Philadelphia Phillies top pitching prospect Andrew Painter has been advised to undergo Tommy John surgery on his injured throwing elbow, the club announced on Wednesday.
Here's the team's statement in full:
"Right-handed pitcher Andrew Painter has been undergoing conservative management for a right elbow partial ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injury since March 2, 2023. While he was able to return to throwing bullpens and follow-up imaging has shown interval healing in his elbow, over the last few weeks, he continues to be symptomatic upon examination. Considering the timing of the season and that Painter is still experiencing symptoms, the Phillies medical staff has recommended he undergo a right elbow UCL reconstruction with ulnar nerve transposition surgery.
"Painter has a surgical consultation with Dr. Neal ElAttrache on Monday, July 24, 2023, in Los Angeles, Calif."
Painter, 20, was the No. 13 overall pick in 2021 out of a Ft. Lauderdale high school. He promptly began dominating in the minors and reached the Double-A level as a 19-year-old during the 2022 season. This past spring, before the elbow concerns took hold, our R.J. Anderson ranked Painter as the No. 14 prospect in all of baseball. Here's what Anderson wrote:
"Painter, a 6-foot-7 righty, was the Phillies' first-round pick in 2021. He's since rocketed through the system, finishing last season with five starts in Double-A. Overall, he tallied a 1.56 ERA and a 6.20 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 103 innings. Painter has a broad arsenal that includes an upper-90s fastball that can clear the 100-mph mark, two breaking balls, and a changeup. He's shown good control, too, walking about two batters per nine last season, including just two across 28 frames at Double-A. Painter should make his big-league debut in 2023, perhaps earlier than expected, and may give the National League champions another big-time starting pitcher."
Now, though, Painter stands to lose perhaps two full seasons of development, which obviously lowers his stock until further notice. That said, the gifted young hurler has the stuff to realize his potential once his recovery is complete.
