Phillies Sign Dylan Moore to Minor-League Deal, Non-Roster Spring Invite

The Philadelphia Phillies signed veteran utilityman Dylan Moore to a minor-league contract that includes a non-roster invitation to Major League Spring Training, a deal that carries upside to major-league pay if Moore cracks the roster. The contract contains a major-league base salary and incentive structure that would reward playing-time and active-roster days.

Moore, 33, spent the bulk of his seven-year big-league career in Seattle and finished the 2025 season with the Texas Rangers after being designated for assignment last August. He is a .206 career hitter with 63 homers and a .693 OPS in 689 major-league games, and he made $3.7 million last season. In 243 major-league plate appearances in 2025, Moore slashed .201/.267/.374 with 11 home runs and 25 RBIs, with six of those homers coming in April. He struggled against left-handed pitching in 2025, batting .167 with a .590 OPS, though his career numbers versus lefties sit at a .216 average with a .727 OPS.

The structure of the deal is notable for a minor-league pact: "If he reaches the major league roster, the deal carries a $1.85 million base salary and can escalate to a maximum value of $3.25 million through plate-appearance and active-roster bonuses." The arrangement has drawn attention for its incentives and roster implications: "The peculiarity of Moore’s contract lies in its incentive structure…. Such upside is uncommon for a minor‑league agreement and indicates that the Phillies view him as more than a conventional depth option." That package "provides Moore with a clear path to earn a spot on Philadelphia's 40‑man roster ahead of the 2026 season."

Defensively Moore brings genuine versatility. He won the 2024 American League Gold Glove Award for utility players and has started games at seven positions, most often at second base (139 starts), shortstop (93), left field (99) and right field (67). In 2025 he logged more than 100 innings at second base, left field and right field, and "second base is his best position, as he posted five defensive runs saved across 210 1/3 innings last year."

Roster context makes spring competition meaningful. Moore joins a crowded utility corps that includes Edmundo Sosa and Otto Kemp; Sosa posted strong numbers against left-handed pitching in 2025 and carries a projected arbitration figure near $4.4 million. Moore projects as a right-handed bench bat who can play around the infield and corner outfield spots, potentially slotting into a role similar to Weston Wilson or platooning in left field with Brandon Marsh.

Moore "joins 27 other non‑roster invitees to Spring Training that the Phillies announced last week." Pitchers and catchers are set to begin work in Clearwater on Feb. 11, and Moore will enter camp with a clear financial and roster incentive to push for meaningful playing time. For Phillies fans, the signing adds a defensively decorated, multi-position veteran to the mix and creates a small-stakes, high-upside competition for a 40-man spot going into spring.