Andrew Painter is one of the most hyped-up prospects at Philadelphia Phillies Spring Training, and he proved it is for good reason. Painter is only 19 years old but is already showing incredible command and versatility from the mound. He had pitches hit 99 miles per hour, which is more than fast enough in MLB.
It is rare to see young pitchers being able to come into the big leagues and dominate right off the bat, but Andrew Painter has that potential. He almost certainly has a few more years of development to go, but he has all the tools a team could want. Considering the Philadelphia Phillies are coming off a World Series appearance, a top prospect is a tremendous asset to their team.
Matt Gelb and Rob Freidman were among the first to highlight Andrew Painter's incredible debut on Twitter. Given more time to develop, we could be looking at a future Cy Young award-winning pitcher.
Not only was he able to get it done against MLB players, but he also struck out Minnesota Twins star Carlos Correa. Correa is one of the most consistent offensive players in the league and Painter still managed to beat him. Philadelphia Phillies fans are already excited for this young pitcher to rise through the ranks and join their rotation.
Developing pitchers is not an exact science and is never an easy task. While someone like Painter clearly has the talent and tools needed, hard work is the biggest difference maker. The commitment to excellence is what allows pitchers like Justin Verlander and Clayton Kershaw to have such long careers.
The Philadelphia Phillies came up just short of winning it all in 2022, largely due to a disparity in the pitching staff with the Houston Astros. The Astros were loaded with pitchers and showed almost no signs of weakness at the position. If the Phillies want to take the next step, adding more quality starts is paramount. Andrew Painter could eventually bring exactly that.
The Phillies might have a top star in the making on their hands, and fans cannot wait to see more of him this spring training.
The Philadelphia Phillies' path back to the World Series is filled with hurdles
The National League may never have been better than it is right now. Even in the Phillies' own division, the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves are bonafide championship contenders.
Once the season begins, every win or loss will have a huge impact on the Phillies' season and championship hopes.