With just five games to go in the regular season after last night’s gut-wrenching 2-1 loss to the Braves, the Phillies have made an addition to their staff. President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski announced today that the team is hiring Preston Mattingly, the Phillies’ newest Director of Player Development.

Preston Mattingly, son of Marlins head coach Don Mattingly, was a first-round pick in the 2006 MLB Draft, selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers. He spent his MLB career down in the minor leagues and now works in the Phillies front office. Many top-of-the-line “MLB officials” have high praise for Mattingly, referring to him as an “up-and-comer in the industry”.

Mattingly most recently worked with the Padres from 2017-2021, as a “coordinator of major league advance scouting and game planning”. He will be used in a player development role, scouting minor leaguers and finding talent. The Phils have had much trouble with this area of their clubhouse in the past, going through multiple first-round picks that haven’t panned out as planned.

“Preston has a tremendous background for this position. He has the ability to combine and use the necessary analytical skills blended with his baseball knowledge, and he possesses leadership capabilities that are apparent very quickly. He also has a total love for the game that will help him develop our players with a winning attitude…”- (Dave Dombrowski, POBO)

The team will look to keep their playoff chances alive tonight, as they take on the Braves in a must-win game two down in Atlanta. Aaron Nola (9-8, 4.64 ERA) will take the hill for the team, looking to secure a much-needed victory.

Phillies Game 2 Lineup

Mandatory Credit: The Athletic