Philadelphia Phillies Star Expected To Make Top 50 Prospect Debut in 2025

A Philadelphia Phillies pitching prospect is expected to make a jump up the rankings in 2025.

A detailed view of a Philadelphia Phillies hat and glove on the bench / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies are acutely focused on winning the World Series this season.

They have consistently been one of the best teams in baseball and are regarded by many as the team to beat in the National League.

Arguably the biggest strength for this team is their pitching.

The Phillies have an extremely deep and talented rotation that features three All-Stars from this year; Cy Young Award hopeful Zack Wheeler, Ranger Suarez and Cristopher Sanchez. The bullpen features two more All-Stars; Matt Strahm and Jeff Hoffman.

That isn’t all the talent manager Rob Thomson can count on.

Don’t forget workhorse starting pitcher Aaron Nola and the plethora of relievers at his disposal like Orion Kerkering, Jose Ruiz, Jose Alvarado and deadline acquisitions Carlos Estevez and Tanner Banks.

With that kind of depth and talent, Philadelphia is going to be able to mix and match throughout the postseason, giving them an advantage over most of their opponents. All of those starters work deep into games and all of the relievers average more than one strikeout per inning, a recipe for success in the playoffs.

There is even more help that could be on the way in 2025.

Starting pitcher Andrew Painter has had some tough luck when he knocked on the doorstep of becoming a Major Leaguer.

An elbow injury held him back but Jim Bowden of The Athletic believes he is poised to break into his top 50 prospects list in 2025.

“Andrew Painter had a legitimate shot to make the Phillies’ rotation as a teenager out of spring training last year, but he suffered an elbow sprain that ultimately led to him having Tommy John surgery midway through the 2023 season. He did not pitch in 2023 (beyond one Grapefruit League game) and 2024, and that’s the only reason he didn’t make my top 50,” wrote the former MLB executive.

When he pitched last in 2022, he was truly dominant.

Across three minor league levels and 22 starts, he had a 1.56 ERA with a 13.5 K/9.

The upside is certainly there for Painter to be one of the top pitching prospects in the game. If he can return to form, Bowden believes he will be among the top three hurlers in baseball.

“He has three plus pitches, including a 98 mph fastball with downward plane. He has tremendous reach and can repeat his release point despite his 6-foot-7 frame. The Phillies think he can be a big-league contributor at some point next season, though they will need to monitor his innings,” wrote Bowden.

The pitching staff is already a strength for Philadelphia and could get even stronger with the addition of Painter in 2025.

Only 21 years old, his future in the City of Brotherly Love is a bright one.