Phillies prospects Mick Abel, Andrew Painter riding strong as Double-A season nears finish

Mick Abel was named Eastern League Pitcher of the Week. (Cheryl Pursell)

Mick Abel and Andrew Painter are riding strong as the Reading Fightin Phils season nears its finish.

The Philadelphia Phillies pushed their top two pitching prospects to Double-A in late August, and the young right-handers have handled the challenge. Now, with two weeks left in the Eastern League schedule, the pair of starters are pitching as sharply as ever.

Abel, a 2020 first-round draft pick, was named Eastern League Pitcher of the Week for his performance on Sunday at Hartford, where he struck out eight batters over five scoreless innings. Painter, a top pick in 2021, allowed one run in seven innings on Saturday. It’s only a continuation of a breakout season for both pitchers.

The 21-year-old Abel has a 3.91 ERA in 21 starts this season, and he has a 3.29 ERA in his three starts with Reading. Painter, 19, has a 1.94 ERA in 20 starts across three levels with a 1.40 ERA in his three Double-A outings, cementing himself as one of the best pitching prospects in all of baseball.

Pitching at a high level this deep into the season, Painter and Abel will have two more chances to pitch for the Fightins this year and continue the strong campaign. Reading will host New Hampshire for a six-game set starting Tuesday, the final home series at FirstEnergy Stadium of the season. The team will close out the schedule the following week in Altoona.

If the duo continues to pitch well and feel healthy, perhaps there’s a chance that Abel and Painter could make an appearance in Triple-A before the year ends. The Lehigh Valley IronPigs season ends on Sept. 28, 10 days after Reading’s final game.

Moving the two pitchers to the top level of the minors would be an aggressive move for the Phillies, but seeing how they respond to the advanced opposition could be worthwhile. After all, Abel and Painter have shown an ability to perform at each stop so far. Continuing that trend to close the season would only be another positive sign for the future.