Philly Leader

Mick Abel, a promising pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies, was added to the team's 40-man roster last November. The decision came after Abel was called into Preston Mattingly's office at Carpenter Complex in Clearwater, Florida. Mattingly, who recently transitioned from overseeing player development to becoming the general manager, commended Abel for his dedication and achievements over the past three Minor League seasons.

“Really excited for your future ahead,” Mattingly expressed. “You’ve been through a lot. It’s really exciting to think about what you’re going to do going forward.”

Abel, drafted 15th overall by the Phillies in 2020, is regarded as one of their top prospects despite not being listed among MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 prospects anymore. His journey has been hampered by command issues, reflected in his record of 3-12 with a 6.46 ERA last season at Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

“I definitely think he’s still in the mix,” said Caleb Cotham, Phillies pitching coach.

Abel attended MLB’s Rookie Career Development Program alongside other Phillies prospects Jean Cabrera and Moisés Chace. In an interview with MLB.com following his addition to the roster, Abel shared how this news impacted him: “It totally did... I got a lot of confidence from that.”

Discussing his conversations with Cotham during the offseason, Abel noted: “Everything that he says is very true... It’s more just the way of being.”

Cotham's advice resonated with Abel: “It’s just not overthinking everything... knowing that I’m on a mound to compete.”

The focus on simplifying approaches aligns with discussions Cotham has had with other pitchers like Zack Wheeler.

Mattingly and others have highlighted Abel's consistent workload over recent years as beneficial for his future development. Reflecting on this aspect, Abel stated: “That’s something I take pride in... all these little lessons... all these little failures that I can look back on and say, ‘Wow.’”