25 Hotshot Philadelphia Phillies to Watch in 2012

Looking ahead to the 2012 season for the Philadelphia Phillies, there are a lot of things that we already know. Looking around the diamond, we know who most of the everyday players are. The same thing can be said about the starting rotation and the bullpen. We know who will fill most of those roles.

Beneath the surface, there are things that we do not know. We all know that Ryan Howard has the potential to hit 40 home runs a season, but can we say that about anyone else? We all know that Shane Victorino runs like a greyhound, but who else can steal bases? Fresh off of a new deal, we know that Jimmy Rollins can play defense, but are there a couple of Gold Glove-caliber defenders waiting in the wings?

One of the greatest aspects of the game of baseball is that no matter how advanced the statistics become, or how much instant replay is introduced to the game or how each organization’s front office grows, baseball will always offer its fair share of surprises, and none of us will have seen them coming.

The Phillies may have a couple of those surprises in their organization. Sure, the roster plays host to a number of established veterans who’ve produced similar numbers over the course of their careers, but it also hosts a number of players with big question marks hanging over their heads.

Is that prospect ready to take the next step? Can this guy become an everyday player? Will that guy make an impact on the MLB? Can this veteran stay healthy? Can that veteran produce?

For the sake of this slideshow, we’ll call those guys “hotshot” players. This means that no matter the level of talent they poses, they have something to prove in 2012, and whether or not they can prove themselves can have a tremendous impact on the Phillies at some level.

Is the future in the hands of these 25 hotshot players?

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