Philly Leader

The Philadelphia Phillies have added three starting pitchers to their 40-man roster, securing them from the upcoming Rule 5 Draft. Right-handers Mick Abel, Jean Cabrera, and Moisés Chace are now part of the team’s roster as they aim to strengthen their pitching depth ahead of Spring Training.

Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski highlighted the need for a reliable No. 5 starter as a significant issue last season, contributing to the team's balanced record from June through their National League Division Series defeat against the Mets.

Mick Abel, a first-round pick in 2020 and currently ranked as the Phillies’ No. 6 prospect, experienced challenges this year at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. His struggles with control led to his exclusion from MLB Pipeline’s top 100 prospects list. Despite these difficulties, Phillies general manager Preston Mattingly expressed optimism about Abel's future development: “I know it’s been very public, some of the struggles Mick went through this year,” he said on The Phillies Show. He emphasized that adjusting to higher levels and using Major League baseballs has been a learning curve for Abel.

Jean Cabrera, once named the Phillies’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2021, had a noteworthy journey after being signed for $10,000 during the international signing period in Venezuela. Cabrera progressed through Class A Jersey Shore and Double-A Reading this season.

Moisés Chace was acquired from Baltimore in exchange for Gregory Soto and showed promise across various minor league levels. Mattingly remarked on Chace's potential: “He has the stuff now to compete in the big leagues.”

Abel and Chace were anticipated additions to the roster while Cabrera emerged from a competitive pool of candidates eligible for next month's Rule 5 Draft.

In related moves, right-hander John McMillon cleared waivers and was reassigned to Triple-A. The Phillies' current roster stands at 39 players with further adjustments expected by Friday night when contract decisions are due.