Prospect Report — Painter, Harrison Make Spring Debuts

Image credit: Kyle Harrison (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Andrew Painter, RHP, Phillies — The game’s top pitching prospect made his spring debut on Wednesday and did not disappoint. Painter, who spent his first full season as a pro slicing and dicing the competition from Clearwater to Reading, spun two one-run innings with a strikeout and no walks. His fastball topped out at 99 mph (a figure eclipsed only by the mutant known as Jhoan Duran) and he got two swings and misses in 29 pitches. 

Ronny Mauricio, SS, Mets — It is hard to be hotter than Mauricio is through the first week of spring training. The toolsy Mets prospect slammed his third home run of the Grapefruit League campaign, tying him with Cleveland’s Roman Quinn and Seattle’s Jarred Kelenic. Wednesday’s blast came off of a 94 mph fastball from Sean Reynolds, left the bat at 105.6 mph and traveled an estimated 413 feet.

Hayden Wesneski, RHP, Cubs — Wesneski was the return the Cubs received from the Yankees in the deal that sent Scott Effross to New York. The righthander made his big league debut later in the year and struck out 33 hitters in as many innings—one of which was immaculate. Wesneski kicked off his Cactus League campaign on Wednesday with two scoreless innings with four strikeouts. 

Drey Jameson, RHP, D-backs — Arizona has a wealth of big league-ready pitching in its farm system. Jameson, who is the owner of some particularly filthy stuff, is in that mix. The Ball State alum got the start on Wednesday and struck out two in two scoreless innings against the Giants. 

Kyle Harrison, LHP, Giants — The top lefthanded pitching prospect in the game made his Cactus League debut on Wednesday and struck out one over one inning while allowing two runs on three hits and a walk. 

Bryan Hoeing, RHP, Marlins — Hoeing was one of the Marlins’ bigger success stories in 2022, when he pitched his way from Double-A to the big leagues. The former basketball talent got into eight games—one start—and struggled with command. He fared better on Wednesday, when he spun two scoreless innings, struck out four and touched 96 mph with his fastball. 

Tyler Soderstrom, C, Athletics — The A’s top prospect spent last season proving himself as one of the purest hitters in the minor leagues. He reminded everyone again on Wednesday. The California high school product went 3-for-4 with a home run and finished a triple shy of the cycle. Not bad for someone who didn’t enter the game until the fifth inning. 

Christian Encarnacion-Strand, 1B, Reds — Encarnacion-Strand was part of the package the Twins used to pry righthander Tyler Mahle from Cincinnati. He’s one of the best offensive players in the revamped Reds system and has started the Cactus League hot. He continued that trend on Wednesday, when he collected two more hits, including a grand slam.