Philadelphia Phillies' top pitching prospect Andrew Painter shines in first spring training start

Philadelphia Phillies top pitching prospect Andrew Painter had two perfect innings in his highly anticipated spring training start Sunday vs. the New York Yankees at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida. 

Painter, who is the No. 28-ranked prospect in MLB Pipeline's top 100, didn't allow a hit in two innings against the Yankees and recorded one strikeout on 20 pitches. 

Painters threw six different pitches vs. the Yankees — mostly his four-seam fastball — but he also used his changeup, curveball, sinker, sweeper and slider to get through his first Grapefruit League start. 

Painter's fastball averaged 96.8 mph, and he got Yankees' outfielder Jasson Domínguez to strike out on a 2-2 slider to end the first inning.

"I wish I could've gone a little further, yeah, but when they're swinging early, and you get the outs early, you've got to take those," Painter said. 

Painter's start against the Yankees comes after a rollercoaster few years within the Phillies organization. 

In 2023, Painter was on track to crack Philadelphia's rotation as a 19-year-old. But he injured his right ulnar collateral ligament during a spring training game and then underwent Tommy John surgery. The injury forced Painter to miss the next two seasons until he returned in 2025 with the Clearwater Threshers and Lehigh Valley IronPigs. 

One thing Painter has struggled with since the injury has been his command, but he said this offseason has really helped him. 

"I felt pretty comfortable out there," Painter said. "Right when I toed the rubber, I felt like I was in control of the game, didn't speed up on me. And that's a big thing, taking deep breaths and not allowing the game to speed up on you." 

With ace Zack Wheeler expected to miss some time in the 2026 season and longtime starter Ranger Suárez heading to the Boston Red Sox in free agency, Painter is set fill a big role on the Phillies' starting pitching staff. 

"He's calm, cool, collected, just throws the ball, obviously an elite pitcher, but his demeanor is something I'm looking forward to working with," Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto said.