Former Phillies first rounder Mick Abel rolling in Reading

Mick Abel continues to impress. (Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire)

Mick Abel is putting it together in Double-A.

After a solid 2022 campaign that saw the right-hander make his final five starts in Reading, the former first-round draft pick has taken another step through his first five outings for the Fightins this year.

Abel — the 21-year-old starter drafted with the 15th overall pick out of high school in 2020 — has impressed in his return to Reading, pitching to a 2.93 ERA in 21 1/3 innings with 10.55 K/9 and a 0.98 WHIP. And after dealing with some slight control issues early in the season as he built his pitch count, the righty has dialed it up in his last two starts with back-to-back six-inning outings with zero walks:

In his fourth start of the season on April 29 against Altoona, Abel went six strong as he allowed two hits and only one run on a solo home run while striking out six batters. He followed it up on Friday by striking out eight over six innings at Hartford, scattering four hits and allowing one run. Abel has not allowed more than one run since his first start of the year when he gave up two while recording only two outs.

While Abel has been surpassed on the prospect lists over the last two seasons by 2021 first rounder Andrew Painter — who appeared destined to crack the Phillies rotation as a teenager out of spring training before injuring his elbow — the No. 2 prospect in Philadelphia’s system is still showing promise. Abel’s fastball has been comfortably touching the upper-90s mph, his slider/curveball/changeup combination gives him a solid set of secondary pitches and his control has been improving by the start.

Abel may not have the top-of-the-rotation potential that someone like Painter possesses, but he has the makings of a future big-league contributor. And if he continues to roll through the Double-A competition at the rate he has been, a promotion to Triple-A shouldn’t be that far off.