Philadelphia Phillies Star Prospect Can Provides Rotation With Elite Upside

The Philadelphia Phillies' rotation strength should only become even better at some point during the 2025 season.

Oct 11, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; A view of the Phillies logo painted on the field before game three of the NLDS for the 2023 MLB playoffs between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park. | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Coming into the offseason, the Philadelphia Phillies had one of the best starting rotations in baseball.

Their top four of Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Cristopher Sanchez and Ranger Suarez were as good as it gets. 

Wheeler was the Cy Young Award runner-up in the National League while Nola remains as reliable of a workhorse as any pitcher in the game. Sanchez and Suarez both made the All-Star team, providing excellent depth.

Alas, despite their success, the team struggled to find a fifth starter that could consistently produce.

Looking to shore that spot up in their rotation, they completed a trade with the Miami Marlins to acquire Jesus Luzardo.

It was not cheap, as the two prospects included shortstop Starlyn Caba and outfielder Emaarion Boyd, were both ranked inside the Phillies' top 30. Caba, particularly, could emerge as one of the best defensive shorstops in baseball once he gets a foothold in the Majors.

But, it was a price worth paying, as Luzardo has immense upside, evident by his performance in 2023. If he can stay healthy, he has a great chance to regain that form, especially since there won’t be pressure as the No. 5 starter instead of serving as the ace of a staff, as he did at times with the Marlins.

With one of their biggest voids now figured out, Philadelphia is in the conversation for having the best starting rotation in baseball. But, there is even more help on the way.

Their top prospect, Andrew Painter, is knocking on the door of finally making his Major League debut. That goes right in line with Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report, who named the talented righty the team’s most MLB-ready prospect for 2025.

"He won Pitcher of the Year honors in the Arizona Fall League, and while there is no open spot in the rotation, he could be utilized as a multi-inning bullpen weapon to help limit his innings in his return to action," Reuter wrote.

Painter was poised to be a prime candidate to join the rotation in 2023 after an exceptional 2022 in the minor leagues. But Tommy John surgery derailed that.

With the rotation depth, the Phillies don't have to rush Painter, either. He could be brought along slowly and kept on an innings limit.

With championship aspirations, the franchise wants to ensure their best players are available for when they will need them most — the postseason.

A midseason debut for Painter is certainly possible as they ramp up his workload after so much time away. His performance in the Arizona Fall League certainly hints that he hasn’t missed a beat, as he was one of the better pitchers in the desert.