Philadelphia Phillies pitching prospect Moisés Chace described starting in the Spring Breakout Game as a “beautiful experience.”
Just a year ago, Chace was a 20-year-old middling prospect in the Baltimore Orioles system. A lot has changed in a year, as Chace has risen up the prospect rankings since getting traded to the Phillies — and is certainly on the radar as a potential part of this team’s major league rotation in the future.
The Spring Breakout Game was Chace’s opportunity to back up what the Phillies have seen in him.
“It’s a new experience for sure,” Chace said through a translator at BayCare BallPark Friday. “I’m just staying true to myself and embracing my surroundings. I enjoyed being around the best of the best.”
Chace showed why the Phillies believe in his upside, pitching a 1-2-3 first inning in starting the Spring Breakout Game Friday as the Phillies won 5-3 over the Pittsburgh Pirates. He threw two strikeouts in one inning of work, in large part due to a cutter that has favored him well since arriving in the Phillies organization.
He used the cutter on one of those two first-inning strikeouts.
“I like the speed and deceptiveness of the pitch,” Chace said. “They’ve really been emphasizing the fastballs high in the zone, the sliders, the velocity of that pitch, and the other pitches I’m mixing in as well.”
Chace’s career certainly turned for the better since being traded to the Phillies as part of the Gregory Soto deal last July. In Baltimore’s minor league system, he started nine of 17 games pitched for High-A Aberdeen, throwing 53 innings while holding opposing hitters to a .201 batting average. Chace struck out 76 and walked 30 while having a 3.46 ERA.
The Phillies started Chace in High-A Jersey Shore, but it only took him two starts to get called up to Double-A Reading. Chase went 2-1 with a 3.66 ERA in his four starts, holding opponents to a .200 average while striking out 35 and walking seven. He’s elevated to the No. 5 overall prospect in the Phillies system (per MLB.com) and the No. 2 pitching prospect behind Andrew Painter.
The change of scenery has benefitted Chace, as 2025 will be a huge year for his development. A good start in Double-A Reading and Chace could be on the fast track to the major leagues as soon as next year.
The Phillies are banking on that being the case.
“I really enjoy the way they manage the pitchers, the way they manage the workload,” Chace said. “I’ve enjoyed their approach to managing my workload…I’m feeling great and working on building (my game) up.”
