It’s no secret that Andrew Painter is one of the top pitching prospects in all of baseball. The secret right now is when he will be healthy enough to return to playing. The Philadelphia Phillies‘ top prospect is currently sidelined with a right UCL sprain. He injured it in a game in Spring Training and has yet to throw a meaningful pitch since. Once he does return, however, it will only be a matter of time before he gets the call to the Majors.
Profiling The Phillies’ Top Prospect
Drafted Out of High School
The Phillies drafted Andrew Painter with the 13th pick of the 2021 MLB Draft. It is normally a much wiser decision to draft pitchers out of college as they have faced a higher level of competition. The Phillies were not worried. Drafted out of Calvary Christian High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the 6’7 right-hander has quickly risen up the prospect ranks.
After being drafted in 2021, he would finish the year in Rookie Ball. There, he made four starts, compiling a total of six innings. In those six innings, however, he struck out 12 batters and only allowed four hits. It was immediately clear that he was ready to start the 2022 season at a higher level.
Rising Up The Ranks
Andrew Painter started 2022 as a member of the Clearwater Threshers. In 38.2 innings and nine starts there, he compiled a 1.40 ERA with 69 strikeouts. He then got the call to join the High-A Jersey Shore Blue Claws.
He was only there for a total of 36.2 innings, across eight starts while striking out 49 batters and holding a 0.98 ERA. After the summer on the Jersey Shore, it was time to spend the early fall in Reading as a member of the Fightin’ Phils. Painter started five games to finish the season, going 28.1 innings while carrying a 2.54 ERA and 37 strikeouts. For those of you keeping track at home, that’s a season total of 22 starts, 103.2 innings, an ERA of 1.56, and 155 strikeouts.
What The Phillies Have To Look Forward To
In the first spring inning of the 6-foot-7 Andrew Painter, it just looked like hitters were overwhelmed by his fastball. Looks like his release point is well beyond that of most pitchers.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) March 1, 2023
As you can see, Andrew Painter is very much a power pitcher. He carries a pitch mix of a high-90s fastball, a low-80s slider with a ton of break, an above-average changeup, and a passable curveball. Essentially, it is the quintessential pitch mix a power pitcher can have. Mixing the fastball up with the slider away and the curveball below the knees is a deadly combination that has kept hitters on their toes for years.
Another aspect of Painter’s skillset to look forward to is his control. He grades out as a well above-average control artist, and it has shown early in his professional career as he currently carries a professional BB/9 of 2.1. Even Aaron Nola, the Phillies’ current ace and multi-time Cy Young candidate, has a higher career BB/9 of 2.4.
The Phillies’ Top Prospect
The Phillies made a solid choice when they drafted Andrew Painter. The injury this early in his career is definitely concerning, but he is still only 20 years old. If the Phillies can extend Nola, adding Painter to the rotation next season could potentially give them the deadliest 1-2 punch in baseball.
Obviously, not every promising future Big Leaguer pans out. But with the Phillies’ top prospect, the sky definitely seems to be the limit.
Main photo credits:
Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
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