READING — Caleb Ricketts loved playing baseball but wasn’t sure where it was taking him until his senior season at the University of San Diego.
“I had various successes in my first three years,” Ricketts said. “But I was able to put it together my last season. I was able to get drafted. I’ve felt confident in my abilities since [then].”
Ricketts slashed .373/.423/.658/1.081 in 56 games with 13 doubles, two triples, 16 home runs and 55 RBIs in 2022 with USD.
“That college experience,” he added, “there was a lot of learning, growing. I am glad I was able to put it together.”
Ricketts has carried that confidence and continue that growth since becoming the Phillies’ seventh-round pick in 2022. He is batting .279 this season at Double-A Reading with 18 runs, 19 RBIs and 20 walks in 35 games.
The 24-year-old California native struggled during his time last year at high-A Jersey Shore, but rebounded in the fall.
“I got to see better pitching in the Arizona Fall League,” Ricketts said. “I developed an approach there that carried into spring training. I started this season at Double-A and have just kept building off my approach.
“I have better zone awareness. I’m having better at-bats.”
Fellow catcher Carson Taylor was drafted in the fourth round in 2022 by the Dodgers after hitting .431 with 19 runs and 20 RBIs in 16 games as a sophom*ore at Virginia Tech.
The Georgia native also was boosted by a stint in the Arizona Fall League. After playing in 11 games there in 2021, he spent the next season at Double-A Tulsa.
But struggles in 2023 at Tulsa led to significant changes for Taylor.
“Up until halfway through last year,” he said, “I switch hit. I was a natural lefty, but I switch hit since I was a little kid. I had a good first year in pro ball right-handed, but it ticked down as I went on.”
More changes came in the offseason.
Taylor was exposed to the Rule 5 Draft in December. The Phillies took him in the minor league portion.
The 25-year-old also committed to adjustments at the plate after struggling in 2023.
“Imade pretty major swing changes coming into this year,” he said. “My hand placement and the movements I was making. I just needed to clear things up.
“I cleaned up more as I got to spring training. It’s been really cool to see. I have a lot of confidence. The biggest thing for me is the consistency, having a steady path, consistent at-bats. I know I’m in a really good spot when I’m driving the ball to left-center. That means I’m seeing the ball well.”
Taylor has been doing well most of first season in a new organization. He has 19 extra-base hits and 46 RBIs in 51 games with Reading. He has a .382 on-base percentage and .885 OPS.
“It’s been fun for me because I’m closer to home and in a good organization,” he said.
Taylor also has moved from catcher to first base. It’s not new to him. He played all around the infield growing up and still played the corner infield spots in college.
The change has freed up Taylor to work through his swing changes as he’s gotten reacquainted with first base. He’s played one game at third base and been the designated hitter 19 times so his body feels a whole lot better at this point in the season than it has in previous ones when he was catching.
He’s also found another benefit to the position change.
“It’s given me more time to get to know guys in clubhouse, build relationships,” Taylor said.
Reading hitting coach Brock Stassi has enjoyed working with both guys this season, his first in Double-A after a playing career that included all stops in the Phillies system right to the major leagues.
Stassi spent nearly half of last season working with Ricketts at high-A Jersey Shore.
“For Ricketts, it was really just about getting reps,” Stassi said. “He had a couple injuries last year in his first full season of pro ball. I think he kind of hit a wall with it being a much longer season than in college. I think he’s understanding his body and what he needs to get done on a daily basis to be able to compete night in and night out.”
Ricketts has been on the injured list since June 13 with an unspecified injury.
Taylor has had no hiccups so far. He began the season with an eight-game hitting streak. The 6-foot, 205-pounder has 11 multi-RBI games, including a season-best five in a May 4 game at Portland. He has gone more two games without a hit just once.
“I saw that before with a former teammate, Tommy Joseph, who moved from behind the plate to first base and the bat took off,” Stassi said. “He’s on the same path as Tommy. It’s been real fun to watch him, and he’s getting better defensively at first base. He’s been working hard.”
Though on different paths, Ricketts and Taylor spoke of one aspect that will never change regardless of the positions they play.
“It’s the mindset of one day at a time and treating every day like it’s last day out here,” Ricketts said. “It is a privilege being able to play baseball for a living.”
Morning Call reporter Tom Housenick can be reached at 610-820-6651 or atthousenick@mcall.com
