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Meet the 2025 Philadelphia Phillies: RHP Mick Abel

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Mike Ostrowski | Last updated Mar 5, 2025 6:00 AM ET

The 2025 MLB season is almost upon us, and so is a crucial year for the Philadelphia Phillies. Fresh off an NL East title but a subsequent loss in the NLDS, the Fightins are once again hunting for Red October and an elusive third World Series Championship.

Over the next few days, we'll take you through each player with a chance at making the Phils' active roster and discuss expectations for all of them. Starting things off is a former 1st Round Pick...

Name: McLean "Mick" Abel

Number: 73

Position: Pitcher

Throws: Right

Build: 6'5", 190 lbs.

Age: 23

Acquired: 2020 MLB Draft, 1st Round (15th Overall Pick)

2024 Stats: 3-12, 6.46 ERA with 117 Ks, 78 BBs, and a .390 opponent OBP across 24 starts (108.2 IP) with AAA Lehigh Valley.

2025 Projections: Abel will likely start the season back with the IronPigs. He's more of a long-term rotation option, along with fellow top pitching prospect Andrew Painter. Prior to last season, Abel was rising steadily through the lower levels of minor league baseball. His prospect page labels him as having a fastball that sits steadily in the mid-90s and a knockout slider in the mid-80s, but it mentions a need to further develop his secondary pitches, which include a curveball and change-up.

Still, if anyone in the starting rotation gets injured or Abel thrives in the early months, don't be surprised if he makes it to Philly sometime over the summer. The starting five is locked in, but barring a miraculous resurgence from Taijuan Walker, the next man up is wide open.

"Knowing that the team still believes in me - I still believe in myself, that’s one thing, but the team still believing, it feels really good," Abel told MLB.com's Todd Zolecki. "It lit a fire under my butt this offseason to push myself a little harder."

Highlights from Last Season: