The Philadelphia Phillies haven’t taken take a college pitcher of position player in the first round of the MLB draft since 2019.
That selection worked out well. Bryson Stott out of UNLV is Philadelphia’s starting second baseman.
But, since then, the Phils have taken high school players with each of their last five first-round picks.
Baseball America sees that trend continuing this July in the MLB draft. The publication recently mocked up the first round and Philadelphia ended up with third baseman Gavin Fien at No. 26 overall.
Who is Gavin Fien?
The prep star is from Great Oak High School in Temecula, Calif. He built a good reputation on the summer circuit, per Baseball America, but he’s having consistency issues in his final prep season that is impacting his stock. In the publication’s last mock, it had Fien dropping to No. 39 and the New York Yankees.
For the Phillies — who must decide on current third baseman Alec Bohm’s future in the coming years — Fien’s corner profile may come in handy, according to Baseball America’s Carlos Collazo.
“He’s a right-right high schooler who might be a corner profile, but that was the case for Aidan Miller at the time, as well—that pick has worked out nicely for the Phillies so far,” Collazo wrote.
Fien will need development time and Miller, at this rate, will beat him to the Majors by a few years.
The Phillies selected shortstop Dante Nori out of Northville High School in Northville, Mich., with last year’s first-round pick. Nori is playing his first full professional season with Class A Clearwater.
In 2023, the Phillies selected Miller out of J.W. Mitchell High School in Trinity, Fla., in the first round. He is playing at Double-A Reading and bucking for a promotion to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
The Phillies’ 2022 first-round selection was outfielder Justin Crawford from Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, Nev. The son of former MLB outfielder Carl Crawford is at Lehigh Valley and in play for an MLB promotion if needed.
Andrew Painter was the Phillies’ first-round pick in 2021 out of Calvary Christian Academy in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. After missing two seasons due to Tommy John surgery, he is pitching at Lehigh Valley and Philadelphia intends to call him up later this year.
Philadelphia’s first-round pick in 2020 was pitcher Mick Abel from Jesuit High School in Beaverton, Ore. After some fits and starts to his career, he’s pitching well at Lehigh Valley and could earn a MLB promotion soon.
The 2025 MLB draft will be held Sunday and Monday, July 13-14, during All-Star Weekend in Atlanta.
More must-reads: