Rising slugger Rizzotti may have chance to stick with Phillies

He advanced three levels in the Phillies' system, then spent three weeks in the Arizona Fall League, and finally, it was the off-season for Matt Rizzotti. He returned home to Floral Park, N.Y., a little over a month ago, and shortly thereafter, he was invited to big-league camp for spring training.

"It hasn't sunk it at all," Rizzotti said Monday.

The hulking prospect was in town with five other minor-leaguers to participate in the Phillies' annual rookie development seminar at Citizens Bank Park. A year ago, it was difficult to imagine Rizzotti in this position. Now he is hailed as one of the organization's most improved prospects.

"I was consistent the whole year," Rizzotti said. "I never had that one slump."

But as Rizzotti prepares for his first big-league camp, plenty of (well-documented) caveats remain.

His .342 batting average in 483 at-bats between single A, double A, triple A and the Arizona Fall League speaks for itself. But Rizzotti, who turned 25 a few weeks ago, was older than most of the competition he faced for the majority of the season at single A and double A.

Phillies officials, including assistant general manager Chuck LaMar, have stressed the need for Rizzotti to hit for power. He did that at Reading, smashing 16 home runs with a .635 slugging percentage. But in 173 at-bats at other levels, Rizzotti hit just one home run.

He has just 45 at-bats above double A, and those came at the end of the season with triple-A Lehigh Valley. Rizzotti hit only .200 then, but his stint in the Arizona Fall League was encouraging. He hit .333 and drew 22 walks in 86 plate appearances - good enough for a .500 on-base percentage.

And defensively, Rizzotti remains without a true position. He began the season listed as a designated hitter at Clearwater and played some first base during the year.

"It's a work in progress," Rizzotti said. "It's always a work in progress. I can't tell where I am, but I'm working hard at wherever I'm going."

The Phillies tried Rizzotti in the outfield during instructional league play after they drafted him in the sixth round of the 2007 draft, but that didn't go well enough to merit other look since then.

Yet Rizzotti remains an interesting player come spring training because of his bat. The Phillies have a few spots open on the bench - figure the only locks to be Brian Schneider, Ross Gload, and maybe Wilson Valdez. Rizzotti's defensive question marks aside, with a good spring it's possible he could hit his way onto the team.

"Being realistic, there's a chance," Rizzotti said. "Being realistic, there's not a chance."

He'll be as pragmatic as can be for now because after a wildly successful 2010, he has learned just about anything can happen.

"I didn't see that coming," Rizzotti said. "My goal was just to get to double A."

Follow on Twitter @magelb.