A few short weeks ago, the Phillies struck out looking for a back end starting pitcher at the trade deadline.
Three days prior, out of options for the fifth slot in their rotation, the team recalled top prospect Andrew Painter, who’d struggled through his first go-round in the majors.
On Saturday against the Cardinals, Painter showed exactly why the Phillies and everyone else were so high on him in the first place, striking out eight in a one-run, seven-inning performance in the Phillies’ 12-3 win, the best start of his major league career.
“The whole outing today, he looked like — he was a dog on the mound,” J.T. Realmuto said. “He wanted to get guys out. He wanted to attack the strike zone. He looked really confident out there.”
Painter earned a big standing ovation from the Citizens Bank Park crowd after throwing the last of his 102 pitches.
“The guy we saw today, the ceiling is so high for him,” Realmuto said. “If he has that demeanor and that much confidence on the mound, he can be whatever he wants in this game.”
Painter gave up just one run in the sixth inning, an RBI single from Alec Burleson.
Since his 2024 Tommy John surgery, Painter has been trying to rebuild his fastball, which was identified as his best weapon as a prospect. He threw 32% of his fastballs for either called strikes or whiffs on Saturday.
“It doesn’t look as hittable,” interim manager Don Mattingly said. “ … I think one of the things they talked about is him working sideways when he was here. I don’t know. I look at it from a hitter standpoint, guys that are going sideways, they’re dragging the barrel. Pitchers, when they’re going sideways, they’re dragging the arm, and they’re also showing the ball early.”
The Phillies worked with him on getting down the mound, and also on “letting go” and being more aggressive.
After a blow-up first inning in his last start in Minnesota, Painter said he focused on using that first inning against St. Louis to attack and win the at-bats, instead of “falling into the trap” of using it to “feel stuff out.”
He started Saturday’s game with a 1-2-3 inning, including two strikeouts. Painter didn’t walk a single batter and generated 20 whiffs total. He also made heavy use of his new changeup, something he worked on in his stint in triple A. He got six whiffs and averaged 92 mph on the pitch.
Having that changeup in the mix, which he threw 28 times compared to 25 fastballs, could be helping his fastball tick back up where he and the Phillies want it.
Andrew Painter fired off the best start of his career today!
After struggling to find his pre-injury fastball shape, Painter showcased a stupendous 4-Seam which exhibited +2" iVB compared to prior starts. If these traits hold Painter could be a postseason menace for the Phillies pic.twitter.com/4cUDOnpINm
“It tends to widen out the fastball grip, probably a bit less forearm fatigue, but I think it’s harder, and it moves more too,” Painter said. “Being able to play those two pitches off of each other helps a lot.”
Even deep into the seventh inning, Painter threw a 99.6 mph fastball on his 100th pitch.
“There’s a lot of mechanical things that lead to a little bit more gas in the tank later in the games,” Painter said. “ … I know that’s probably my last at-bat. I didn’t want to walk off that mound with anything left in the tank.”
Brandon Marsh (left) greets Kyle Schwarber after Schwarber’s solo home run in the eighth inning.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
But the Phillies didn’t even need a gem from Painter to pick up the win, thanks to their thriving offense. The Phillies have long been a team that relied on the long ball, but by the time Bryce Harper hit the Phillies’ first home run of the game in the sixth inning, they’d already scored eight runs thanks to their small-ball game.
Alec Bohm, who hit the walk-off triple in Friday’s win, stayed hot in the first inning, knocking a single to left to score the Phillies’ first run after Kyle Schwarber and Trea Turner walked and singled to get on base. Edmundo Sosa followed with a double to make it 3-0 in the first.
In the third, Bohm, Sosa, and Luis Arraez loaded the bases with singles, then Bryan De La Cruz knocked in two more runs with a single. J.T. Realmuto added a sacrifice fly, and Derek Hill doubled to put the Phillies up by 7-0. Schwarber added another sacrifice fly in the sixth, followed by Harper’s three-run homer. Schwarber homered in the eighth off position player Pedro Páges to cap off the Phillies 12-3 win.
Arraez was removed from the game with lower body cramps in the third inning. Hill was removed with neck stiffness in the sixth. Both will be evaluated.
These are the Philly area’s best athletes under 25 years old.
By
Inquirer Sports Staff
Published
The Philadelphia area's sports scene is on the rise — and we're not talking about the addition of LeBron James to the city's professional ranks.
The region's professional sports franchises are only part of the picture. There also are athletes enrolled in the area's many colleges and universities, a wealth of talent at the high school and amateur levels, and others who dominate individual sports like boxing or figure skating. We decided it was about time to spotlight some of the best.
Welcome to The Inquirer's first 25 Under 25 list, highlighting the region's best athletes under the age of 25.
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The criteria is simple. To qualify for our list, an athlete must:
Be under 25 as of July 1, 2026, and
Currently reside in or train in the Philadelphia area (the city, collar counties, or South Jersey) and/or play for one of the area's colleges or professional teams (including their minor league affiliates).
That second rule means that high school students from the Class of 2026 are ineligible, since many have already arrived on their respective college campuses across the country. A few of them can be found on our list of the best players fromhere, which includes Philly athletes playing elsewhere. However, there is one exception this year, which we'll explain when we get there.
With those qualifications in mind, we went searching for the best of the best. And after much debate among our sports editors, we came away with 25 athletes who truly show the region's depth of talent at every level across a variety of sports. Here they are, presented in alphabetical order.
Jasmine Bascoe
Age: 20
Jasmine Bascoe was an all-conference selection for Villanova as a freshman in 2024-25 after leading the Wildcats with 16.2 points and 4.3 assists per game in 34 games.
Bascoe, who’s from the Toronto area, followed a stellar freshman season with an even better sophomore campaign, again leading the team in points (18.9) and assists (4.8) per game. She was the Big East’s leading scorer last season, beating UConn stars Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd. Bascoe led Denise Dillon’s Wildcats back to the 2026 NCAA Tournament after a two-season drought, and the Wildcats retained Bascoe for a third season. If Bascoe takes another step forward, Villanova could be a team to watch in March.
“Denise, she trusts me, and I have all my trust in her, so I’ll do whatever she needs me to do,” Bascoe said ahead of her sophomore season. “I love it in Philly — nowhere else I’d rather be.”
Bascoe’s Villanova inspiration
Villanova’s Jasmine Bascoe is having an impressive freshman season. She draws inspiration from a Wildcats legend.
She watched Jalen Brunson from home in Canada and hopes to shape her game around his. So far, it's paying off for her and the Wildcats.
Justin Crawford
Age: 22
Justin Crawford, one of the Phillies’ top five prospects entering the year, made his big league debut on opening day and has appeared in all but 10 games so far this season. Heading into play Wednesday, Crawford is slashing .270/.316/.361 as a rookie, and, after an early adjustment period at the plate, has hit .305 since June 1. The center fielder's defense also has steadily improved.
As for his struggles against left-handed pitching, which relegated him to a platoon role earlier in the season, Crawford hopes to pick the brain of new teammate Luis Arraez, a three-time batting champ and two-time Silver Slugger. And like Crawford, Arraez is a lefty who hits for average. Since Arraez’s arrival earlier this month, Crawford has been even better, slashing .342/.381/.500.
Commentary from David Murphy
Justin Crawford delights his dad Carl and showed the Phillies the weapon they might have in the nine-hole
Crawford didn’t just perform as advertised on opening day. He showed the value of what was advertised.
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Reese D’Ariano
Age: 17
The youngest member of the current United States field hockey team, Reese D’Ariano has plenty of international experience at just 17 years old. Before the field hockey World Cup in Belgium, D’Ariano won two gold medals with USA field hockey, including at the 2024 Indoor Pan American Cup in Calgary, Canada, where she was named tournament MVP. D’Ariano, who is a rising senior at Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School and committed to the University of North Carolina, is one of the top prospects in her class.
Before she began training with WC Eagles, her field hockey club, D’Ariano would train at a multipurpose field with her mother while her brother had swim practice. “Obviously, the progression was slow if you saw it day to day,” D’Ariano said. “But as the weeks and months went on, it was a pretty drastic change in how I progressed.”
Climbing the ranks
Reese D’Ariano embraces role as youngest player on USA field hockey’s World Cup roster
The 17-year-old, West Chester native was 9 the last time the U.S. women’s national team qualified for the FIH Hockey World Cup. This will mark her biggest stage, and she's looking to contribute.
Riley Davis
Age: 16
Entering her senior year at Academy of Notre Dame de Namur, Riley Davis is the top-ranked lacrosse player in the Class of 2027, according to Inside Lacrosse. The five-star recruit and Penn State commit is a two-way midfielder for the Irish and also plays on the school’s varsity basketball team.
Riley’s father, Ben, played seven years in the MLB as a catcher. Her mother, Megan, was a two-sport athlete at Rutgers. Her brother, Tague, set Louisville’s freshman home run record (18) last year and led the nation in home runs (34) as a sophomore. Her older sister, Finley, is entering her freshman year at Furman, where she will play lacrosse after playing with Riley at Notre Dame.
Despite all that competition, Riley is considered the most athletic in a family of high-level athletes. “Riley is the best athlete in the family,” Ben told The Inquirer in April.
A family of stars
Former MLB catcher Ben Davis’ family is full of athletes. His daughter, Riley, might be the best.
Riley Davis is ranked as the No. 1 lacrosse player in the class of 2027. Her mother, Megan, and older sister, Finley, are “the anchor and the force” that guided her success.
Cooper DeJean
Age: 23
Securing your first career pick-six in the Super Bowl on your birthday is the kind of story dreams are made of. But that’s Cooper DeJean’s real life. DeJean, however, is much more than just that moment. He earned first-team All-Pro honors as the league’s best slot cornerback in 2025. He’s also one heck of a basketball player.
Now, he is taking on a new role as a safety in Vic Fangio’s base defense. He’ll still see the majority of his snaps in the slot, but his growing positional versatility is a testament to his skill as he becomes one of the Eagles’ most important players.
“Playing nickel in this defense is kind of like playing safety in a lot of ways,” DeJean said. “A lot of the techniques are pretty similar.”
DeJean’s making moves
How Cooper DeJean’s ‘first love’ of basketball helped set him on a path to the Eagles
Growing up in small-town Iowa, playing multiple sports was the norm. But DeJean stood out, especially on the basketball court, and he has the highlight reel to prove it.
Audrey Derivaux
Age: 17
A four-time world junior swimming champion, Haddonfield’s Audrey Derivaux was the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2027. But Derivaux recently reclassified to the Class of 2026 to start her collegiate swimming journey at Texas a year earlier than expected. Derivaux shared the news on her social media with an Instagram post captioned, “See you in August, Austin! Can’t wait to rep the Longhorns next season!”
(Editor’s note: Derivaux reclassified to 2026 after our list was complete.)
Derivaux, who turned 17 earlier this month, in 2024 was the youngest swimmer to reach the finals of an Olympic trial since 2012 when she was 14 years old. She competed in the women's 400 individual medley, but fell short of earning a spot in Paris. In July, she competed in the USA Swimming national championship, finished with the second-best time in the 100-meter butterfly, and won a trio of under-18 events (the women’s 100- and 200-meter butterfly and the women’s 400-meter individual medley).
Derivaux on the rise
Meet Haddonfield’s Audrey Derivaux, the 14-year-old who’s swimming’s next rising star
The rising sophomore at Haddonfield Memorial High School became the youngest swimmer to reach the finals of an Olympic trial since 2012. Could the 2028 Olympics be next?
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Natalie Dove
Age: 24
Since her professional debut in 2023, Natalie Dove is undefeated in nine fights — with two knockouts and five unanimous decisions. Dove, a super flyweight, remained undefeated in her most recent bout, an eight-round slugfest against Maria Micheo Santizo in April that ended with a split decision.
“No Love” Dove initially was exposed to the sport as a self-defense method and started sparring in Philadelphia at 14. She fought in amateur tournaments and trained as a hopeful for the 2020 Olympics before turning pro. Since May 2025, Dove has fought for Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions. She credits her toughness in the ring to her upbringing in Philly gyms and learning to hold her own “in a gym full of grown men that … talk [trash] the entire time.”
“I really don’t care what anyone says,” Dove said last year. “If anything, I’m probably the biggest bully in the gym. I think it just made me tougher and it made boxing fun for me.”
When Doves fly
How Philly’s Natalie Dove went from shadow boxing in her sleep to fighting with Jake Paul’s promotion
The 23-year-old Philly native had Olympic dreams. Now, she's preparing to face Randee Lynn Morales on Saturday for Jake Paul's MVP.
VJ Edgecombe
Age: 21
By the end of his first professional game, VJ Edgecombe already had flashed his star potential. The No. 3 overall pick in last year’s draft finished third in NBA Rookie of the Year voting and is set to start alongside Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and LeBron James. But don’t let him slip under the radar behind those huge names.
Edgecombe averaged 16 points per game last season and performed even better in the critical stretch in which Maxey, Embiid, and Paul George were sidelined. Brown, whose Celtics were eliminated in seven games by the Sixers, praised Edgecombe as a difference-maker in that first-round series. His teammates agree.
“He’s the guy,” Embiid said after the Sixers’ season ended. “I’m telling you guys, that guy is something different, and this was only Year 1. Year 2 is going to be better.”
Sixers’ future is now
‘I want us to go down in history’: Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe’s bond will shape the Sixers’ future
Maxey and Edgecombe have served as the life source of this Sixers season. The franchise will likely will go as far as they can take them — now and in the years to come.
Tyson Foerster
Age: 24
Before an upper-body injury sidelined Tyson Foerster for 49 games, the winger was on pace for career-best numbers with 13 goals in 29 games thanks to a shot head coach Rick Tocchet called “really elite.” The Flyers signed Foerster to an eight-year extension this offseason, so, barring a trade, the winger will be in Philadelphia for years to come. He couldn’t be happier.
“For me, I love Philadelphia, and I love playing with these guys,” he said. “They asked me if I would look to extend this year, and it was a no-brainer for me. I mean, I don’t play hockey for the money, so it’s all fun, and just happy to be here, hopefully, for the next nine years.”
Foerster’s big payday
Tyson Foerster talks lucrative extension with the Flyers: ‘It was a no-brainer for me’
Foerster missed 49 games because of injury a season ago, but cited his love of the Flyers and his teammates for why he inked an extension perhaps ahead of schedule.
Colton Hiller
Age: 16
Colton Hiller, the No. 2 player in the Class of 2028, is a 6-foot-7 small forward for Coatesville. In his sophomore season, he averaged 25 points, six rebounds, three assists, and 1.8 steals. Ahead of his junior year, Hiller is uncommitted but holds offers from more than 15 schools, including Villanova and Penn State. Last summer, he was part of the gold-medal winning Team USA at the FIBA U16 AmeriCup, where he averaged 13 points in six games.
In his two seasons with the Red Raiders, the five-star recruit has already surpassed 1,000 career points. He plays travel basketball in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League, representing the 17-and-under PSA Cardinals, based in New York.
Despite having ‘a lot of eyes on me,’ hoops star Colton Hiller plans to stay at Coatesville
The 15-year-old, who’s nationally ranked, just wrapped up a stellar sophomore season. With the spotlight only getting bigger, Hiller has remained committed to developing in his hometown.
Maxwell Hiller
Age: 17
Maxwell Hiller — yes, he’s Colton’s older brother — also is a five-star recruit, but not in basketball. The Coatesville offensive lineman is entering his senior year and is the top-ranked interior O-lineman in the nation and No. 2 player overall for the Class of 2027, according to 247Sports. With more than 40 college offers, Hiller received his first college offer in eighth grade from Penn State. In April, the 6-foot-5 lineman committed to Florida.
“I don’t even watch the play, I just watch [Max],” Colton said of his brother. “I definitely like when he gets people on the ground, just pancakes, and that’s probably my favorite part.”
Max also played basketball, using it as a way to stay in shape, and even received an offer to play college hoops at La Salle.
Two Hillers are better than one
Meet Coatesville High’s Maxwell and Colton Hiller, who are rising stars in different sports
Max is a rising junior and ranked as one of the best offensive tackles in the country. Colton, who recently turned 15, is a 6-foot-6 shooting guard ranked No. 4 in his class.
Salman Khalil
Age: 21
Cairo-born Salman Khalil has been a standout in squash for Penn since he joined the Quakers in 2023. He was the Ivy League’s Rookie of the Year in 2023-24 and was the conference’s Player of the Year as a sophomore. Khalil, a rising senior, has been a standout for Penn as it has claimed its first two Potter Cups as the collegiate squash national champion in his first two seasons.
As a sophomore, Khalil became the first Quaker to claim the individual national championship (Pool Trophy) and the Potter Cup in the same season — and he did it while fasting for Ramadan. In addition to his career at Penn, Khalil is No. 52 in the squash world rankings. He holds a 42-16 record in noncollegiate events.
Khalil’s big win for Penn
Penn captured another national squash title even as three players fasted for Ramadan
Salman Khalil clinched the Potter Cup national team championship by beating Yale's Tad Carney. Khalil, Marwan Abdelsalam, and Omar Hafez of the Quakers were fasting during the final.
Makai Lemon
Age: 22
Makai Lemon, the Eagles’ first-round pick in 2026, hasn’t played a snap in the NFL yet. But with A.J. Brown gone, the rookie has big shoes to fill and a big opportunity in front of him. At Southern Cal, he averaged 14.6 yards per catch and racked up 1,156 receiving yards in 12 games in his final season. Lemon is known for his elite ball skills, despite being just 5-foot-11, on the smaller side for a receiver. He suffered an injury that sidelined him during minicamp and has been dealing with a hamstring injury during training camp. But when it’s time for him to take the field, Eagles fans will be “getting a dawg,” Lemon told the crowd on draft night.
“You drafted the guy that’s going to match the city’s intensity when it comes to pro football,” said Ray Fenton, Lemon’s former coach at Los Alamitos High School, located outside Los Angeles.
What Lemon brings
What the film says about Eagles first-round draft pick Makai Lemon
What does the newest Eagles wideout do well, and how does it fit in the new-look scheme?
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Isabeau Levito
Age: 19
Isabeau Levito became a household name this winter as one of the “Blade Angels,” the women’s figure skaters representing the U.S. at the Milan Cortina Olympics. She missed out on the podium, but she still got to bask in the experience of being an Olympian.
“It was just so cool with all these athletes from different sports all in one place,” Levito said. “It was very magical, and it was a dream come true.”
The South Jersey native also skated to a fourth-place finish at the 2026 World Championships in March. Levito has eight podium finishes at major events in her career, including silver at the 2024 World Championships and gold at the 2023 U.S. Championship. And she’s already started teasing her next routine.
What’s next for Isabeau?
South Jersey figure skater Isabeau Levito reached the peak this year with the Olympics. She wants more.
The Olympics were "very magical and a dream come true," Levito said. But she also wished she pushed herself more and is eager to get back to training and up her content for next season.
Porter Martone
Age: 19
Porter Martone, who got his start blasting holes in the wall of his parents’ basement before starring at Michigan State, made an immediate impact following his NHL debut, with 10 points in his nine regular-season games. After the Flyers’ season ended in the second round against Carolina, Martone joined Team Canada at World Championships and got ice time on the top line with Macklin Celebrini and Sidney Crosby, scoring one goal and four assists in 10 games.
“He wants to be out there when the game’s on the line,” coach Rick Tocchet said. “He’s unflappable.”
Martone’s origin story
Flyers rookie Porter Martone blasted holes in his parents’ basement before becoming an NHL phenom
The teenager has taken the NHL by storm in the playoffs. He honed his scoring touch growing up in Ontario, firing slap shots in the basement and beating "Jeff" the goalie in his backyard.
Matvei Michkov
Age: 21
Matvei Michkov’s sophomore NHL season was a bit turbulent, but the 21-year-old’s potential is sky-high, if his post-Olympic break stretch leading the team in points is any indication. At his best, the winger is a game-breaker and an elite talent the Flyers desperately need.
“He knows he needs to improve off the ice in his training — and that’s not a secret — he’s admitted that himself. … So, the big thing for Matvei is adapting," general manager Danny Brière said.
Coming to America
Matvei Michkov is 5,100 miles away from his home in Russia. But in Philly, ‘life has become easier.’
The 21-year-old's adjustment to North American culture, the English language, and the NHL is ongoing. But the Flyers winger is starting to feel more comfortable on and off the ice.
Quinyon Mitchell
Age: 25
Quinyon Mitchell is the oldest player on our list and the only one who has already turned 25 — he beat our cutoff date by about two weeks — but the Eagles cornerback is more than deserving. He won the Super Bowl and was runner-up for Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2024 and has just kept improving.
Mitchell was named first-team All-Pro in his second season and was ranked 47th on the NFL’s top 100 Players of 2026 by his peers, and there’s still room for him to grow. Mitchell’s lockdown coverage makes him a ball repellent. He was targeted just 85 times last year and gave up 36 catches for 451 yards and one touchdown. But in two NFL seasons, Mitchell still hasn’t picked off a pass in the regular season. He’s hoping to change that in 2026.
“I’ve been working with the staff on catching and eye placement and stuff like that, so I just need to get better,” Mitchell said.
Commentary from Marcus Hayes
Quinyon Mitchell looked like an All-Pro vs. the Lions. His Florida family and friends were there to see it.
The Eagles cornerback allowed zero catches against Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Jared Goff, and the highest-scoring offense in the NFC.
Andrew Painter
Age: 23
After years of anticipation, Andrew Painter got his first crack at the Phillies’ rotation this year, and it didn’t go as many hoped. The 23-year-old had a 7.06 ERA in 14 appearances, including 12 starts, before being demoted to triple A. His first game back in the majors showed promise. After giving up a double and a home run early, he settled in for six strong innings and only allowed one hit after that.
“When he’s done some things with his delivery, which is going more directly to the plate rather than spinning off, he’s had more life,” Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowskisaid.
His three starts since — including one that was cut short by hamstring tightness — have been trending in the wrong direction. But at his best, Painter still represents a ton of potential.
Commentary from David Murphy
Andrew Painter has reached his Roy Halladay moment. It is on him to seize it.
Failing is easy. The hard work is what comes next with his demotion to triple A. It's an endeavor upon which Painter must embark, much like Halladay did at his age.
Jordyn Palmer
Age: 17
Westtown School star Jordyn Palmer is a 6-foot-2 rising senior guard/forward who is No. 9 in her class, according to ESPN. Palmer, a three-time Gatorade Pennsylvania Girls’ Basketball Player of the Year, averaged 23.2 points, 13.2 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 3.3 steals, and 2.5 blocks as a junior, helping lead the Westtown School (28-2) to the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association championship game. She has 1,746 career points and 894 career rebounds.
She has offers from more than 20 colleges, including South Carolina and LSU. In June, she was named Miss Pennsylvania Basketball, awarded to the best female high school basketball player in the state, voted on by fans, coaches, and media.
Best is yet to come
Westtown’s Jordyn Palmer — a basketball phenom and highly sought-after recruit — has untapped potential
The 6-foot-2 junior, who is ranked No. 6 in the nation, has had constant attention on her since she was 14. She has taken her game to a new level, but the best of her talents has yet to be displayed.
Labaron Philon Jr.
Age: 20
Labaron Philon Jr. is one of a few professional players on this list who have yet to make their debut, but there are high hopes and plenty of hype surrounding the former Alabama point guard who fell to the Sixers as the 22nd overall pick in this summer’s draft.
Of course, the expectations have eased in recent weeks as the Sixers added Jaylen Brown and LeBron James. But the 20-year-old brings shooting (48.2% for the Crimson Tide in two seasons) and a spark off the bench behind Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. Philon’s Sixers career already got off to a good start at NBA Summer League, and he’s got a plan for his transition into the league.
“Having the same ‘dawg’ mentality that I had at Alabama and being the same person,” Philon said after his Sixers debut. “Being me, really.”
Philon’s ready for Philly
Labaron Philon Jr. is ready for his rookie season with ‘a lot at stake’ after Sixers added LeBron James, Jaylen Brown
"Being a rookie and being able to be around all those guys is a privilege for me," Philon said after the Sixers added James and Brown this offseason.
Lavar Scott
Age: 22
South Jersey’s Lavar Scott comes from a racing family, so it’s no surprise that he was able to climb the ranks of stock car racing to become one of three active Black drivers in NASCAR. In two full seasons in the ARCA Menards Series, Scott finished in the top five 22 times for Rev Racing, including four second place finishes.
He earned a full-time spot in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in 2026, making 22 starts in Alpha Prime Racing’s No. 45 Chevrolet. Scott has earned five top-20 finishes in 22 starts this season. Still looking for his first NASCAR win, Scott is chasing a feeling that he first learned racing go-karts at five years old.
“It’s a feeling that when I go to bed, I think about, [when I] wake up, [I] think about, [when I] sleep, [I am] thinking about. It’s just the feeling of standing on top of your car after a win and [celebrating] with your friends and family and knowing you did your job really well that day,” Scott said in June.
From South Jersey to NASCAR
South Jersey’s Lavar Scott, one of NASCAR’s three Black drivers, is chasing greatness and not looking back: ‘There was no Plan B’
Go behind the scenes at Pocono Raceway with 22-year-old South Jersey native Lavar Scott and the family that helped him become one of three active Black drivers in NASCAR.
Luigi Suigo
Age: 19
Standing at 7-foot-3, Italian-born center Luigi Suigo was the marquee addition for Kevin Willard this summer as he tries to lead Villanova back to the NCAA Tournament. Suigo, born in northern Italy, has played professionally in Europe since 2023. He averaged 7.9 points and 5.1 rebounds in 26 games during 2025-26 for KK Mega Basket of Serbia. Suigo entered the 2026 NBA draft and was projected as a late first-round, early second-round selection before he withdrew and decided to play college basketball at Villanova.
“He wants to make sure when he gets drafted, he’s going to play,” Willard said of Suigo in June. “The big thing is I think he needs to get Americanized a little bit, to American basketball. I think that’s why college will be really good for him.”
Even better for the Italian big man, Suigo will begin his college career with a game in Rome, where the Wildcats will play Notre Dame on Nov. 1.
From Italy to the Main Line
Big man Luigi Suigo has arrived at Villanova. His journey to the 2027 NBA draft is underway.
Suigo is expected to join the short list of Villanova players who are on campus for one season before being selected in the NBA draft. But his temporary stop at Villanova is a critical one.
Cavan Sullivan
Age: 16
Cavan Sullivan, the youngest professional on this list, has a chance to be the most internationally recognized real athlete to come from Philadelphia — apologies to Rocky. The attacking midfielder has a deal in place that will send him to English giant Manchester City once he turns 18, but for now, he’s tearing up the pitch for the Union. He netted his first MLS goal in May, and his role for the team has continued to grow.
“It’s a big year for me,” Sullivan said in January. “It’s exciting, but I’m not going to get ahead of myself. I know there’s still work to do and stuff to prove.”
Look out for Sullivan in stars and stripes, too. He’s still waiting on his first senior team call-up, but he’s received numerous call-ups to U.S. youth national teams and scored twice at the 2025 FIFA under-17 World Cup in Qatar.
A Philly soccer story
Why Cavan Sullivan, hyped as the world’s best 14-year-old soccer player, chose to turn pro with the Union
In a few years, Sullivan will play for English superpower Manchester City. But for now he has chosen to start with his hometown team. Here's the inside story of why he picked the Union.
Quinn Sullivan
Age: 22
While his younger brother has Europe’s attention, Quinn Sullivan has developed into an integral piece for his hometown club. Before an ACL tear ended his 2025 season, Sullivan scored three goals and logged eight assists in 31 appearances across all competitions as the Union claimed the MLS Supporters’ Shield.
Sullivan also has experience with the U.S. men’s national team and made one start during the 2025 Gold Cup.
Sullivan returned from his ACL injury in July 2026, and now that he’s fully healthy, he’s back in the Union’s starting lineup. Quinn isn’t making a move to Europe yet, but the Bridesburg native is happy to represent his hometown club for now.
“I’d love to be the face of this team,” Sullivan said in January. “I mean, I grew up supporting this team. I love this team; I love this city. I feel like I embody what Philadelphia means.”
Holding down the homefront
Quinn Sullivan ‘would love to be the face’ of the Union. When he returns from a torn ACL, he just might be.
Though the 21-year-old from Bridesburg likely won't be back on the field until July, he's in good spirits. He appreciates all the support he's gotten from fans, the Union, and the national team.
Gage Wood
Age: 22
Gage Wood, the Phillies’ first-round pick in 2025, made his first start at Citizens Bank Park in July — as part of the MLB All-Star Futures Game.
But the right-hander, who was promoted to double-A Reading earlier this season, is progressing quickly through the system. Wood’s elite fastball helped get him to No. 33 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 prospects, but there are questions about whether Wood is a starter or a reliever long-term.
“Obviously, I want to go back to the Bank as fast as I can,” Wood said. “I just keep working every day and try to get there as fast as possible.”
Patience paying off
Phillies prospect Gage Wood may have to take a longer road to the majors — and he’s OK with that
After the Phillies drafted the 22-year-old pitcher out of Arkansas, they plan to develop Wood as a starter. Fans caught a glimpse of the first-round pick in the Spring Breakout game on Saturday.
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The Phillies’ 10-4 loss to the Nationals on Wednesday was overshadowed by several injury scares. Andrew Painter left his start after just four innings with hamstring tightness, while Derek Hill exited with a bruised shoulder after crashing into the center field wall in the 11th. After both players were evaluated on Thursday, though, the Phillies were optimistic.
Imaging on Painter came back clear, and interim manager Don Mattingly said he is expected to make his next start.
“It’s obviously a sigh of relief that you know you’re not going to be searching for a starter every fifth day. And really everything last night could have been a lot worse,” Mattingly said.
Hill went through protocols and evaluation after the collision. He was sore but has avoided injury.
“He feels like he probably should, after running into a wall,” Mattingly said.
Mattingly added that depending on how Hill progressed through pregame activities, the outfielder might be available off the bench on Thursday.
Bryce Harper was also checked out by trainers Wednesday night after jamming his hand while attempting to steal second in the 10th, but remained in the game and was fine afterward. Harper was back in the lineup in right field on Thursday.
After Luis Arraez had traversed the length of the dugout, doling out high fives in celebration of his fifth homer of the season, Justin Crawford had a question for him.
The Phillies rookie pulled aside the newest member of the team to ask what he’d seen from Nationals pitcher Jake Irvin that had allowed him to take him deep. Arraez sent an 0-2 sinker at the top of the zone 385 feet off the foul pole in right field.
“I figured he’s probably going to try to pitch me similar to how he pitched him,” Crawford said. “So I was just trying to pick his brain, and see what he saw from him.”
When it was Crawford’s turn, he attacked a first-pitch fastball from Irvin, and powered it to deep center field for a sacrifice fly that scored a run.
The exchange between him and Arraez was caught on NBCSP’s broadcast cameras, but it’s something Crawford does often with his teammates. He is always asking fellow lefties Brandon Marsh and Bryson Stott for advice, because he sees their approach as somewhat similar to his own.
“Just lefties that are kind of similar to me, where I think pitchers might try to pitch us kind of the same,” Crawford said. “Arraez, I went up to him. He had a pretty long at-bat, I think, too. So went up there and [I] asked him what he saw. And yeah, I definitely took that into my next at-bat.”
Arraez, with his ability to spray the ball all over the field and his penchant for singles, might be more similar to Crawford than anyone else on the team. Both lefties hit for average, don’t swing and miss a lot, and have the ability to manufacture runs. Power is not a main feature of either of their games.
Luis Arraez celebrates a second-inning home run with Alec Bohm on Wednesday.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Arraez has three batting titles and is on pace for his fourth. Crawford won the International League batting title in the minors last year after putting up a .334 average in triple A.
He knows there is a lot he can learn from his new teammate.
“I think that’s someone I’m going to be relying on throughout the rest of the year, honestly,” Crawford said. “Just with our profiles being pretty similar, knowing that, how pitchers try to pitch him will most likely be how they’re trying to pitch me.”
What impresses Crawford most about Arraez’s approach is how hard he battles at the plate. Although he has the lowest strikeout rate in MLB — 4.4% — Arraez is not afraid to fall behind in the count and work long at-bats.
“Just how tough of an out he is,” Crawford said. “I think every at-bat, he goes up there, competes, and his ability to be able to extend that at-bat, put the ball in play, is something that I think is really unique. And also is a lost art.”
The potential mentorship between Arraez and Crawford is something that interim manager Don Mattingly thinks can really benefit the rookie in the long run.
“I think Luis is a guy for him. It’s a great guy for him to talk to,” Mattingly said. “He’s left-handed. He’s won a few batting titles. Craw’s won a couple in the minor leagues, so they’re similar guys. Obviously, they look a little different, but they’re similar in what they do.”
“Throughout the year, throughout every game, I think I’m going to be kind of leaning on him,” Crawford said. “He’s such a leader too, already, so it’s been really good so far.”
Phillies outfielder Derek Hill leaves the game against the Nationals after crashing into the center field wall on Wednesday.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Extra bases
Zack Wheeler (10-2, 2.49 ERA) is scheduled to start Friday’s series opener opposite Blue Jays right-hander José Soriano (9-6, 3.29). Toronto acquired Soriano at the trade deadline, and he will be making his debut with the club. … Chase Utley is set to be inducted into the Phillies’ Wall of Fame on Friday before the game.
Derek Hill has made several spectacular catches in the two months he’s roamed the outfield for the Phillies.
He robbed Juan Soto of a homer in June, made a highlight-reel dive in Detroit in July, and earlier this series snagged a ball while tumbling to the ground. When Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams hit a laser to center field in the 11th inning on Wednesday, Hill made another all-out effort. But this time, he couldn’t come up with it and crashed into the fence.
Hill remained on the ground at first, but was eventually helped to his feet and walked off under his own power.
Interim manager Don Mattingly called it a bruised shoulder, but added the Phillies were evaluating “everything” for the center fielder, including a potential head injury. Hill was not made available to media postgame.
“You hit a wall like that, it’s not too forgiving,” Mattingly said. “I think, give it a chance to evaluate overnight, see what happens, how it comes in tomorrow.”
What unraveled into a six-run 11th inning sealed the Phillies’ 10-4 loss to Washington, but most pressing for the club is the status of Hill and starter Andrew Painter, who exited the game after four innings with tightness in his left hamstring. Both will be reevaluated Thursday.
Painter grimaced after falling off the mound during his delivery of a 3-2 pitch to Daylen Lile in the first. He initially remained in the game, with the Phillies checking on him after each inning. When he reported that his hamstring began to tighten up after the fourth inning, the staff decided to pull him.
Andrew Painter lasted just 63 pitches through four innings before being pulled with a left hamstring tightness.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Painter said he has never had a hamstring injury before, but he was not concerned that it will turn into something serious.
“I’m not too worried about it,” Painter said. “I felt like I could have gone out there and still competed. They felt like they didn’t want to risk that, so that’s why we made that decision.”
With their lack of starting pitching depth, the Phillies cannot afford an injury to Painter. They did not add rotation help at Monday’s trade deadline, with president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski citing Painter’s encouraging outing against the Orioles as one reason why.
“Really, the choice came: Do you end up getting a guy that’s a fifth starter that you don’t think is as good as your guy that you have now, and option the guy that you think is a better chance to win to help your depth, or do what we’re doing?” Dombrowski said Monday. “And we figured we do what we are doing.”
While Painter worked on his fastball in Lehigh Valley, the Phillies relied on Alan Rangel and a patchwork of bullpen games to cover the No. 5 spot in the order. It did not work. They have lost 13 consecutive games started by that rotation spot, a streak that includes Painter’s struggles before he was optioned on June 17.
Before Painter left the game, he threw just 63 pitches. He appeared to improve as the game went on. After giving up a run in the first on a hit batter and two singles, Painter held the Nationals off the scoreboard for the next three innings. He sidestepped a walk and another single, while striking out four. He tossed a 1-2-3 fourth inning, using just nine pitches.
“The changeup was really good. Something we’ve been building on,” Painter said. “Got some good swing and miss there. I feel like the command of it is getting better and better each time I go out there.”
With Painter’s outing cut short, the bullpen had to cover the next 21 outs as the back-and-forth game marched into extras. Tim Mayza, Orion Kerkering, and Jonathan Bowlan each delivered a scoreless inning.
Newly-acquired reliever Brooks Raley coughed up a 2-1 lead in the seventh inning. He surrendered a 404-foot homer to Brady House, followed by a double and a single to left field that scored another.
Luis Arraez (left) celebrates a second inning home run with Alec Bohm.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
The Phillies punched back. Cleanup hitter Luis Arraez had launched his fifth homer of the year in the second inning, but outside of that the Phillies generated most of their offense from the bottom half of the order. In the seventh, Alec Bohm worked a leadoff walk, advanced on a single from Brandon Marsh, and tied the game at 3-3 on Bryson Stott’s RBI single.
They had the chance to add more, loading the bases against Nationals reliever Tom Cosgrove, but Trea Turner flew out to right field to end the rally.
Closer Jhoan Duran pitched a scoreless ninth inning to give his team the chance to walk it off. When they came up short, José Alvarado entered for the 10th. After getting the first two outs, he completely lost the strike zone. He threw seven consecutive balls as he walked Andrés Chaparro and then Nasim Nuñez, forcing in a run as the Nationals took a 4-3 lead.
In the bottom of the inning, Turner hit a sacrifice fly to right field that Dylan Crews made a diving catch on, scoring Hill from third to tie the game once more. The Phillies put the winning run aboard when Bryce Harper drew a four-pitch walk.
With Arraez at the plate, the Phillies called for Harper to steal second, and he was thrown out to end the inning.
Mattingly said the reasoning behind the decision was to get Harper into scoring position for Arraez. Even with the possibility of the Nationals countering by intentionally walking Arraez, Mattingly said he felt comfortable with Bohm coming up to the plate in that situation.
“It’s still going to be a situation where we’re at Bohm and he’s going to need to get a hit,” Mattingly said. “We take a shot there, knowing that Luis is going to be there the next inning and he’ll lead off.”
By the time Arraez was back in the batter’s box, though, the game was already out of hand. Caleb Kilian had entered for the 11th and walked nine-hole hitter Jacob Young. That brought up Abrams, who drove in two runs with his triple to center.
Derek Hill is escorted by the Phillies’ training staff after crashing into the wall in the 11th.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Nationals manager Blake Butera had emptied his bench, and without further options, he called on pitcher Miles Mikolas to pinch-hit next. He laid down a bunt that scored Abrams.
“I think the biggest the thing that hurt us the most there is really the guy walking, and then it puts Abrams in a spot where he gets to hit, we knew the pitcher was behind him,” Mattingly said. “They were out of players, so if we can get him out there, Abrams basically doesn’t swing the bat. But when you once you walk him, that’s the biggest problem there.”
By the time the Phillies secured the third out, Chase Shugart had replaced Kilian and the Nationals had scored six total runs in the frame. The Phillies’ offense went down in order to end it.
Phillies starter Andrew Painter was removed from his start against the Washington Nationals on Wednesday night with left hamstring tightness.
The Phillies said Painter will be evaluated further. He was amid an encouraging outing against the Nationals, which was cut short after just four innings and 63 pitches. After surrendering one run in the first inning on a hit batter and two singles, he seemed to settle in, preventing Washington from tacking on. Painter struck out four batters, two on his changeup and two with his fastball, and needed just nine pitches in the fourth inning. The Phillies went on to lose 10-4 in 11 innings.
The Phillies’ starting depth is paper-thin. While Painter had worked on his fastball in triple-A Lehigh Valley before being recalled last week, the club relied on Alan Rangel and a patchwork of bullpen games to fill the fifth spot in the rotation.
Trea Turner (left) visits Andrew Painter in the first inning. Painter left the game after the fourth inning.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
They opted not to trade for rotation help before Monday’s trade deadline. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said the team was unwilling and unable to meet prices on the market for starting pitching.
“Really, the choice came: Do you end up getting a guy that’s a fifth starter that you don’t think is as good as your guy that you have now, and option the guy that you think is a better chance to win to help your depth, or do what we’re doing?” Dombrowski said Monday. “And we figured we do what we are doing.”
BALTIMORE — Andrew Painter was going to pitch Friday night, one way or another.
The Phillies decided it was best if he pitched for them.
And so, six weeks after Painter got demoted to triple A with a 7.06 ERA, the Phillies recalled him to start the series opener against the Orioles and sent righty Brian Keller to Lehigh Valley.
“Just listening to the pitching people, they felt good about where he was at, confident,” interim manager Don Mattingly said. “And from there, we thought it really gives us the best chance to win a game tonight.”
With the trade deadline looming at 6 p.m. Monday, the Phillies are still looking to fill multiple needs, according to league sources. Among them: a back-end starter. The Phillies are 5-21 from the fifth-starter spot that originally was occupied by Painter, including 11 losses in a row.
The Phillies have fanned out their scouts in recent weeks to get looks at various pitchers, including the pending free agents Clay Holmes (Mets), Kevin Gausman (Blue Jays), and Robbie Ray (Giants). One rival evaluator theorized that the Phillies could reduce the prospect return by paying down the remainder of a contract. Gausman and Ray, for instance, are owed roughly $8 million through the end of the season.
It’s notable, too, that the Tigers and Mets scratched righties Casey Mize and Freddy Peralta, respectively, from scheduled starts Friday night. Both are pending free agents with a profile that would interest the Phillies.
Painter, untouchable in previous trade talks, began the season in the majors but got demoted in mid-June with a 7.06 ERA in 14 games (12 starts). His bread-and-butter fastball was particularly ineffective, with opponents hitting .404 and slugging .660 against it.
Andrew Painter got demoted in mid-June with a 7.06 ERA in 14 games (12 starts).Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
“Most of it is delivery-oriented,” president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said at the time. “That’s what it comes down to. Because when he’s done some things with his delivery, which is going more directly to the plate rather than spinning off, he’s had more life. And you see it at times.”
Painter has a 4.56 ERA in five triple-A starts, though he has allowed two or fewer runs in four starts and completed the sixth inning twice. Last week, he allowed a total of three runs on 12 hits in 11 innings over two starts, including one run in six innings Sunday. The Phillies were particularly encouraged that he walked only one batter, none Sunday.
“The biggest thing for us has been his command’s been good, confidence has been good,” Mattingly said. “The guys down there felt like that’s the best they’ve seen throw the ball, so it felt like it was time.”
But Mattingly said the Phillies weren’t viewing Painter’s return as temporary.
“There’s no talk of like, he pitches today and he’s out tomorrow and we bring a bullpen guy in and we have an extra arm,” Mattingly said. “There wasn’t a whole lot of talk about the future. It was like, ‘This is the best guy for us to win a game today.’”
One day after their 11th loss in a row from the fifth-starter spot, the Phillies weren’t closer to a decision about what to do the next time around.
Here’s a hint: Brian Keller remained on the roster.
“I think that’s some sort of insight on what we’ll do, what we’re thinking,” interim manager Don Mattingly said Sunday. “That could change. We haven’t really discussed exactly what we’re going to do. But I think the fact that he’s still here, you know, we’re going to use him again at some point.”
Keller gave up one run in three innings Saturday night as a bulk reliever. The 32-year-old right-hander, a former 39th-round pick when the draft went for more than 20 rounds, took an improbably winding road to the majors, including a stint in Japan in 2023 and a two-year recovery from Tommy John elbow surgery.
It’s a nice story brought about by the black hole at the back of the Phillies’ rotation. They haven’t won a game started by anyone other than Cristopher Sánchez, Zack Wheeler, Jesús Luzardo, or Aaron Nola since May 18.
The No. 5-starter spot will come around again Friday in Baltimore. The Phillies could skip the turn because of a day off Thursday, but given the lack of rotation depth, Mattingly has prioritized an extra day of rest for the starters whenever possible.
Phillies right-hander Brian Keller allowed one run in three innings Saturday night in his major-league debut.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
In that case, Keller could factor in the mix again, either as a starter or bulk reliever — unless the Phillies are able to acquire a starter before Friday. (The trade deadline is a week away on Aug. 3 at 6 p.m.)
All along, the Phillies planned for Painter to lock down the fifth-starter spot. But the 23-year-old rookie and erstwhile untouchable top prospect dragged a 7.06 ERA back to triple A on June 18.
Painter is coming off a solid week for Lehigh Valley. He started the first and last games of a six-game series in Indianapolis and allowed a total of three runs on 12 hits in 11 innings, including one run in six innings Sunday. The Phillies were particularly encouraged that he walked only one batter in the two starts, none Sunday.
It’s the best stretch for Painter since his demotion. In five starts overall, he has a 4.56 ERA, though he has allowed two or fewer runs in four starts and completed the sixth inning twice.
At minimum, it will give team officials something to talk about. Mattingly, however, didn’t seem to indicate that a return for Painter was imminent.
“I think when we sent Paint out, it was not going to be something that we’re like, ‘Oh, Paint, now he’s ready. Now he’s good.’ It was going to be, let’s let Andrew develop. Let’s let him pitch. Let’s let him work and keep getting better. And then, we’ll see him again.”
Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber took grounders at first base Sunday.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Giving Harper a break
Kyle Schwarber took grounders at first base Sunday in preparation for a start there in the coming days.
Mattingly said the Phillies want to give Bryce Harper a game as the designated hitter. Harper has started all 106 games, all but six at first base, and has his sights set on playing 162.
“For me, it’s more maintenance,” Mattingly said. “It’s not that he needs a day off. We’ll continue to watch him and talk to him. If we’re seeing him totally dragging or something, then we’ll do something about it.”
Mattingly noted that neither Harper nor Schwarber got much of a respite during the All-Star break. In addition to competing in the Home Run Derby, they had to fulfill obligations around the city as the biggest stars on the host team. The Phillies also had only a three-day break, while most teams got four days off.
Harper came out of the break in a 4-for-28 funk with one homer and 12 strikeouts; Schwarber was 6-for-29 with one homer and 11 strikeouts entering Sunday night.
Mattingly suggested there may be cause-and-effect.
“I don’t know that. I’m just saying it was a lot,” he said. “And naturally, in Philadelphia, obviously the game here, it was different for them than it was for basically any other player. … I don’t think those were great things for those guys physically, but obviously we can’t make excuses for that.”
Don Mattingly (left) suggested that lack of rest may be a cause for Bryce Harper’s and Kyle Schwarber’s production after the All-Star break.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Extra bases
Mattingly said the Phillies expect lefty reliever Tanner Banks to return this season, even though they moved him to the 60-day injured list. Banks, sidelined since July 9 by a left forearm strain, won’t resume throwing for another week. He’s eligible to return in mid-September. … Wheeler (10-2, 2.16 ERA) will start the series opener in Miami at 6:40 p.m. Monday against former Phillies righty Tyler Phillips (2-5, 3.52).
The 2026 Major League Baseball draft kicks off Saturday in Center City Philadelphia as part of the All-Star festivities, taking place in the City of Brotherly Love for the first time since the production hit the road in 2021.
Another first? NBC will broadcast the first hour and a half of the draft, which kicks off at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. It’s the first time since MLB started televising the draft live in 2007 that it’ll air on broadcast TV, at least until it switches over to the MLB Network at 2:30 p.m.
The MLB draft hasn’t historically been a big TV draw because of how long it takes players to make it to the big leagues. Last year’s No. 1 pick, shortstop Eli Willits, is just 18 and is currently playing for the Washington Nationals’ single-A team in Fredericksburg, Va.
The fastest top pick to be called up? Former third baseman (and one-time Phillie) Dave Roberts, who started just one day after being taken with the No. 1 pick by the San Diego Padres in 1972.
For the fourth-straight year, the first six picks of the draft were determined by a lottery that took place in December. The Chicago White Sox enter the draft with the No. 1 pick for the first time since 1977, when they took future Hall of Famer Harold Baines.
The Phillies don’t technically have a first-round pick; they were pushed back 10 spots because their 2025 roster exceeded the second surcharge of MLB’s luxury tax. As a result, they have the No. 36 pick, the first time in franchise history they’ve received such a penalty.
Here’s everything to know about the MLB draft:
2026 MLB draft TV schedule
Former Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels will be among the analysts on TV for the 2026 MLB draft. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
The 2026 MLB draft is scheduled to begin Saturday at 1 p.m. Philly time at the Pennsylvania Convention Center and run through 7:45 p.m., but not all of it will air on TV.
NBC will broadcast the first hour and a half, covering the first 10 picks, before handing off to MLB Network at 2:30 p.m. The event will shift to streaming only at 4:30 p.m., with both Peacock (which is streaming the entire draft) and MLB.com carrying the proceedings through the fourth round.
Rounds 5 through 20 will stream on Peacock and MLB.com Sunday beginning at 11:30 a.m.
While NBC is dipping its toes into broadcasting the draft, MLB Network will be handling the production. A new face this year will be 2008 World Series MVP Cole Hamels, who will provide analysis alongside Mark DeRosa, Harold Reynolds, and former Colorado Rockies general manager Dan O’Dowd. Coverage will be hosted by Greg Amsinger.
Phillies 2026 MLB draft picks
The 2026 MLB draft will take place at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Center City.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
The Phillies have five picks Saturday: Nos. 36, 64, 100, 128, and 135.
They’ll get 16 more Sunday, beginning with the No. 161 pick in the fifth round and ending with the No. 209 pick in the 20th round.
Yes, the MLB draft is long, but a lot shorter than it used to be. The draft used to last 40 rounds before being cut down during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to 2011, it ran upwards of 50 rounds.
Who will the Phillies draft with their first-round pick?
It’s really anyone’s guess who the Phillies will take with the No. 36 pick, but experts have some thoughts.
In his final MLB mock draft, ESPN insider Kiley McDaniel has the Phillies selecting 2026 grad Archer Horn, a shortstop prospect who already committed to Stanford after batting .406 with six homers this year for St. Ignatius Prep in San Francisco.
One other name McDaniel mentioned is Taj Marchand out of South Carolina, another high school shortstop, who hit .531 with 13 home runs this year. But Marchand is expected to be taken before the Phillies are on the clock.
MLB Network’s Jonathan Mayo predicted the Phillies would take Notre Dame pitcher Jack Radel in his most-recent mock draft.
The Phillies drafted pitching prospect Gage Wood with their first-round pick last year. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
The Phillies have had some success landing major league players in recent years, with three former first-round picks — Justin Crawford, Bryson Stott, and Alec Bohm — currently starting for the team.
Two former first-round picks play for other teams. Mickey Moniak, the No. 1 pick in the 2016 draft, was traded to the Los Angeles Angels in 2022 and currently plays for the Colorado Rockies. Pitcher Mitch Abel, taken with the No. 15 pick in 2020, was traded to the Minnesota Twins last year in the deal that landed closer Jhoan Duran.
Here are the Phillies recent first-round picks:
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MLB draft first-round order
This year, the first round of the draft has just 25 true picks. Three teams — the Phillies, New York Yankees, and New York Mets, exceeded MLB’s surcharge tax threshold in 2025, pushing their first-round picks 10 spots down into the second round.
The Atlanta Braves and Houston Astros were awarded picks for promoting prospects
There are also a handful of compensatory picks that will take place after all the first-round picks have been made.
Here is the order for the first round, including supplemental picks that begin with No. 26:
The Phillies returned to Citizens Bank Park for Monday’s series opener against the Pirates a season-high 10 games above .500.
It’s a far cry from where they were in April, as they tumbled as far as 10 games under .500 on April 26. But their improbable rebound has made them the first team in baseball history to bounce back from 10 games under .500 to 10 games over .500 before the end of June.
Now, they’ve all but erased their dismal start. At the 84-game mark last year, the Phillies had a 49-35 record, and would go on to finish with 96 wins and win the division. This year, they are 47-37 at the same point.
“This is a 96-win club last year, this is not a club that didn’t show up every day and play every day,” said interim manager Don Mattingly. “You win 96 games, you’re playing good baseball, so nothing that you really didn’t expect to happen is happening. Just want to keep it going.”
Not only that, but the Phillies have closed within three games of the Braves for the lead in the National League East. It’s a gap that was as wide as 10½ games in May.
NL East standings
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It’s helped out that the Braves’ early-season dominance has somewhat faltered, with Atlanta posting a 9-13 record so far in June. But the Phillies have managed to capitalize, and a chasm that seemed insurmountable a month ago is shaping into a race again, with two series remaining between the teams in September.
“I wasn’t really looking at Atlanta,” Mattingly said. “I was looking more at us getting back to .500 at first, then to five [games over .500], and then trying to get to 10, and now trying to get to 15, and wherever you end up landing is where you land, but obviously you want to win the division. But still day to day, and so much baseball to be played.”
Right fielder Adolis García was at the ballpark on Monday to get checked out after undergoing season-ending surgery to repair a torn lat on Wednesday.
García, who signed a one-year, $10 million deal in the offseason, spent time catching up with his teammates behind the batting cage pregame. His rehab is expected to take place primarily at the Phillies’ facilities in Clearwater, Fla.
“He’s just coming in to see where he’s at. He’s had surgery a few days ago, he’s not going to be able to do a whole lot, but it’d be good to see him,” Mattingly said.
Starting pitcher Andrew Painter will likely make his next start for Lehigh Valley on Saturday.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Painter’s next start
The Phillies haven’t officially announced when Andrew Painter will make his next start for triple-A Lehigh Valley, but Mattingly said he expects the righty will remain on a regular schedule.
With the minor leagues having a day off built into their schedule each Monday, that means joining a six-day rotation, which would line up Painter to next appear on Saturday in Rochester.
“Unless they want to move him, or there’s a reason for us to move him to keep him on a certain day to match up with certain guys,” Mattingly said. “So, in general, I think he’s just one of the boys down there and working on his craft and getting it together.”
Mattingly said pitching coach Caleb Cotham’s report was that Painter was OK in his first appearance after getting optioned, in which he allowed one run over four innings.
“Still felt like some of the things that they talked about implementing, he’s starting to be able to do that,” Mattingly said. “We just let it play out now.”
Tommy Pham made his first appearance for the Florida Complex League Phillies on Monday after signing a minor league deal with the organization. Pham, who the Phillies picked up as outfield depth after he was released by the Orioles, went 2-for-2 in the Complex League game.
The 38-year-old outfielder has a .256 career average and .764 OPS across 13 seasons and 10 teams. He went hitless in 13 at-bats across nine games with the Mets this April before being released and catching on with the Orioles’ triple-A affiliate.
“I know Tommy from the past; I always liked Tommy, he gives you good at-bats,” Mattingly said. “I don’t know what the plan is other than to see where it goes and how he’s swinging and how he’s performing, and what we need.”
Extra bases
Gabriel Rincones Jr. was back in the lineup Monday against right-hander Braxton Ashcraft after sitting in the series finale against the Mets. Rincones has a .118 batting average in 32 major league at-bats. “[Sunday] was more of a day off, and kind of a little bit of a reset for Rico, see where it goes,” Mattingly said. … Cristopher Sánchez (9-3, 2.13 ERA) is scheduled to start opposite Pirates right-hander Bubba Chandler (3-7, 4.42) on Tuesday.
