Phillies Acquire C.J. Chatham From Red Sox

Image credit: CJ Chatham (Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty)

Dave Dombrowski was the Red Sox’s president of baseball operations when the club selected C.J. Chatham in the second round of the 2016 draft. Five years later, Dombrowski is bringing Chatham to his new organization.

The Phillies acquired Chatham from the Red Sox on Monday for a player to be named later or cash considerations. It’s the latest move made by the Phillies since Dombrowski took over, following the acquisition of relievers Jose Alvarado from the Rays and Sam Coonrod from the Giants and the free agent signing of closer Archie Bradley. 

Chatham, 26, reached Triple-A in 2019 and spent 2020 at the Red Sox’s alternate training site.

 

PHILLIES ACQUIRE:

C.J. Chatham, SS/2B
Age: 26

Drafted 51st overall out of Florida Atlantic in 2016, Chatham has been steady if unspectacular throughout his minor league career. He’s hit .298/.337/.402 in the minors while seeing time at both shortstop and second base and was selected to play for USA Baseball’s Olympic qualifying team after the 2019 season. Chatham has been a steady performer, but a perceived lack of tools has raised questions about how much he can realistically contribute in the majors. The Red Sox received some of the worst second base production of any team in 2020 and declined to call Chatham up at any point. He lacks the strength and physicality to impact the ball offensively or the range and quickness most teams want to see defensively in the middle infield. Chatham’s instincts and knack for contact give him a chance to stick as a utilityman, but most observers think he’ll end up a depth infielder who bounces between Triple-A and the majors. He joins offseason waiver claim Kyle Holder as the Phillies’ primary utility candidates on their current roster.