Feb 25, 2024; Clearwater, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Mick Abel (74) throws a pitch against the New York Yankees in the sixth inning at BayCare Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
ALLENTOWN, PA - Last year, Mick Abel created what he described as an unhealthy atmosphere for himself away from the baseball field.
No, Abel wasn't gorging on fast food, or partying to hard with friends, staying up all night the night before a start playing video games.
Actually, it was none of that.
Instead, he was doing what many everyday, working stiffs know not to do - take their work home with them.
"I'll always go back to the off field stuff," Abel said. "I think I did a terrible job, you know? I'd go home. I'd wallow. I'd look at all of my pitches every hour of every day. It was all I was thinking about. And it's not a healthy atmosphere.
"I was never happy. I was never satisfied in this game."
Some of that comes with the territory. When you are an elite athlete and knocking on the door of the best league in the world for your sport, you tend to be a bit of a perfectionist. You tend to want to follow the same routine that got you this close and don't want to change.
Abel, 23, was one of those athletes all through high school in Beaverton, Oregon. He remained one after the Phillies selected him in the first round of the 2020 MLB Draft (15th overall) and was considered one of the top 100 prospects in all of baseball by both MLB Pipeline and Baseball America entering the next four seasons.
As good a two-batter sequence as we’ve seen from Mick Abel in a long time pic.twitter.com/EMYPc6JZZy
Between 2021 and 2023 he progressed nicely through the lower levels of the minor leagues for the Phillies, and earned a promotion to Triple-A in 2024.
And then everything went sideways for Abel.
In a season to forget, Abel made 24 starts for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. He threw 108 2/3 innings. Those were the only positive numbers. The rest? Well...
He doesn't like to reflect on his 6.46 ERA or his eyesore of a 1.813 WHIP. While his strikeout rate was the lowest of his minor league career, it was still decent, at 9.7 per nine innings, but it was completely overshadowed by his horrible walk rate, which ballooned to a career-worst 6.5 per nine.
And with each bad start, he went further and further down the rabbit hole of paralysis by over-analysis, which ultimately didn't help.
"You should never be satisfied," Abel said. "But there's a point to where you got to understand what makes you happy. You got to understand that your always going to be happy (playing baseball) and that you have to move on from an outing. (Doing that,) that's what I call one of those little wins along the way."
Achieving success is never linear. And sometimes, you have to endure the lowest of lows to recognize that.
Which is why Abel has had a whole new attitude in 2025 - and it's showing.
"That's an exciting topic to talk about," said Lehigh Valley manager Anthony Contreras. "Mick's gone through a lot with the ups and downs of last year, maturing, and figuring out what works and what doesn't. I see a different presence on the mound. I see the little boy in him kind of leaving. I see him turning into the man that he's naturally going to turn into. You can just hear it in his voice when you have conversations with him - and that's what's exciting.
"He knows what he can do. He's starting to get deep into ballgames, hold his velocity and throw his breaking balls for strikes. There are so many positives to what his season looks like so far, no it's all about staying healthy, staying on track and continue to doing what (he's) been doing."
Abel made his eighth start of the season Saturday for Lehigh Valley. It was another dominating performance in what was a 5-2 win for the IronPigs over the Worcester Red Sox.
Mick Abel had another strong performance for Triple-
A Lehigh Valley last night.
7 IP, ER, 3 H, 9 K, 2 BB
Abel down to a 2.53 ERA in 46.1 IP. 51 K, 19 BB, .215 BAA#Phillies have more starting rotation depth
Abel went seven innings, allowed just one run on three hits and two walks while striking out a season high nine batters.
So far, through 46 1/3 innings, Abel has a 2.53 ERA and a career-best 1.209 WHIP.
"Prior to this year, I know people talked about him not performing to the level of expectations that people had for him - granted there's some pretty high expectations for the kid, especially being a first rounder," said Lehigh Valley catcher Garrett Stubbs, who is now catching him on the regular. "But what I've seen from him this year in particular is a very confident demeanor out there.
"Everyone knows, the computers know, he's got really good stuff, right? Once you have the confidence in the stuff, because that's what the computers tell you, well that's only one part of the game. At the end of the day, you have to compete on the mound.. I think he's learned how to do that this year."
Mick Abel turned in the best start of his professional career. We will see him up soon. #Phillies #RingTheBell pic.twitter.com/8PSUbCPmvQ
Stubbs further highlighted that even though the overall numbers have been good, that there have been moments in-game where Abel has had adversity - whether it's a couple bad pitches, or a bad bounce against him - and that things like that would have unraveled Abel in the past, where as this year, he's overcome them by getting out of trouble.
"He's got good energy, good confidence, and it's fun watching him get better and better," Stubbs said.
It shouldn't be lost on anyone the impact that having a major league catcher like Stubbs working with him has had.
"It's awesome," Abel said, flashing a big smile when talking about his catcher. "He's been with us for a while now and whether it's his preparation, or how he goes about his business during the game, just watching him is really fun. I'm taking my fair share."
The resurgence for Abel is great news for the Phillies. From a high level perspective, it gives them even more starting pitcher depth - an embarrassment of riches.
But zoom in closer and you can see a world where Abel is an attractive asset at the trade deadline. Or, if he isn't traded, a potential late-season addition to the roster who can create flexibility between the rotation and the bullpen, the latter of which, will still need some triage before October, whether it's internal or external.
The Phillies know they have some time before any such decisions need to be made. Until then, they just want Abel to stay on this path, because they may finally be able to cash in on his talent.
As for Abel, he's not worried about the future. Because if he focused on the destination, he won't be able to see what pops up on the journey to get there.
""I don't think I'm really trying to get anywhere," he said. "I think I just kind of got to be me and be where I am."
And where he is, is pitching the best ball of his professional life - and that's a healthy atmosphere in which to live.
