Phillies Should Only Entertain Mick Abel Trade Talks with One Thing in Mind

With the No. 15 overall pick in the first round of the 2020 MLB Draft, the Philadelphia Phillies selected right-handed pitcher Mick Abel out of Jesuit High School in Beaverton, Oregon.

It took no time for him to become one of the best prospects in the game, being ranked inside the Top 100 during the 2021 preseason.

Abel would remain a Top 100 prospect for multiple years, but fell out of the rankings heading into the 2025 campaign.

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It was easy to see why some of the shine was gone from him as a prospect after he recorded an ugly 6.46 ERA in 2024 across 24 starts and 108.2 innings with Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Abel was struggling mightily with his control, issuing a concerning 6.5 walks per nine innings. He also hit four batters and was charged with nine wild pitches.

However, he started to regain the form that made him such a highly touted prospect in 2025, pitching incredibly well at Lehigh Valley.

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In 10 starts he had a 2.21 ERA across 57 innings, striking out 67 batters and lowering his BB/9 to 4.1. Still a little high, but an impressive improvement from the previous year.

At only 23 years old, Abel would be called upon to make his Major League debut on May 18. 

He was thrown right into the fire, facing off against Pittsburgh Pirates phenom and reigning National League Rookie of the Year Award winner, Paul Skenes.

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Abel showed just how great he could be in that game, going toe-to-toe with one of the best pitchers in the world, outdueling him in what was a 1-0 win for the Phillies.

Across six innings of work, Abel allowed only five hits and struck out nine Pirates, without allowing a walk.

He has been a consistent part of the Philadelphia rotation since June 4, helping compensate for the loss of veteran Aaron Nola to injury.

On the season, Abel has a 5.04 ERA with 21 strikeouts through 25 innings. He has shown remarkable improvement with his control.

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That has led to many people speculating whether or not the Phillies would include him in a trade package to upgrade other areas of their roster to make a World Series push this year.

Jim Bowden of The Athletic (subscription required) has shared the one reason that would lead Philadelphia to consider trading away their former top prospect.

“The only way the Phillies should trade Abel is if they can acquire what they believe is the missing piece to winning a world championship this year,” the former MLB executive wrote.

What would consistite as the missing piece to winning this year?

Philadelphia has a strong roster, but their bullpen could use some help and the outfield situation is still messy.

If they were able to address both needs at once, especially if the players being acquired are not rentals, parting ways with Abel could make sense with Andrew Painter on the way to help bolster the starting rotation.

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