Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Mick Abel. Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Phillies' No. 8 pitching prospect set for debut vs. Pirates' Paul Skenes

By Lauren Amour | Last updated May 16, 2025 5:25 PM ET

On Friday, the Philadelphia Phillies announced multiple roster moves before their series opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Right-hander Aaron Nola was placed on the 15-day injured list with an ankle sprain, per MLB.com's Todd Zolecki. The IL stint comes after Nola had the worst outing of his career on Wednesday vs. the St. Louis Cardinals, allowing nine runs on 12 hits in 3.2 innings, bringing his ERA on the year to 6.16.

Nola is one of the most durable pitchers in the sport. He has avoided the injured list for much of his career. This is his first time on the IL since July 2021, when he was placed on the COVID-19-related list, but it is his first time on the IL with an actual injury since 2017.

In his place, Phillies No. 8 prospect Mick Abel will make his MLB debut on Sunday against the Pirates, where he'll face off against ace Paul Skenes.

Mick was LOCKED IN pic.twitter.com/CdVXJAYoYR
— Lehigh Valley IronPigs (@IronPigs) May 11, 2025

Abel has impressed at Triple-A Lehigh Valley in 2025, pitching to a 2.53 ERA and 1.21 WHIP across 46.1 innings. The 23-year-old looks much better than in 2024, when he had a 6.46 ERA in 24 starts with Lehigh Valley.

His fastball velocity dropped in 2024, but still touched 98 mph and averaged 94.6. Abel has bounced back this season, overwhelming hitters with his imposing 6-foot-5 frame and four-to-five-pitch mix, which includes a curveball, slider and changeup.

The righty was drafted by Philadelphia 15th overall in the 2020 MLB Draft out of Jesuit High School in Portland, Ore. It's been a tough road for Abel, having not developed at the pace he was initially expected to, but he'll finally get a chance to prove himself on a major league mound on Sunday against one of the best pitchers in the league.

Lauren Amour

Lauren Amour is a writer and editor based in the Greater Philadelphia area. She currently works as an editor and writer at Yardbarker, covering MLB and the Philadelphia Phillies.

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