PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Phillies’ latest first-round pick, 18-year-old Andrew Painter, is making a big first impression: The right-handed high school pitcher from Calvary Christian Academy in Florida is 6 feet, 7 inches tall.
“Some of the first things that originally we gravitated toward were just he’s a large human being,” said Brian Barber, Phillies director of amateur scouting. “He’s 6-foot-7, 230 pounds, and you notice that immediately … and the delivery has an excellent starting point. The arm action works really well.”
The Phillies have a decades-long history of not drafting well, which has contributed to their lack of competitiveness over many seasons and eras. While the current team tries to overcome its deficiencies and win a weak National League East, the MLB Draft is arguably the most important part of the season for this franchise.
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Barber acknowledged there’s a history of risk when selecting high school pitchers, but he said scouting departments today have the tools and resources to aid their evaluations. He said Painter’s fastball sits in the mid-90s and touches the upper-90s. He also has a curveball, slider and changeup.
“And sort of icing on the cake for us is it was a guy that at 17 years old has a feel for pitching and the ability to throw now strikes, and it was really just a complete package for us from day one,” Barber added.
“It’s an unreal moment,” Painter said about getting drafted. “Something I worked hard for for a long time, and it’s really just the beginning of it.”
Painter had committed to the University of Florida, but there are no current indications that he will forgo signing with the Phillies.
“Obviously there was some nervousness [on Draft Night],” Painter said. “Not knowing where I’d end up or when I’d be selected, but once I got the call — it was right before [the announcement], so it was pretty last minute. It still doesn’t feel real, but it was really like kind of a state of comfort where I’m like, all right, I kinda know where I’m going. I know a little bit about what’s next for me.”
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Painter already has a connection to the Phillies, too: He played high school ball with Dante, the son of manager Joe Girardi.
“Joe was always around,” Painter recalled. “Before practices and stuff, he’d be raking the field. I’d go out there. I’d water the field with him. We’d always talk just about different stuff. He was around a lot, so we have a pretty good relationship with the whole family.”
Barber said getting inside information from Girardi about Painter helped him in the scouting process.
That being said, it will be a little while before Girardi, who’s on the second year of a three-year contract, potentially gets to manage Painter.
This is the second season in a row the Phillies went with a high school pitcher for their first-round pick. Last season, it was Mick Abel.
Barber emphasized that Painter was selected based on his skills, but “getting Mick last year and then the opportunity to add Andrew to that, and those guys rise up through the minor leagues together and hopefully one day front your rotation in Philadelphia — yeah, that gets us excited.”