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Phillies Get Great News on Top Pitching Prospect

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Matthew Sullivan | Last updated Apr 5, 2025 4:00 PM ET

The Philadelphia Phillies have the best baseball rotation, and it will likely get better as the year progresses. Ranger Suárez is working his way back from injury, Taijuan Walker impressed in his first start, and their top prospect is close to returning.

According to Todd Zolecki, Phillies beat writer for MLB.com, the Phillies received great news on top prospect Andrew Painter. On Friday, Painter threw two innings of live batting practice, and it went well. Manager Rob Thompson said that Painter could begin a rehab assignment soon.

The Phillies' top prospect is the seventh-ranked prospect in baseball and is just 21 years old. He suffered an elbow injury in 2022 and went on to have Tommy John surgery. Sitting out all of 2023 and 2024, Painter has been sidelined for nearly two years.

Painter came back to pitch in the Arizona Fall League at the end of 2024 and impressed in a major way. He had a 2.30 ERA in 15.2 innings pitched. Painter also had 18 strikeouts to just four walks, an encouraging sign in his first pitching appearance in two years.

With his latest live batting practice going well, there is a lot of optimism surrounding the top prospect in the Phillies' farm system. Painter is on the precipice of joining the big-league roster, and with a rehab assignment soon, Painter could make his Major League debut in 2025.

The former 13th overall pick out of high school in 2021 has made a massive impact since joining the Phillies. His 2022 season across three levels of play was a look into what makes Painter a top prospect in baseball.

Across 26 games started, 103 and two-thirds innings, Painter had a 1.56 ERA. He never threw over 38 and two-thirds innings at any level as he made his way up the Phillies Minor League teams. His WHIP never was higher than 0.95, getting as low as 0.85. Painter struck out 155 batters, walking just 25 in his incredible 2022 Minor League campaign.

Painter, the seventh-ranked prospect in baseball, is nearing his Major League debut. The long road to recovery is almost complete for Painter after a brutal injury at the top of his game.

The news from Zolecki that Painter is making great progress is incredible news for the Phillies. While the starting rotation doesn't direly need Painter, his addition to the rotation could be the best trade-deadline acquisition the Phillies could make.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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