Report: Phillies could look to call up a starting pitcher from Lehigh Valley that’s not named Mick Abel

Heading into the 2024 MLB season, I think everyone thought that the Philadelphia Phillies would eventually call up one of their top prospects in Mick Abel but that no longer appears to be the case. 

Abel has struggled in Triple A this season. He’s 1-3 with a 5.40 ERA in seven starts (33.1 IP). He has struck out 32 and has posted a 1.68 WHIP.  With Abel struggling at Triple A, Alex Coffey and Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer believe that if the Phillies do call up a pitcher, it’s actually going to be someone different.

“Prized prospect Mick Abel has struggled to throw strikes in triple A. If the Phillies need a pitcher, [Michael] Mercado is shaping up as an option…”

Enter Michael Mercado 

Back in 2017, Mercado was a Top 100 Draft prospect. The Tampa Bay Rays drafted him in the second round but he underwent Tommy John Surgery in 2019 that kept him off the mound for nearly three years. 

Last season, Mercado touched Triple A with the Rays before being acquired by the Phillies, who added him to the 40-man roster before the start of the 2024 season. 

Now 25 years old, the 6-foot-4 Mercado still has an interesting pitching mix that gives him the chance to start. He came out of the gate in 2024 with a fastball sitting around 94-95 mph and occasionally touching as high as 98 with good life up in the zone. He has both an upper-80s cutter, a pitch that tops out at 92 mph, and a low-80s curve that drops off the table, and both miss a ton of bats. He has a firm, upper-80s changeup he can fold in, but it’s a distant fourth pitch. [MiLB]

This season in Lehigh Valley, Mercado has posted a 0.63 ERA across his 10 appearances and six starts that have spanned 28 2/3 innings.

Michael Mercado is dominating Triple A ball

Michael Mercado’s stats this season for AAA Lehigh Valley:

25.2 IP | 12 H | 1 ER | 11 BB | 25 K | 0.35 ERApic.twitter.com/n0215tHQi1

— Phillies Tailgate (@PhilsTailgate) May 16, 2024

You would have to think that Mercado will also be considered as a trade piece before the MLB Trade Deadline this season. The Phillies could use a bonafide closer (Mason Miller or Ryan Helsley) and either pitcher will certainly cost them a few promising prospects. 

Philadelphia Phillies MLB Trade Deadline Predictions – Targeting Bullpen and Bench Depth

Up Next for the Phillies

Through the first 51 games of the 2024 MLB season, the Phillies have posted a dominant 37-14 record. They are 9-1 over their last 10 games and currently have a six game lead over the Atlanta Braves for first place in the National League East. 

Tonight, they’ll look to keep things rolling in Colorado against the Rockies. Cristopher Sanchez (2-3, 3.31 ERA) will be on the mound against Ty Blach (1-2, 5.14 ERA). 

Join The Chase

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