The Philadelphia Phillies are going through a rough patch, but there has been a positive note throughout all of it. One of the Phillies’ top prospects, Mick Abel, has had an impressive start to his major league career.
After going six scoreless innings and tying the franchise’s strikeout record in a MLB debut with nine against the Pittsburgh Pirates on May 18, Abel put together another solid outing against the Toronto Blue Jays last Wednesday. In just his second major league start, the right-hander tossed 5 1/3 innings, allowing three hits and one earned run.
It sounds like the Phillies aren't putting Mick Abel on the trade block
After Wednesday’s 2-1 loss to the Blue Jays, Abel admitted to not having his best stuff on the mound, per MLB.com's Jordan Horrobin. The 23-year-old’s velocity was down two miles per hour, and he recorded just two strikeouts with a total of five swings and misses all game, down from 18 whiffs in his debut.
Mick Abel, Wicked 83mph Curveball. 🤢 pic.twitter.com/FL45yNzYZ5
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 4, 2025
Through most of the season, Abel’s name has been in trade rumors. After a forgettable 2024 season in Triple-A, Phillies fans were ready to move on from the 2020 first-round pick. Despite a 5-2 record and a 2.53 ERA in eight starts before his MLB debut, fans were hoping that his first taste of action in the big leagues would increase his trade value as the July 31 deadline nears.
“He said flat out: Mick Abel is ready,” The Athletic’s Jayson Stark said when citing a conversation with Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski regarding Abel, per 97.5 The Fanatic. “Period. He’s as ready as any prospect can be for the big leagues. Dave [Dombrowski] talked about him as a future top of the rotation starter.”
Dombrowski could very well have said what he did about Abel to increase his trade value, but nonetheless, the Phillies are confident in the young starter. He’s the first Phillies starter to record 10 or more scoreless innings to start his career since Cole Hamels in 2006, and more impressively, he has yet to allow a single walk through his first 11 1/3 innings at the big league level.
With Aaron Nola suffering another setback as he recovers from an ankle injury, Abel will have the opportunity to continue to prove his worth to the Phillies.