Phillies’ pitching prospect said he’s ready, willing and Abel

PHILADELPHIA — The Phillies’ Triple-A affiliate Lehigh Valley IronPigs have been on a bit of a roll lately, so when manager Anthony Contreras called a clubhouse meeting in Syracuse earlier this week during a seven-game winning streak, it was thought that perhaps a collective clubhouse cheer would be in order.

Instead, Contreras dropped a bit of a bomb on Mick Abel’s ears.

“He was talking about our team’s success, that we’re not riding the highs too much,” the IronPigs’ pitcher said. “Then he’s like, ‘Yeah, we’ve got to celebrate.’ “

It was then that Abel snapped to attention.

“I had no idea it was coming,” Abel said of Contreras’ unexpected addendum that the 23-year-old righty would be heading for Philadelphia, and a Sunday start against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

“I was pretty surprised,” Abel added. “I was a little star-struck at first, thinking, ‘Oh shoot, he said my name?’ I put my head down and I didn’t really know how to feel. I was pretty overwhelmed. Once I stood up, emotions started flowing.”

It’s been a bit of a long haul for Abel, 23, the Phillies’ 15th-overall selection in the first round of the 2020 draft out of Jesuit High School in Beaverton, Oregon. He impressed as he climbed the minor league ladder, starting the 2024 season with the IronPigs. But that’s when it kind of fell apart, Abel going 3-12 with a 6.46 ERA and 1.813 WHIP on the season. While his fortunes fell a bit, the Phillies kept Abel at Triple-A, and this year has been entirely different for him.

Abel will take the mound for his first major league game Sunday logging a 5-2 mark with a 2.53 ERA and 1.209 WHIP this Triple-A season. He’ll be making his debut against Pirates ace Paul Skenes (3-4, 2.63), one of the most exciting young pitchers in the National League.

“It’s awesome, I’m super excited,” Abel said. “I’ve talked to a lot of people and I’m expecting all the nerves in the world. But again, it’s the same game, just a different place. But to make it here, it’s pretty special.”

It was a special moment when he told his parents, too. Abel said he called and gathered both of his folks near the phone, had them put it on speaker and added his brother to the call.

“I told them I was going to the big leagues,” Abel said. “They were as shocked as I was.”

Yet the parents and the brother and the girlfriend and some other friends will be making long treks to Philadelphia in time for the game, a 1:35 start.

While it’s a big moment for Abel and family, he’ll go in with the understanding that it’s meant to be temporary. The plan as it stands now is Abel is here for one start — as part of a temporary six-man rotation — while Aaron Nola serves out his time on IL mending his ankle injury.

“He’s in a good frame of mind, he’s excited, and I’m really looking forward to see him pitch,” Phils manager Rob Thomson said of Abel. “Any time a guy makes his debut, whether it’s a position player or pitcher, it’s always exciting. He’s had a lot of focus on him since he signed. He’s a high draft pick and he’s had some struggles in the past. But he’s really put together a good season this year.

“I told him today … ‘It’s one start, just go out there and be yourself and have fun. Enjoy the moment.’ “

Thomson said the Phillies broke then-prospect Cristopher Sanchez in the same way during the 2023 season.

“I said to him, ‘You’re coming up here, it’s just one start and then you’re going right back. So come up here and be yourself,’ ” Thomson recalled. “I said, ‘If you pitch the way you are right now, you’re going to have success. So just relax and have fun. Enjoy the moment.’ And he did. He pitched really well.”

Sanchez, of course, has turned himself into one of the better lefty starters in the majors. As for Abel, thus far this season he has logged 46.1 innings through eight games, striking out 51 opposing batters for an average of better than six per game. He has walked but 19.

Abel registered nine strikeouts in a 5-2 win over the Worcester Red Sox on May 10, allowing one run and three hits over seven innings.

“I’m just trying to be me. I’m not trying to be anyone else,” Abel said. “Just go out there and do my thing.”