Phils Select High School Pitcher Painter as 13th Overall Pick

On the Sunday night before the All-Star Game, Major League Baseball held its annual amateur player draft, purposely moving the draft back to coincide with the All-Star festivities.  With the 13th overall pick in the draft, the Phillies selected right-handed pitcher Andrew Painter from Calvary Christian Academy in Florida.  The hope is that Painter and last year's top draft pick, Mick Abel, also a high schooler, rise through the Phillies minor league system together to form a formidable one-two punch in the Phillies pitching rotation for years to come.

The last time the Phillies selected back-to-back high school pitchers in the draft was 2001 and 2002 when they picked Gavin Floyd followed by Cole Hamels.  Former Phillies pitcher Pedro Martinez had some high praise for Painter on draft night in the video embedded below.

That's some high praise from @45PedroMartinez on our No. 13 overall pick @Andypainterr! #MLBDraft | #RingTheBell pic.twitter.com/s3VBs4JI4z

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) July 12, 2021

As I've done every year since 2014, I wanted to create a card to commemorate Painter's selection and listed below are links to the prior seven Phillies top draft picks.

Memory Lane
2014 Draft - Aaron Nola (rhp)
2015 Draft - Cornelius Randolph (ss)
2016 Draft - Mickey Moniak (of)
2017 Draft - Adam Haseley (of)
2018 Draft - Alec Bohm (3b)
2019 Draft - Bryson Stott (ss)
2020 Draft - Mick Abel (rhp)

2021 Draft - Andrew Painter (rhp)