The Mick Abel Checklist For 2025

Without unfettered access to coaches or the player–and even then you won’t get the whole story–we’ve become careful observers of RHP Mick Abel.  He is, of course, the former first-round draft pick and top prospect for the Phillies.  Indeed he’s still just 23, but he’s made 26 starts at Triple-A over the past two seasons, so it goes without saying that this is a big season for him and his development.

His first official start of 2025 was at home, and while he did some good things, the results were kind of shaky.  Yesterday in Rochester he had perhaps his best start in years.  Certainly, something to build on.

If you’re at the game, or perhaps watching a video feed, or even just “scouting the box score” here are the things we’re looking at this season–and why–when we’re watching a Mick Abel start:

1. How does his fastball velocity look?  Velocity isn’t everything but Abel’s fastball is a bit flat, so it does need some juice to be effective, as well as to set up his other pitches.  Initial velocity in a game as well as his ability to maintain it is also a sign of health, which we also want to see.  If you’re not watching the game, you can usually find velocity for him on some social media accounts as well as some telemetry sites which will give you spins and other information as well.
2. How does the accuracy look?  There have been problems in the past with walks and complete inefficiency stemming from his inability to hit his spots and challenge hitters at the corners of the strike zone.  And that can lead to more pitches over the meat of the plate, which can be problematic for giving up hard contact.  At the game, watch to see if you think he’s hitting his spots and throwing enough strikes to be competitive.  In the box score, look at walks as well as his pitches/strikes numbers.
3. How does his pitchability look?  We’ve been watching Mick Abel starts since Double-A, and at first it was a very elementary approach.  Of course, this was done as part of his development.  Start with almost exclusively fastballs in the first inning.  Establish the fastball.  Continue that pattern generally until you get to the second time through the order, when you can start featuring one of your secondary pitches. Then, use all the pitches when you get to the third time through–if you do.  We even saw this pattern somewhat when he came to Triple-A.  We know that it is the minor leagues and that guys are working on things.  But, it can be a new challenge when the opposing team can hunt fastballs because they’ve seen you, your film, your telemetry, before.  The results might not be there–and that’s OK to a point.  But now it’s time to really pitch–take the training wheels off.  Set a game plan versus lefties and righties.  Execute that plan.  Adjust where needed.  It’s all part of it and now it’s time to do it.  An important note here is to also watch who is catching.  The current presence of catcher Garrett Stubbs on the team, and behind the plate, might be just what Abel needs in this area.  If you’re looking at the box score this stuff is hard to guage, but look at his first two or three innings as well as his pitch efficiency, for a clue.
4. How do the pitches play the second and third time through the lineup?  If the velocity, accuracy and pitchability look good the first time through the lineup, what adjustments does it look like he’s making the second time through?  Is there something that looks like it’s less effective now that everyone has seen it?  Is there another pitch in the mix now?  This is something that is somewhat difficult to observe through a box score, as well, but simply looking at how deep he went into the game and how many pitches he used to get there, can be a clue.  Also, looking by inning, when did the hits happen?  The walks?
5. Was the game at home or on the road?  I’m not sure there’s anything to this, but I was tipped off to try and keep this in mind.  Certainly, Abel has pitched at many home parks and many away facilities during his professional journey thus far.  So, I’m not sure it’s the park or the mound or anything like that.  it could be that having the top of the first inning to get himself the last way to ready–either mentally or physically–is helpful to him.  Maybe it’s nothing.  But, it’s something to continue to watch. He tends to pitch better on the road.

As always, I’m cheering for the young man and hoping he can make it to the big leagues and contribute–be it sooner or later or here or elsewhere depending on where his baseball journey takes him.  I’m hoping the Phillies do the best by him in that regard, as well.

See you at the park,

@Kram207

PS:  I think I’m going to take this checklist to Reading today to watch another young man pitch.  His name is Griff McGarry.

Featured Image by Cheryl Pursell