Philadelphia Phillies prospect Mick Abel may be turning a corner. That corner could be the final turn toward a big-league debut.
The right-hander was good again Wednesday for Triple-A Lehigh Valley, tossing seven strong innings, allowing one run on four hits. He walked two and struck out four.
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Abel mixed in a curveball and changeup, but dominated with his four-seamer and slider, touching 99 mph and living 95-97. He induced nine whiffs on 44 swings and yielded but two hard-hit balls (95 mph or higher).
In years past, Abel flashed the stuff, but his control and command often lagged. While he’s issued 11 walks in 28.1 innings in 2025, that 9.3% rate is a tremendous improvement over a year ago when he posted a 15.1% mark, and the big-league average for starting pitchers the last two-plus seasons is right around 8%. Several high-quality arms are issuing more bases on balls than Abel’s early 2025 rate.
But the trend is what’s most important, as is his improved ability to locate.
“This was my second time seeing him already,” said an NL scout. “That seems to be the difference, he’s staying out of the middle better than in the past. Especially with the fastball. Sometimes command takes time.”
Opponents are seeing it, too.
“He can spot that breaking ball and hitters know it,” one opposing hitting coach who has been tasked to prepare for Abel several times over the last three seasons. “You want to hit the fastball, and there have been times he’s allowed you to do that, but watching him this season, there’s another gear to things, and more consistent pitch quality.”
Abel also appears to be settling into his arsenal.
At 6-foot-5 and 190 pounds, Abel has always carried physical projection, and at 23, some of that remains.
“He still has a little room to fill out,” the scout added, “but this is what you buy, this is what you have to believe in, what we’re watching with him right now.”
Abel stood out at Future Star Series’ International Week in 2018, generating praise for his feel, fastball life, and signs of a future plus slider, a dependable offering this season.
Jeremy Booth’s report on Abel from that event spoke loudly of his makeup and instincts, but at the time, the 17-year-old had things to work on, too, per Booth, namely repeating his delivery and learning how to use his pitches.
“That’s the thing about him right now,” said the scout. “He’s throwing fastball and slider whenever he wants, all counts, and both pitches can get you out. He’s learned this over the last few years. It seems he knows when to go in or out and how to use his best pitches to attack.”
Abel, however, is getting good results from each his main four offerings, and he’s kept the two-seamer around to mix it up.
Wednesday, Abel needed just 82 pitches to get through seven frames versus Columbus (CLE), but it wasn’t just a matter of hoping hitters would get themselves out on their own. It was about execution. Hitting spots.
In his previous outing, the Jesuit High School (Ore.) product pitched into the sixth inning versus Gwinnett (ATL), allowing two runs on four hits. He walked three against eight strikeouts. The runs came on a first-inning two-run home run by MLB veteran Garrett Cooper. After that, Abel gave up two singles in 4.1 scoreless frames.
The results show Abel has grown significantly in this way as a pro. Consistency is a big part of what the parent club will be looking for in determining whether or not Abel can help in the show.
In five starts this season, Abel has pitched through the fifth each time, into the sixth or longer three times and Wednesday was the second time in his career he posted a ‘7’ under the ‘IP’ column.
The small-sample consensus from scouts persists that Abel is still a step away. While on the surface it may look and seem like a consistent third pitch might be at the top of the to-do list, some evaluators opine it’s just about time.
“I’d like to see him show me he can dominate someone, maybe take it away from a righty-heavy lineup, offer an advantageous matchup versus the middle (of the order). I think he’s on his way, but if I had to ask for more, that would be it. That’s more about time with guys that have figured out how to utilize their stuff. And he’s showing he has that, and a full assortment of pitches.”
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