Phillies Pitching Prospect Working Tirelessly To Regain Form After Tommy John Surgery

In the fourth round of the 2022 MLB draft, the Philadelphia Phillies selected pitcher Alex McFarlane out of the University of Miami (FL).

He showcased some electric stuff with an 11.9 K/9 ratio with the Hurricanes as a relief pitcher. Despite making only 12 starts in college, that is the role the Phillies opted to have him fill as a professional.

There is enough pressure on a youngster to live up to expectations as a fourth-round pick and learning a new role to last a lifetime.

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Unfortunately for McFarlane, he was presented with another obstacle to overcome early in his career: Tommy John surgery.

He underwent the procedure in 2023 during the final month of the season. It led to him missing the entirety of the 2024 campaign, going through the rigorous rehab process that takes time for players to recover from.

In September 2024, he was back on the mound, throwing to live hitters once again. It was a nice milestone to achieve, but the process was just beginning as he was essentially relearning how to be a pitcher again.

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“The mental side of the game is what I worked on a lot, obviously physically (as well),” McFarlane said, via Charlotte Varnes of The Athletic (subscription required). “But the mental side is just as important. I took time to really understand how I handle adversity in any given game — just moving on to the next game, making an in-game adjustment, the little things.”

He is working tirelessly on his game, but it can be frustrating when the expected production isn’t following suit.

McFarlane has struggled with a 5.72 ERA across 39.1 innings with High-A Jersey Shore. He is 0-6 through his first 11 starts of the season.

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The best offering in his three-pitch arsenal right now is a slider, but his stuff isn’t quite at the level it was previously.

His strikeout rate has plummeted in his return to the mound, down to only 7.6 per nine innings. On an encouraging note, his walk rate has subsided a bit but still remains too high at 5.5.

Getting back on the mound in any capacity is a victory when undergoing a procedure like Tommy John surgery. But, McFarlane knows there is more work to be done, as simply pitching again isn’t the end goal.

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“It’s not time for celebration,” McFarlane said. “It’s time to get on the mound and continue working and pushing.”

He has the right mindset for this process and hopefully the hard work behind to bear results on the field soon, too.

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