The Philadelphia Phillies have released outfielder Simón Muzziotti, according to Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer on X. Muzziotti was outrighted off the Phillies’ roster in February, so his release does not affect the team’s 40-man roster.
Now 25 years old, Muzziotti initially signed with the Boston Red Sox as an international prospect from Venezuela. However, Boston was later found to have breached international signing regulations. As a result, the Red Sox were banned from making international signings for the 2016-17 period, and five of their previously signed players, including Muzziotti, were declared free agents.
Muzziotti subsequently signed with the Phillies, where he advanced through their minor league system. The Phillies added him to their 40-man roster in November 2020 to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft. However, he missed most of 2021 due to visa issues.
He made his major league debut in 2022, appearing in nine games with a .143/.250/.143 slash line in just nine plate appearances. His season was cut short by a torn patellar tendon in his right knee. Limited by the pandemic in 2020, visa problems in 2021, and injuries in 2022, Muzziotti played only 66 minor league games over those three years. Last year, he played 124 games at Triple-A, hitting .296/.358/.404 with a 93 wRC+, which indicates he was 7% below league average but still demonstrated strong defensive and speed qualities.
Despite a steady performance last year, the Phillies designated him for assignment in February. With no other teams claiming him off waivers and Muzziotti unable to elect free agency, he remained with the Phillies in a non-roster role. However, his performance this year has declined, with a .235/.297/.373 slash line in 61 Triple-A games and a 70 wRC+, prompting the Phillies to release him.
Muzziotti and his representatives will now seek new opportunities. Although his performance has been underwhelming this year, he remains young and offers value with his speed and defensive skills. Prior to this season, Baseball America had ranked him as the #22 prospect in the Phillies’ system.