By locking Andrew Painter out of Rule 5 reach, the Phillies quietly revealed who they believe could define their next era of pitching. DD
Notable Philadelphia Phillies prospects Andrew Painter, Griff McGarry, and Felix Reyes were vulnerable for the Rule 5 draft.
The Philadelphia Phillies added three prospects to their 40-man roster Tuesday evening. These prospects are now exempt from the Rule 5 draft, an annual draft where other organizations select from minor leaguers that haven’t been promoted to their respective teams’ 40-man roster after four or five seasons, pending the age they’ve initially signed their contract.
The Phillies protected the following players:
Andrew Painter
Seemingly the only certified lock, Painter wasn’t going anywhere. Painter’s the top ranked prospect in the Phillies system and he’ll be vying for a spot in Philadelphia’s starting rotation next season. Despite an iffy 2025 campaign, Painter’s chances at finally debuting in the MLB appears to be a lot closer as Zack Wheeler’s timeline is unknown and with Ranger Suárez testing the free agency waters.
Painter was inconsistent and dealt with command issues down in the minors. He had a difficult time keeping the baseball in the park, allowing 20 home runs, 18 being in Triple-A which was 13th most amongst pitchers. Painter ended the year 5-8 with a 5.26 ERA and 1.49 WHIP in 118.0 innings split between Triple-A Lehigh Valley and Double-A Reading.
Yes, the numbers weren’t amazing, but it was Painter’s first full season on the mound after undergoing Tommy John surgery so hopefully the 2021 first-round pick can turn it around and live up to his expectations. Phillies President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski was encouraged with Painter pitching every fifth day yet felt like his command wasn’t ready. His big-league spot must be earned not given.
Gabriel Rincones Jr.
Rincones Jr. made a name for himself in 2025 by displaying his power from the left side of the plate. During his 15 games in Spring Training last season, Rincones Jr. had three home runs and seven RBIs for a .988 OPS. The outfielder launched 18 taters and knocked in 73 runners down in Lehigh Valley including six homers coming in the month of August alone. Rincones Jr. won’t be with Philadelphia’s 2026 Opening Day roster but could be someone for the Phillies to keep their eye on as a bench piece that brings pop for future reference.
Alex McFarlane
Another arm for the Phillies coming off Tommy John surgery, McFarlane possesses a fastball reaching triple digits. He finished at a 9.2 SO/9 last season between Reading and High-A Jersey Shore, his lowest over his career. McFarlane pitched in 28 games (18 started and 10 in relief) and had a 4.84 ERA in 80.0 innings.
Notable players who weren’t protected by the Phillies:
Griff McGarry
It was reassuring to see the Phillies’ third ranked prospect back in 2023 find success last year after an injury-filled 2024 season. McGarry tossed 83.2 innings over three levels in the minors showing a 3.44 ERA and 124 strikeouts. The 26-year-old had three outings with 10+ strikeouts and allowed two or less runs in 16 of his 21 starts. McGarry hits the Rule 5 draft as the recipient of the Paul Owens Award which is presented to the Phillies top minor league pitcher.
Felix Reyes, UTL
Reyes put together a solid season in the minors last year batting .331 and an OPS of .923 for Lehigh Valley and Reading. He homered 16 times and racked up 54 extra base hits. Reyes went 7-for-29 (.241) in the Dominican Winter League, but his defense made him a liability.
Saul Teran, RHP
Hidden lower in the Phillies’ farm system was Teran, a 165lb shutdown reliever. The Venezuelan native went 5-1 with a 1.30 ERA in 48.1 innings and earned the save in 15 outings. Teran didn’t allow a home run and limited batters to a .196 average.
Caleb Ricketts, C
Since trading away Eduardo Tait to the Minnesota Twins for Jhoan Duran last year, the Phillies’ catching depth is in dire need of someone to step up. Ricketts, who was part of the Phillies top 25 prospects, could have been their future catcher batting .275 with eight home runs and 34 RBIs in the minors, but Phillies fans will never know.
The 2025 Rule 5 draft is on Dec 10. The Phillies roster sits at 33 players.
