Philly signs Gold Glover to 2024 minor league contract

The Philadelphia Phillies reaffirmed their commitment to structural depth on Friday until agreeing to a minor league contract with veteran reliever Dylan Moore, per Will Semon of the Athletics. The deal includes a non-roster invitation to major league spring training and gives Moore a clear path to earn a spot on Philly’s 40-man roster ahead of the 2026 season.

The special feature of the Moore contract lies in its incentive structure. If he reaches the major league roster, the contract carries a base salary of $1.85 million and can escalate to a maximum value of $3.25 million through appearance and active roster bonuses. That kind of upside is unusual for a minor league deal and indicates the Phillies see him as more than a conventional depth option.

The 33-year-old has seven seasons of major league experience and has appeared in 689 career games. Moore owns a .206 batting average with 63 home runs, 1,922 plate appearances and a .693 OPS. He spent most of his career with the Seattle Mariners before being designated for assignment and released last August. Moore later signed with the Texas Rangers, the franchise that originally selected him in the seventh round of the 2015 MLB Draft out of Central Florida, and finished the season with the organization.

Through the 2025 season, Moore’s 243 plate appearances produced a .201/.267/.374 slash line, including 11 homers and 25 RBIs. Six of those home runs came in April. Against southpaws last season, Moore’s production dipped to .167/.590, but his higher workload suggests more consistent production in similar scenarios. For his career, Moore is a .216 hitter with a .727 OPS against lefties, compared to a .668 OPS against right-handed pitchers.

Moore’s value has long rested on his adaptability and defensive prowess. He started games at seven different positions, most often at second base (139 starts), shortstop (93), left field (99) and right field (67). During his career, he played every position except catcher. That defensive reliability earned him the 2024 American League Gold Glove Award for relief pitchers, a season in which he appeared in 135 career games and made 108 starts. With a 103 OPS+ that year, his offensive output was slightly above league average.

Speed ​​is another component of Moore’s profile. He collected 118 stolen bases, recorded at least 11 steals in all but one season and produced three campaigns with 20 or more steals. He was in the 68th percentile in sprint speed in 2024, according to Baseball Savant. Plate discipline was also a strength, especially against left-handed pitching, as he ranked in the 99th percentile in slugging rate and 94th percentile in walk rate during the 2024 season.

In Philadelphia, Moore becomes part of a crowded utility corps along with Edmund Soza and Otto Kemp. Sosa, who enters his final year of arbitration with a projected salary of $4.4 million, hit .318 with an .895 OPS against left-handed pitching in 2025 and finished the season with a .276 average and a .777 OPS overall. Moore’s right-handed bat and ability to cover both the infield and outfield positions could also factor into the platoon’s consideration, especially in left field alongside Brandon Marsh, who has a career .581 OPS against left-handed pitching.

Moore will enter spring training with the opportunity to compete for a role similar to the multi-position bench that Philadelphia relied on last season, giving Philly experienced, award-winning defensive depth.