Abel reps Phils on new Top 100 Prospects list

August 19th, 2021

PHOENIX -- The Phillies expect big things from Mick Abel and Andrew Painter, and MLB Pipeline’s updated prospect rankings reflect that. Abel is now ranked No. 1 and Painter came in at No. 3 on the Phillies’ Top 30 Prospects list.

Shortstop Bryson Stott is Philadelphia's No. 2 prospect, while recently acquired right-hander Hans Crouse is at No. 4.

Abel is the only Phillies prospect on MLB Pipeline's Top 100 Prospects list, coming in at No. 70. The Phillies selected Abel with the No. 15 overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft. The right-hander is 1-3 with a 4.43 ERA in 14 starts this season with Low-A Clearwater, although he has not pitched since July 21 because of soreness in his right shoulder. The Phillies do not believe the injury is serious, but they are being cautious about his return. It is unclear when that will be.

Painter is getting closer to making his professional debut with the Phillies, who selected him with the No. 13 overall pick in the 2021 Draft. Philadelphia had not selected high school pitchers in the first round in consecutive Drafts since Gavin Floyd and Cole Hamels in 2001 and '02.

Hamels blossomed into a star, winning the 2008 World Series MVP and National League Championship Series MVP Awards. He has a 58.1 bWAR over 15 seasons. Floyd got traded to the White Sox in '06 for Freddy Garcia and finished his career with a 16.4 bWAR over 13 seasons.

The Phillies will be happy if Painter and Abel are the next Hamels and Floyd. They will also be thrilled if they get two versions of Hamels.

“We evaluated Andrew unto himself,” Phillies amateur scouting director Brian Barber said in June. “And then as you start talking about the excitement and upside of getting Mick last year, and then the opportunity to add Andrew to that, and those guys rise up through the Minor Leagues together and hopefully one day front your rotation in Philadelphia, yeah, that gets us excited.”