Phillies Prospect Painter Debuts at Triple-A Lehigh Valley

The Phillies top prospect is now at the highest level of the minor leagues.  Andrew Painter, ranked number five prospect on MLB Pipeline in all of baseball and number one for the Phillies, debuted for Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Thursday night.  Before the rains came and the IronPigs defeated the Worcester Red Sox 3-2 in six innings, Painter showed what he could do.

The first test came with Red Sox leadoff hitter Roman Anthony.  Anthony, an outfielder, is ranked the number one prospect in all of baseball.

Painter struck Anthony out on four pitches.

Painter would allow one single to Marcelo Mayer in the first, but got a fly out to left and struck out Blake Sabol to end the inning.

After striking out two in the second inning, the third inning proved to be somewhat of a challenge for Painter.

After getting a strikeout and a pop out, Painter would walk the bases loaded.  He would, however, get Sabol to pop out to end the threat, the inning, and Painter's night.

All in all, Painter threw 60 pitches, with 34 being strikes.  He struck out five and walked three.  Garrett Stubbs was behind the plate for Painter's first Triple-A start.

According to the radar gun displayed in center field, Painter's fastball regularly sat around 95 and 96 miles per hour.  Painter's velocity was below what he showed in the Arizona Fall League and in earlier starts. But he mixed his pitches well and was not scored upon in his Triple-A debut.

The IronPigs would go on to take a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning, just in time for rain to fall, ending the night after six innings.