May and will miss at least the beginning of this season with ongoing knee trouble. While no date for his return has been set, Utley has been quoted as saying that he expects to play in 2012.
    To play second base in Utley's absence, the Phillies turned to Freddy Galvis, a second base prospect who split time between Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley last season.
    A 22-year old infielder from Venezuela, Galvis has worked his way through the minor leagues, earning a reputation as a skilled defensive infielder while his bat has started to come along. Before last season, Galvis had never hit above .240 in any season, but had shown some speed on the base paths. While he had more strikeouts than walks at every stop, his strikeout rate in the minor leagues was never alarmingly high, meaning he makes consistent contact.
    Last season, something clicked for Galvis and he improved his numbers in almost every category. Whether it was a change in his batting stance or approach, or natural skill progression, Galvis improved immensely as a offensive threat. Galvis hit .273 at Reading with eight home runs and 19 stolen bases, earning a promotion to Lehigh Valley where he hit .298 in 33 games.
    The increased offensive potential made Galvis an attractive major-league option even before it was announced that Utley would miss the beginning of the season. Before Jimmy Rollins re-signed with the Phillies in the offseason, Galvis was thought of as a potential replacement for Rollins. After Utley was declared out for the beginning of the season, it was clear that Galvis would get his chance.
    If Galvis continues the progression that he showed last season, he could become a nice addition at the back of the Phillies lineup this season. With a stellar season, Galvis could throw himself into the debate for a long-term replacement for Utley. Regardless, it will be interesting how Galvis handles his first chance at the major league level.