Phils Top 3 Pitching Prospects Set to Start in Baseballtown
Andrew Painter and Mick Abel have both been promoted to Double-A Reading from High-A Jersey Shore. The top two prospects in the Phillies’ minor league system, Painter and Abel join the Fightins after stellar performances with the BlueClaws. Both right-handed pitchers will add depth to Reading’s starting rotation, along with
Andrew Painter and Mick Abel have both been promoted to Double-A Reading from High-A Jersey Shore. The top two prospects in the Phillies’ minor league system, Painter and Abel join the Fightins after stellar performances with the BlueClaws. Both right-handed pitchers will add depth to Reading’s starting rotation, along with No. 4 prospect Griff McGarry. McGarry will start Friday night, while Abel and Painter are the probable starters in Reading on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. All of this is subject to change.
The three top pitching prospects dominate the organization in strikeouts on the season. Painter leads the way with 118 total strikeouts on the season, McGarry follows with 107, and Abel rounds out the top three with 103 K’s. Abel is tied for first in the Phillies minor league system with seven wins.
With the promotion of both Painter and Abel, the Fightins’ roster boasts six of the Phillies’ top-25 prospects along with No. 3 Johan Rojas, No. 18 Jhailyn Ortiz, and No. 26 McKinley Moore.
McGarry joined the R-Phils roster on July 2. The righty’s first three Double-A starts came on the road. Through 12.1 innings, he allowed four hits and struck out 14. In his first start at home on August 7, he finished with six strikeouts and gave up one run on one hit. The last time he took the rubber, McGarry went six innings and finished with five strikeouts. Through five starts in Baseballtown, McGarry has posted a 2.01 ERA and 25 strikeouts while allowing just five earned runs. Opposing Double-A teams bat just .113 against him.
In High-A Jersey Shore, McGarry made 12 starts and pitched 46.2 innings. He posted a 3.86 ERA, a 1.22 WHIP and 82 strikeouts while holding opposing batters under .200. McGarry’s stint with the BlueClaws marks his second as he played with the team in 2021. Last season, he finished with a 1-0 record through three starts and 13.1 innings. McGarry fanned 21 and gave up just four runs and seven hits. He started the season in Clearwater (A) and made five appearances, including a start.
The Phillies selected McGarry in the fifth round of the 2021 MLB Draft after he played four seasons at Virginia. He was also drafted in the 31st round of the 2017 draft following his prep career at the Menlo School, but elected to play at the college level.
Abel and Painter gave Jersey Shore fans a treat when each started a game in a doubleheader on August 6. In the first game, Abel claimed his seventh win of the season by tossing six scoreless innings and striking out eight in an 8-2 victory. Painter went the distance in the second of two seven inning contests. He hurled seven scoreless frames, gave up just two hits and finished with 11 strikeouts. Painter earned his second High-A win in a close 2-0 victory for the BlueClaws.
Painter started the 2022 season in Clearwater (A). He started nine games before moving up to High-A. Through 38.2 innings, Painter posted a 1.40 ERA and a 0.85 WHIP while allowing just six earned runs and striking out 69. He excelled with the BlueClaws to earn himself a promotion to Double-A. Painter made eight starts and pitched 36.2 innings in High-A. He finished with an impressive 0.98 ERA by giving up four earned runs and striking out 49.
In his first season of professional baseball, Painter played four games at the rookie level with the Florida Coast League Phillies. He started four games and didn’t give up a run through six innings while striking out 12. In his minor league career thus far, Painter has a 1.11 ERA and 130 strikeouts through 81.1 innings pitched. He hasn’t given up a run over his last 20.2 innings, dating back to July 23. Painter went seven innings in each of his last two starts, giving up a combined six hits. In his start on August 6, he struck out 11 batters, his second-highest total behind 14, which he set on April 23 in Clearwater.
Painter is from Pompano Beach, Florida and is 19 years old. He stands at 6-foot-7 and attended Calvary Christian Academy in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Painter was rated by Perfect Game as the top pitcher in Florida and the third-best righty in the country. Though he was committed to play at Florida following his prep career, Painter signed with the Phillies after the they drafted him in the first round with the 13th overall pick of the 2021 MLB Draft.
Abel played all of the 2022 season so far in High-A Jersey Shore. He’s started 18 games and posted a 4.01 ERA. Through 85.1 innings, the righty has 103 strikeouts. In 2021, his first professional season, Abel made 14 starts in Clearwater (A). He posted a 4.43 ERA, a 1.21 WHIP and 66 strikeouts through 44.2 innings with the Threshers.
Hailing from Portland, Oregon, the 20-year-old Abel stands at 6-foot-five. He attended Jesuit High School in his hometown and committed to Oregon State for college. However, Abel signed with the Phillies after they selected him in the first round with the 15th overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft. In his recruiting class, Abel was rated the top pitcher in Oregon and the No. 2 right-handed pitcher in the country.