It appears that former Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Mick Abel could be set for a breakout season, as he has been dominant so far this spring with his new club.
Fans may recall that Abel, a former first-round pick, was dealt by the Phillies to the Minnesota Twins last July, along with catcher Eduardo Tait, in exchange for reliever Jhoan Duran after spending five years with the organization.Â
Drafted 15th overall by the Phillies in 2020, Abel became the highest pitcher selected by the club since Gavin Floyd was picked with the fourth selection of the 2001 MLB Draft. Abel’s Phillies career got off to an excellent start last year, as he pitched six scoreless innings with nine strikeouts in a 1-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates, out-pitching Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes in the process. His success with the Phillies was short-lived, however, as he ultimately pitched to a 5.04 ERA across six outings before he was traded.
His arrival in Minnesota initially was not any better, but he did manage to finish the 2025 season on a high note with another scoreless outing against the Phillies in September. Overall, he finished the campaign with a 3-4 record to go along with a 6.23 ERA in 39 innings of work between Philadelphia and Minnesota.
Phillies won't regret Jhoan Duran trade despite Mick Abel breakout
Fast forward to this spring, and Abel seems to have found his footing thus far, as he has pitched 10 scoreless innings across three outings. Perhaps most impressive is the fact that he has 13 strikeouts and no walks over the course of that time. Command has long been an issue for Abel, as he has compiled 260 walks in 473.1 innings in the minor leagues.
Of course, time will tell if he will be able to keep up this performance during the regular season, but initial returns for the Twins this spring have been positive. On the Phillies front, they appear to have made out well too, as Jhoan Duran has locked down the closer spot, which had been a big need for the club for years.
Abel is expected to make the Twins out of spring training as a starting pitcher in the back end of the rotation, which includes (an injured) Joe Ryan (who should be back for Opening Day), Bailey Ober, Simeon Woods Richardson, and Taj Bradley. He will look to help get the club back to the postseason for the first time since 2023 following two disappointing campaigns.