CLEARWATER, Fla. – Just a couple of weeks ago, Mickey Moniak stood outside the Phillies’ clubhouse at BayCare Ballpark and answered questions about how he appeared to be blocked behind outfielders Bryce Harper, Nick Castellanos, Kyle Schwarber, Odúbel Herrera, Matt Vierling and Adam Haseley.

How quickly things change.

Moniak homered twice in Sunday’s 8-7 victory over the Tigers. He smashed a ball out of the ballpark in right field in the fourth. He dropped an opposite-field homer over the fence in the sixth. Moniak, who is the Phillies’ No. 18 prospect, is batting .310 (9-for-29) with five home runs, nine RBIs and a 1.241 OPS this spring. He has made the Opening Day roster, which became a foregone conclusion with Herrera injured and Haseley traded last week to the White Sox. But Moniak’s play could push him into an expanded role, if he continues to hit like this.

“I always knew it was in there,” said Moniak, who was the first overall pick in the 2016 MLB Draft. “I put a lot of work in the offseason. The swing felt good. It was just a small adjustment that [hitting coach Kevin Long] brought up that really put things on the fast track.”

• He was No. 1! 3 top overall picks homer in same game

In the offseason, Long watched more than 1,000 of Moniak’s plate appearances as a pro. He greeted him last month with a simple suggestion.

“You need to get on the plate,” Long said.

“Wow,” Moniak said. “OK, well, maybe I should get on the plate.”

He did, and it has helped.

Moniak, 23, batted .128 with a .432 OPS in 55 plate appearances over the last two seasons with the Phillies. He batted .238 with a .746 OPS in 409 plate appearances last year with Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He said his experience shuttling back and forth between the Phillies and the IronPigs, and his struggles along the way, put his career into perspective.

“I tried to take a step back and focus on who I am as a baseball player, and [I] try not to look too deep into playing GM,” Moniak said. “It was a look in the mirror. What can I do to get better? If I control what I can control, I feel like I’ll be in a good position come season’s end and further down the line.”

Bullpen crunch could help Stott and Bohm
A numbers crunch in the bullpen is improving Bryson Stott’s and Alec Bohm’s chances to make the team.

Stott started at third base for the fourth time in eight games on Sunday. He is batting .480 (12-for-25) with a 1.261 OPS. Bohm is batting .222 (6-for-27) with a .670 OPS. Asked if Stott is the lead candidate to be at third on Opening Day, Joe Girardi said, “I wouldn’t necessarily say that. I think we’re going to look at some different things we can do, depending on the right-handedness or left-handedness of the pitcher we’re facing. We’re looking at different situations. Platoons. Playing him all over the place.”

How does the bullpen factor into this? Recently, the Phillies suggested they could carry 16 pitchers with rosters expanding to 28 until May 2. But with uncertainty surrounding a few relievers, it is likely to be 15, creating a fourth spot on the bench.

There are eight locks to make a projected 10-man bullpen: right-handers Corey Knebel, Jeurys Familia, Seranthony Domínguez and Nick Nelson; and left-handers Brad Hand, José Alvarado, Bailey Falter and Cristopher Sánchez. Alvarado made his spring debut on Sunday. He hit 100.5 mph, effectively putting him on the team.

Left-hander Damon Jones is in a good spot, too. If he makes the team, the Phillies need one more reliever.

Right-hander Sam Coonrod will open the season on the IL with a sore right shoulder. Left-hander Ryan Sherriff has not pitched since March 28 because of left biceps tendinitis. He is unlikely to be ready for Opening Day. Right-hander James Norwood, whom the Phillies acquired last week in a trade with the Padres, left the team because of personal reasons. It is unknown when he will return.

That leaves right-hander Connor Brogdon.

Brogdon entered camp a lock, but he has not pitched since Wednesday because of an illness. Before that, he struggled in 2 1/3 innings. Most concerning: his fastball on Wednesday averaged 92.8 mph.

It averaged 96 mph last season.

Brogdon said he is healthy. He is scheduled to pitch on Tuesday.

If Brogdon isn’t ready, Double-A right-hander Francisco Morales might be the only remaining option on the 40-man roster. There are three non-roster pitchers still in camp: right-handers Andrew Bellatti, Michael Kelly and Dillon Maples.