Get to know every Philadelphia Phillies 2021 draft pick

How did each of the Phillies’ 2021 draft picks do in their first season on the farm?

The 2021 MLB Draft began threw everyone’s mock drafts out the window.

The Philadelphia Phillies began their drafting by selecting Andrew Painter as the 13th overall pick. Over the twenty rounds, they selected 13 pitchers, six outfielders, and an infielder.

Here’s how they each fared in their professional debuts and something to know about every one of them!

Phillies First-Round Pick: Andrew Painter, RHP

The Phillies went with shock value to start their draft picks, taking Florida high school star Andrew Painter, a hard-throwing giant. The 6’7 pitcher won Gatorade Player of the Year this year for Florida, and has a mid-90s fastball, though it’s been projected that as he develops, he’ll be able to throw even harder.

MLB.com’s draft tracker raves about Painter’s “exciting combination of raw stuff” and “advanced feel for pitching.” His four-pitch arsenal has already impressed the legendary Pedro Martinez, who says the Phillies’ first pick reminds him of former Cubs pitcher Mark Prior in his early dominance.

Painter also overlapped with Joe Girardi’s son Dante, for two years at Cavalry Christian, which might have factored into the Phillies’ decision, as Painter has said that he and the Phillies manager already have a good relationship.

After signing with the Phillies, Painter began his professional career at the rookie-level Florida Complex League in September. Facing rookies from the Tigers, Yankees, and Blue Jays organizations, Painter assembled a 0.00 ERA over four short starts. He never pitched more than two innings in a game, but struck out 12 batters over six total innings and never issued a walk.

He’s now ranked as the Phillies’ third-overall prospect, and the future looks bright for Painter.