Pete Mackanin: Tommy Joseph Is A 'Potential Option' At First Base

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- While the Phillies have been baseball's early 2016 surprise, they are struggling at first-base.

The Phillies' first-base production -- between Ryan Howard and Darin Ruf -- has yielded a minus-1.3 wins above replacement, worst in baseball.

Coincidentally, down in Lehigh Valley 24-year-old prospect Tommy Joseph is mashing the baseball. Joseph, a former catcher turned first-baseman, is hitting .368/.391/.655 with seven doubles, six homers, and 17 RBI's in 25 games in triple-A.

Could he be on his way to the big leagues sooner than later?

"Well, you know, just like a lot of other players that's been discussed," Mackanin told Angelo Cataldi and the 94WIP Morning Show on Wenesday. "So, we haven't overlooked that. It's a potential option. I won't say yes, I won't say no, but we have definitely discussed more than that. He's one of the discussions."

Listen: Pete Mackanin on the 94WIP Morning Show

Ruf, 29, is hitting just .164/.213/.200 with no home runs and only three RBI's in 29 games this year. In fact, in 272 career games with the Phillies, Ruf is hitting just .238/.315/.426 with 32 home runs and 92 RBI's.

Cataldi asked Mackanin when he knows it is time to move on from a player.

"It's a touchy situation," Mackanin said. "All we can do is talk about it and badger it back and forth, you know Matt [Klentak] and I and the rest of the coaches, and make a decision based -- not only whether it's time to move on to somebody else, but is there a guy that we can move on to and what are the ramifications. All I can tell you is you're constantly auditioning and there are always options available."