In 2016, utility infielder Andres Blanco spend his fourth season with the Phillies’ organization. Originally signed to a Minor League deal during the 2012 season, he spent that season in Lehigh Valley providing depth at all four non-catching infield positions, without hitting well. He returned to the Phillies in 2014, and after a similarly unexciting Minor League season, Blanco was promoted to the Majors and actually produced a 105 wRC+ over a short 25 game sample. In 2015 he displayed even stronger results – producing a 138 wRC+ over 261 plate appearances.
The corresponding 1.5 fWAR was far past expectations, but there was still the sense that this was less than half a season of production from a utility infielder who had never even produced like this in the Minor Leagues.