Two Phillies Crack ESPN’s 2022 Midseason Top 50 MLB Prospect List

The Philadelphia Phillies promoted their top two pitching prospects to Double-A over the weekend, sending Andrew Painter and Mick Abel to Reading.

ESPN.com MLB writer Kiley McDaniel just put out his list of the 2022 midseason top 50 MLB prospects and both Phillies pitchers appeared on the list with Painter landing at No. 32.

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The 19-year old has been dominate at two Single-A stops this season, notching a 1.19 ERA in 17 starts with Jersey Shore and Clearwater.

Painter (great pitcher name) has had a huge velo spike this spring, gaining 3-4 ticks (he's now hitting triple digits) and firming up his already 55-to-60 grade raw stuff to be even better. He's the consensus best pitching prospect in baseball below Double-A -- chatter around the league is that he was one of the players the Nationals were trying to initiate side deals or three-way trades to include in Juan Soto trade proposals.

With Clearwater, the 13th overall selection of the 2021 Major League Baseball draft sported a 1-1 record with a 1.40 ERA, striking out 69 batters in 38.2 innings pitched. He was promoted to Jersey Shore and had even better numbers in eight games with the Blue Claws, posting a 0.98 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 36.2 innings pitched. 

Coming in at No. 46 is 2020 Major League Baseball draft pick Mick Abel, who was selected with the 15th overall pick. The 20-year old has pitched 18 games with a 4.01 ERA, 103 strikeouts in 85.1 innings pitched.

If Painter is the clear below Double-A favorite, the player who comes second to him on that list is also on the Phillies. Abel, like Painter, was a standout talent early in high school and has continued progressing, even if he hasn't had the huge spike in ability that Painter did this year.

Painter and Able will pitch the rest of this season at Reading, with the possibility of one or both joining the Phillies rotation in 2023.

One other Phillies prospect appeared on McDaniel's list, Johan Rojas, who is currently a center fielder playing at Reading.  The 22-year old is hitting .225 with 14 stolen bases in 32 games since being promoted to Double-A.