Mick Abel optioned to Triple-A, four reassigned to minor-league camp

The Phillies optioned Mick Abel to Triple-A after their win over the Red Sox on Tuesday, his spring training debut and lone appearance of camp.

Abel allowed three earned runs (four overall) on four hits with a walk and a strikeout in 1 2/3 innings against Boston. He worked a clean first, walking one and retiring Jarren Duran, Alex Bregman and Connor Wong, but ran into trouble in the second with four straight hits to open the inning. The game didn’t air anywhere, nor is there Statcast data available.

The timing of Abel’s option likely isn’t a response to Tuesday’s line, and it’s not a surprise that he was optioned well before the end of camp. While he could theoretically pitch his way into an MLB role come summer, should the need arise, he wasn’t going to break camp with the team.

It’s easy to forget that he’s still just 23, but his prospect star has fallen. Phillies Nation’s Ty Daubert ranked the 2020 first-rounder as the No. 12 prospect in the organization as of this spring.

Three spots ahead of Abel on that ranking is outfielder Gabriel Rincones Jr., who was reassigned to minor-league camp after making a strong first impression with the Phillies. His 5-for-22 won’t stand out, but his three homers certainly did. One can imagine a world in which Rincones Jr. becomes a candidate to get into the outfield mix in some capacity at some point this season given the Phillies’ lack of depth in that department.

Otto Kemp, the club’s No. 15 prospect, was reassigned along with Rincones Jr. after a strong showing of his own. He went 7-for-20 with a trio of doubles and a triple. The question around Kemp is his positional fit, but no one has doubted his hit tool, and his first look with the major league club only bolstered that reputation.

Outfielder Matt Kroon, who went 5-for-19 with a double and a homer, was also reassigned on Tuesday — as was catcher Paul McIntosh, who went hitless in eight spring at bats.