The Philadelphia Phillies' selection of Dante Nori 27th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft came as a surprise to some, but the organization knew that they were getting a high-motor type of player whom they could develop over the course of a few seasons.
Before this past summer's draft, it was clear the front office had developed a strategy of spending first-round draft picks on young and speedy position players over the last few MLB drafts, with Nori being the latest in that trend.
In 2022, they chose outfielder Justin Crawford, who has recorded 40+ steals in each of the last three seasons and has him knocking on the doorsteps of the majors in 2026.