Photo Credit: Dave Nelson-USA TODAY Sports

Phillies, Astros Catchers Set For Battle of Brothers at Spring Training

Originally posted on FanNation Fastball | By Sam Connon | Last updated 3/8/24

For the first time ever, brothers Garrett and CJ Stubbs will share a baseball diamond.

Garrett, a catcher with the Philadelphia Phillies, and CJ, a catcher with the Houston Astros, will go head-to-head down at Spring Training on Friday. The two teams are scheduled to face off in a Grapefruit League contest at 1:05 p.m. ET.

The Athletic's Jayson Stark caught up with the two in Clearwater, Florida, confirming that this was the first time in their lives that they will play a game on the same field at the same time.

A cool thing happening in Clearwater today.

Garrett Stubbs and his brother C.J. will play a game on the same field for the first time in their lives.

Baseball is beautiful sometimes. pic.twitter.com/5ofxXvgAhj
— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) March 8, 2024

The Stubbs brothers were part of the same organization for three years, as Garrett was the Astros’ eighth round pick in the 2015 MLB Draft. The club selected CJ in 2019, the same year Garrett was called up to make his big league debut.

Garrett split the next few years between the MLB and Triple-A levels, while CJ worked his way through the lower ranks.

The pair was never able to suit up together in Houston, though, as Garrett got traded to Philadelphia in November 2021. They never played together at their shared alma mater, USC, either.

Garrett Stubbs is entering his third year as a reserve catcher for the Phillies. Over the last two seasons, Stubbs has appeared in 87 games, batting .233 with six home runs, 28 RBI, a .681 OPS and a 1.2 WAR.

The younger Stubbs brother, meanwhile, has yet to appear in an MLB game. CJ is at big league Spring Training for the second year in a row, currently 0-for-6 with a strikeout in four appearances.

Garrett, 30, and CJ, 27, are both coming off the bench Friday.

This article first appeared on FanNation Fastball and was syndicated with permission.

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