Andrew Painter impressed in his latest minor-league outing. (Clearwater Threshers)
Andrew Painter impressed in his second start of the season, further increasing the anticipation for when the organization's No. 1 prospect joins the Phillies this summer.
Painter struck out four and allowed three hits over three shutout innings of the Single-A Clearwater Threshers Friday evening. He threw 49 pitches in an eventual 6-4 win, 35 of them for strikes:
Andrew Painter's second rehab start for the Single-A @Threshers:
3 IP
3 H
0 R
0 BB
4 K
MLB's No. 7 prospect (@Phillies) averaged 96.6 mph on his heater and threw 35 of 49 pitches for strikes: pic.twitter.com/Xfh6fzbROx
What reports did Rob Thomson get on Painter's latest outing?
"Really good," Thomson said in his office Saturday morning. "Velocity was good, threw strikes, secondary pitches were good. Three innings, 49 pitches, I think ... three hits, four strikeouts, no walks. So it's good."
Three shutout innings tonight for Andrew Painter, who topped out at 99 mph … He recorded four strikeouts, but more importantly got up to 49 pitches and completed 3 full innings pic.twitter.com/f0367IKdH3
Painter has thrown 4 1/3 innings so far this season. Do the Phillies have a number that they anticipate him being built up to this season?
"Don't know that yet," Thomson admitted. "But in my mind, I'm thinking 120, 130 [innings] hopefully. But we don't really know the number."
The Phillies have set July as a loose target date for Painter's MLB debut, leaving flexibility that it could also come in June or August. For now, Painter will continue to pitch for Clearwater. His next start will be Thursday against the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels. The 22-year-old will once again pitch three innings and/or 50 pitches.
