Phillies top prospect tosses three shutout innings in Triple-A debut

Painter won the battle, striking out Anthony on four pitches on an 83.9 mph curveball. He allowed a single to the next batter, fellow top prospect Marcelo Meyer, but induced a flyout and another strikeout to end the inning.

The 22-year-old right-hander threw 60 pitches (34 strikes) and struck out five batters across three innings, with his fastball touching 97-98 mph. Although he kept the WooSox off the board, Painter surrendered three two-out walks in his final inning to load the bases. He got out of the jam by getting catcher Blake Sabol to pop up.

The Phillies drafted Painter in the first round of the 2021 MLB Draft, and he has since climbed prospect rankings due to his towering 6-foot-7 frame, elite-level arsenal and ability to miss bats. 

Tommy John surgery in 2023 set the top prospect back nearly two seasons, but he returned to the mound in the Arizona Fall League in 2024. Philadelphia anticipates Painter will join the major league club at some point this season, but that depends on how he fares in Triple-A.

His five strikeouts and eight swings-and-misses were the most encouraging signs of Painter's outing, but his command is something the Phillies will likely monitor moving forward.