Phillies Predicted to Make Decision on Andrew Painter Soon
Phillies Predicted to Make Decision on Andrew Painter Soon originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Philadelphia Phillies have one of the top prospects in all of baseball sitting in Triple-A right now after making his return to pitching in the minor leagues for the first time since 2022.
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MLB's No. 6 prospect and the top player in the Phillies' farm system, Andrew Painter, had Tommy John surgery in March of 2023 before the season even began. Now he is back pitching for the Phillies' Triple-A minor league affiliate, Lehigh Valley IronPigs.
According to R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports, the 6-foot-7, 215-pound Painter should be making the jump to the majors as soon as this season.
"His fastball is sitting 96 mph and he's showing a full arsenal, including a pair of breaking balls that have generated 40% whiffs to date." Anderson wrote.
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Andrew Painter (76) during photo day at BayCare Ballpark.Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
If the stuff is there, how is the 22-year-old doing statistically?
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Well, that is a different story. Painter has been struggling a touch as of late, but his ERA was as low as 2.65 until recently. On June 4, he gave up four earned runs over four innings, and then on June 10, he gave up six earned runs across five innings. Those outings launched his ERA up to 5.19, but he has pitched just 26 innings for the IronPigs this season.
Painter's career ERA in the minors is still 2.33, and if those two games are outliers, his numbers will dip back down into where he has been more consistently.
The Phillies need help in the bullpen, a position they may also look to improve at the deadline, so Anderson could be on the right track. Especially with concerns over how much Painter can pitch after such a long absence.
"It's to be seen how the Phillies handle his workload -- again, he didn't pitch at all in 2023 and he barely pitched last year -- but he should debut before season's end," Anderson said.
Related: Phillies' Zack Wheeler Reveals Retirement Plan
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 13, 2025, where it first appeared.
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