Coming into the 2026 Reading Fightin Phils season, the player most fans are excited about is outfielder Dante Nori. Nori made a name for himself playing for Team Italy during the internationally broadcast World Baseball Classic. He hit .400 in six games, helping to lead the team to the semi-finals.
In Reading this year, it's not just Nori with talent in the outfield.
"It's 3-4 centerfielders. You got [Austin] Murr too out there," said Nori before Reading's home opener on Tuesday. Talking about the group of Raylin Heredia, Dylan Campbell, Austin Murr and himself, Nori had high praise for the outfield unit.
"It's three guys that are going out there and get everything, basically a no-fly zone," proclaimed Nori.
Second-year Reading centerfielder Dylan Campbell completely agreed with Nori's assessment. "No matter what combination of guys we have the ball's not supposed to drop," said Campbell. "That's kind of our mindset going in."
While he's still trying to find his stroke in 2026, Campbell had a successful Arizona Fall League where he hit 304 with four homers and 16 RBI in 19 games.
Raylin Heredia is only six months older than Nori and has hit at every level of the minors. His problem has been the ability to stay healthy. In 50 games with Jersey Shore in 2025, Heredia hit .285 with an .809 OPS. In the offseason, Heredia helped the Adelaide Giants win the Australian Baseball League championship (the Claxton Shield).
He said he worked with his personal trainers in the offseason and hopes to be healthy and contributing in 2026.
Austin Murr is the veteran of the group. The Phillies selected Murr in the Triple-A portion of the Rule 5 Draft. At 27-years-old, Murr is enjoying his work with his early 20s counterparts. "It's fun to just kind of work with them right now," said Murr. He's been "bouncing ideas off" the younger group to try and help them in any way he can.
He's been off to a great start to 2026, hitting .429 in the first four games. In Tuesday's home opener, he showed why Nori calls it a 'no-fly zone' as he made multiple running grabs in right field.
Fourth-year manager Al Pedrique was also complimentary of the outfield group. "We expect a lot of good things out of those three guys because they can hit for power, they can hit for average," said Pedrique. "All three can steal some bases, so it's gonna be fun having all three together in the outfield."
It could be an entertaining summer in Reading with how the outfield unit is looking early on in 2026.
