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Who could be the Phillies' breakout player in 2024? originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

In the days leading up to Phillies Opening Day on March 28, we're taking a daily look at the biggest questions and storylines surrounding the team in 2024.

The Phillies' roster is loaded with big-name players on expensive contracts, but it will obviously take more than just that group to deliver their ultimate goal, a World Series trophy.

Which Phillies might be poised for a leap in 2024? Who could be a breakout candidate?

Ruben Amaro Jr.'s pick: Bryson Stott

"I don't think he's really going to be a surprise but I think this is going to be a monster, breakout year for Bryson Stott. I'm a huge fan. I think Bryson's going to be a Gold Glove second baseman. In my mind, he was a Gold Glove second baseman and I think he missed it by what, four votes?

"I know one of his goals is to try to hit .300. I love that thought process because nobody talks anymore about how important batting average is, and it's actually pretty important. I think he's growing as a player, he's maturing. I don't know, I don't think it's necessarily a surprise but I think he's going to be one of the best players on the club on both sides of the ball."

Stott hit .280 last season, 46 points higher than his rookie year. He was better able to handle velocity, specifically up in the zone. He hit .282 against left-handed pitching. He led the majors in two-strike hits practically all year, neck-and-neck with Freddie Freeman. He stole 31 bases, hit 32 doubles and 15 home runs. He graded out as one of the top five second basemen defensively. It was a major step forward.

One thing Stott didn't do much in 2023 was walk. He walked in just 6.1% of his plate appearances, ranking 107th of 134 qualifying players. A goal of his this season is to lay off the borderline pitch more frequently.

If Stott can up his game another notch, he'd be approaching All-Star territory. It would be huge for the Phillies for he and Brandon Marsh to build on the foundation they laid a year ago.

Ricky Bottalico's pick: Ranger Suarez

"I'm going with Ranger Suarez. I know Ranger's good but I feel like this is the year he takes that next step. He's going to go out and give you innings this year, we all know he wants to give you more than five. I think he's going to be the guy that Rob Thomson gives a little bit of a leash to this year, I think they'll try to stretch him another inning in games when he's throwing well.

"He's the type of guy that just doesn't give a bleep about what's going on around him and he's going to go out there and stick it to people this year. He's going to be a stud on his team, we're going to talk about him by the end of the season as a 1C on this team."

Suarez is better set up for success than in any prior season. For the first time, he had a full spring training — no visa issues which delayed his arrival two different years, no World Baseball Classic, no injuries. He's ready to go in the first series of the year against the Braves.

The lefty has a 3.43 ERA in 63 starts the last three seasons. He has his sights set on 30-plus starts and 180-plus innings. His career-high is 155.

My pick: Cristopher Sanchez

I'm going with Cristopher Sanchez, who has not performed particularly well in spring training but has shown promising signs. His fastball has been in the 94-95 mph range in camp compared to 92.1 last season. He also has utilized a cutter as a potential new weapon against right-handed hitters.

Sanchez was extremely impressive last summer. After coming back up from Triple A on June 17, he allowed just 100 baserunners in 95 innings with a 3.32 ERA. He walked only 14 batters. The .148 batting average against his changeup was the lowest in all of baseball among pitchers who threw as many.

If he can add greater separation between his fastball and changeup while maintaining that command, he could take things to another level. Then if he can grow comfortable with the cutter, it would give hitters one more thing to think about.

Sanchez showed up to spring training significantly stronger physically and with more confidence than ever before, knowing for the first time he solidly had a spot on the Opening Day roster. Those factors themselves won't lead to success, but when you couple them with the new weapons, it could be a big year for the 27-year-old.

Let the cheesesteaks be eaten.

Honestly, we don’t need a holiday to celebrate cheesesteaks. Food fans in Philly and throughout the region chomp through more than our fair share of the city’s namesake sandwich all year round.

But as National Cheesesteak Day arrives Sunday, March 24 (unclear who decides the arbitrary day when these national holidays are celebrated), what better time to dig into the Billy Penn archives and catch up on all things cheesesteak you might have missed?

Lots of national chains have, of course, jumped on the cheesesteak bandwagon, but these version have often been a poor introduction to the city’s signature delicacy.

Most recently, a video review of cheesesteaks from Mexico City landed in Billy Penn’s inbox from Bryan Gabriel Yanez Oliva. Among the Mexican versions he tried included one with cream cheese topping in place of whiz or provolone. Another he called “one of the most confused cheesesteaks I’ve seen in my life.”

“I learned how integral regional and national breads are to the fabric of our foods. I took it for granted as just another funny shaped bread to accompany my meal. But the fact that I can’t get a good Italian hoagie roll in an international city like Mexico City, who are our neighbors, is insane,” he said. “The experience really made me appreciate our coveted breads back home to be the backbone of our beloved dish, the cheesesteak.”

His final ruling on the search for a good Philly cheesesteak in Mexico’s capital? “It doesn’t exist. It’s not here.”

Let’s help the national chains get it right

The cheesesteak is not a complicated thing. Overcomplicating or “putting your spin” on this simple sandwich is where many would-be imitators around the country get it wrong. In 2016, Billy Penn showed the way with the easy to follow Philly Cheesesteak Guide: How to make the city’s signature sandwich. (And no mushrooms allowed.)

Maybe it’s the people

You can have all the right ingredients but still miss the mark on making a good cheesesteak. So, maybe it’s the people that make the difference. Billy Penn has done plenty of work to highlight the cooks behind the grills that make such an impact on the city’s culinary classic.

While most if not all of our favorite spots are named after men (John’s, Jim’s, or Joe’s? Is it Pat’s, Geno’s, or Steve’s? How about Tony Luke’s? Barry’s? Max’s? George’s?) There are plenty of women slinging shaved beef that deserve their due, as well.

Surprise from South Dakota

While it’s often a risk to order a cheesesteak in a distant, far-off land and expect it to be anything like what we’re used to, sometimes there’s a pleasant surprise.

Consider what Billy Penn’s Heather Chin discovered last year on a trip to the Mount Rushmore State. Perhaps it was the close proximity to the land where buffalo once roamed, and where cattle are now king. Maybe it was a former Philly guy like Ted English who moved to the Black Hills two decades ago and opened his “Ted’s Real Philly.”

South Dakota isn’t the only far flung place we’ve found cheesesteak culture alive and well, even if it’s not exactly what we’re used to.

The Indiana State Fair offered a wide variety of cheesesteak-adjacent items including Bison cheesesteak egg rolls, a “Philly chicken,” and cheesesteak fries.

Cheesesteaks fuel community

Philly’s love affair with the cheesesteak isn’t just about the delicious taste (or the overwhelmingly full feeling after downing a 12-inch roll stuffed with meat and cheese.)

Like many other local foods (hotdish, anyone?) in many other parts of the world, people really form a bond around their local favorite. That’s what happened last year following the opening of Jim’s West, a reincarnation of sorts of the Jim’s that once existed at that spot for since 1966.

“I’ve been coming here since I was a teenager,” one customer said. The location has a decades-long reputation for delivering “a good, greasy cheesesteak,” he said. “That’s why people come here.”

And maybe that’s why we love the often-imitated, rarely-duplicated Philly cheesesteak. A simple sandwich with no frills.

Happy Cheesesteak Day to all who celebrate! (And isn’t that just about everyone?)

T. Maxey PG 0

27 PTS, 2 REB, 3 AST

A. Davis C 3

23 PTS, 19 REB, 4 AST

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PHILADELPHIA -- Scott Laughton admits he breathed a sigh of relief once the clock struck 3 p.m. ET on March 8 and he remained a member of the Philadelphia Flyers.

The forward had heard his name in rumors ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline, and despite assurances from general manager Daniel Brière that a trade was unlikely, he said there was still some stress as the hours ticked away.

"Always a little bit nerve-wracking time with all the rumors flying around, but very happy and grateful to still be here and be a part of this great group," Laughton said.

Laughton has 34 points (12 goals, 22 assists) in 70 games this season and is tied with Simon Holmstrom of the New York Islanders for the NHL lead with seven short-handed points. But more than the on-ice results, he's become a leader and emotional heartbeat on a team has leaned on its culture to push for a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2020.

Philadelphia (35-26-9) is third in the Metropolitan Division and entered Friday four points ahead of the fourth-place Washington Capitals. That lead will be tested this weekend when the Flyers plays the top two teams in the Atlantic Division on consecutive days, facing the division-leading Boston Bruins at Wells Fargo Center on Saturday (1 p.m. ET; NHLN, NBCSP, NESN, SN1, TVAS), and the second-place Florida Panthers on Sunday.

"I think it's pretty well known he's such a presence in the locker room," forward Morgan Frost said. "Especially going into this run and trying to make the playoffs. It's obviously good to have him around."

Laughton has been an alternate captain the past two seasons, but his presence goes beyond any letters on the front of his jersey. He commands the dressing room stereo before and after games, is one of the louder trash talkers on the team and brings a positive outlook that is needed to lighten the mood during the grind of an 82-game season.

Or as Frost said, "We have a lot of characters on this team but he's probably the main character."

"I love doing that stuff, setting up different dinners and things like that, rookie dinners, and doing all that stuff away from the ice," Laughton said. "I think it brings so much to the group when you have a team that's close and comes together like that. It goes a long way. So I take a lot of pride in it."

Laughton credits his approach to the players that mentored him when he was breaking into the NHL with the Flyers, among them Scott Hartnell, Kimmo Timonen, Claude Giroux and Wayne Simmonds.

His teammates reciprocated by going to Briere and letting him know Laughton needed to remain in Philadelphia.

"Danny's around a lot so you have lots of conversations with him here and there," defenseman Travis Sanheim said. "He's aware of what [Laughton] means, not only as a guy in this locker room, on the ice, but away from the rink, what he does for this team every single day. It would be a really hard guy to replace and I think he understood that. I think he knew that before any of us even mentioned it."

Knowing how his teammates stood up for him is deeply meaningful for Laughton.

"Makes me pretty emotional, to be honest," he said. "To have that type of support from the room is amazing. I try and be the same guy every day for the guys, and the guy that people can lean on in different situations. So it means a lot to me and it's very special."

Briere, though, didn't need anyone to tell him what Laughton means to the group. He's seen the value Laughton brings but said his job requires him to listen when teams call, and they did about Laughton's availability.

"I was upfront with him," Briere said. "I told him that I wasn't shopping him. I wasn't going to trade him for fair value because he's more than fair value to us. The intangibles that he brings to the locker room is something that has no price. The other teams don't see that, but we do. I told him that we're not going to trade you if it’s just a fair trade. Someone would have to overstep and really knock it out of the ballpark for us to consider it.

"I did listen. I had a lot of teams interested in him, as you can imagine. ... But not good enough for us to let a player like that go, that is critical to the development of our locker room and the guys around him."

During his 11 seasons with the Flyers, Laughton has had more coaches (seven) than trips to the playoffs (four). After going through so many difficult seasons, Laughton is happy to be part of what he believes is a team poised for an extended run of success.

"I've put a lot of time in here and I want to be a part of this when we go on a deep run," he said. "Hopefully it's this year. But I want to be a part of this and see some of these guys come up here and do it with guys like [Sean Couturier] and [Travis Konecny] and 'Sanny' and Joel Farabee, guys that have been here for a while that really care about this organization and we want to do well for each other and this city."

-Messenger photo by John McBride Amanda Echevarria and her husband Ariel have opened Philthy Phillys, a cheesesteak restaurant in Humboldt. The restaurant opened in downtown Humboldt a couple of months ago.

HUMBOLDT — Craving an authentic Philadelphia cheesesteak, but don’t want to make the trip to the City of Brotherly Love?

No problem. Just take a trip to Humboldt where a new restaurant offering genuine Philly cheesesteak sandwiches is open for business.

Philthy Phillys opened in downtown Humboldt a couple months ago. Located at 619 Sumner Ave., the new restaurant really means it when promoting authentic Philly cheesesteaks.

Amanda and Ariel Echevarria own the restaurant. She hails originally from the Philadelphia area and said she gets all her ingredients from the Philadelphia area.

“My husband was in the military and we moved around several times,” she said.“We moved to Humboldt 11 years ago and there really wasn’t anywhere outside of Philadelphia that we could find an authentic Philly cheesesteak. No matter where we lived, we couldn’t find a good one.”

-Messenger photo by John McBride The Philadelphia influences aren’t just limited to the sandwiches at Philthy Phillys in Humboldt. Amanda Echevarria, who hails from the Philadelphia area, offers authentic Philly cheesesteaks at her new restaurant.

“We kind of threw around the idea of opening a restaurant for a while, but the timing was never right,” she added. “Last year, I was going back to work after having our youngest child and we were trying to decide if I should work for someone else or am I going to bite the bullet and do this.”

They decided to look for a place to open their restaurant, originally looking in the Laurens area. But they decided they wanted something closer to home so they could support their own community and not miss out on family time with their two children.

“Everything just kind of fell into place last summer,” said Amanda Echevarria. “We put a lot of work into this business and this building over the last six months before we opened in January.”

She said they looked at other locations in Humboldt, but each time they found a building they liked, it would be purchased by someone else. Finally, they heard about their current location, which wasn’t even on the market yet.

“This building really had a lot of what we needed to start our restaurant,” she said.

Amanda Echevarria said she and her husband have plans to give back to the community once things are running smoothly with Philthy Phillys.

“Everybody’s been so supportive. They’ve been so good with the opening and showing up and being supportive of our business,” she said. “We just want to be able to give back in some way.”

Currently Philthy Phillys has six employees besides the Echevarrias. She’s hoping to add more staff.

Right now, the restaurant offers dine in and carry out options. Amanda Echevarria said she’s hoping they can add delivery and online ordering in the future.

The restaurant’s to-go-orders also offer a unique packaging that keeps all the ingredients separated so customers can build their sandwich after they get home, assuring the bread does not get soggy. Amanda said that’s been a popular feature for people coming to the restaurant from. out of town.

“We really want our sandwiches to be as authentic as possible without being in Philadelphia,” she said. “The more authentic ones are where people add their own toppings and build it themselves. We ship all our ingredients from the Philadelphia area and our bread comes from bakeries in Philadelphia.”

Currently, Philthy Phillys has six different sandwiches on its menu. They also offer side salads, fries and drinks. There is also an option for gluten free bread. There is a kids’ menu as well.

The restaurant’s hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Their phone number is (515) 604-6439.

Philthy Phillys’ website is https://philthyphillyscheesesteak.com. They also have Facebook and Instagram pages.

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