The Philadelphia Phillies have a few top-ranked prospects whose debut in the majors will be highly anticipated, but they also have other prospects due for a breakthrough season in 2025 that fans should keep an eye on.

The Phillies’ best prospects include starting pitcher Andrew Painter, who may debut with the big league club in the middle of the 2025 season. He missed two years recovering from Tommy John surgery. The right-hander returned to pitch at the 2024 Arizona Fall League, where he won the Pitcher of the Year Award. If Painter joins Philly this upcoming season, he will be at the end of their rotation. His ceiling is at least a reliable second starter and possibly the ace of the Phillies’ pitching staff several years from now.

Outfielder Justin Crawford has excelled in the minor league system. He ended last year in Double-A with the Reading Fightin Phils after beginning the year with the Jersey Shore BlueClaws in High-A. The Phillies’ third-ranked prospect is expected to be promoted to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs in Triple-A during the upcoming season. If Philadelphia struggles with consistent outfield production for a second straight year, the club may promote the youngster to the majors during the second half or by the end of the season. He has the capability of being their future center fielder.

The Phillies are not counting on shortstop Aidan Miller to be ready this season. Philadelphia’s first-round selection in the 2023 MLB Draft spent time with three minor league teams in 2024. He began last year with the Clearwater Threshers in Single-A, playing in 39 games and totaling a .884 OPS. He finished with a .797 OPS in 58 contests with the BlueClaws. He debuted with the Fightin Phils at the beginning of September and played in five games.

Philadelphia’s farm system is not among the best in the majors. It got weaker following the trade of shortstop Starlyn Caba, their No. 4 prospect in 2024, to the Miami Marlins. The Phillies included outfielder Emaarion Boyd, their No. 23 prospect, in the trade for Jesús Luzardo as well. If multiple players in the Phillies’ Top 30 prospects do well this year, their farm system ranking will improve, creating more excitement among the fanbase about the club’s prospect depth.

Let’s look at three Phillies prospects about to have their breakthrough season in 2025.

Moisés Chace

Moisés Chace is the Phillies’ No. 23 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. Philly traded reliever Gregory Soto to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for pitcher Seth Johnson and the 21-year-old at last year’s trade deadline.

Chace began last year in High-A with the Aberdeen IronBirds and played in 17 games, making nine starts. The native of La Guaira, Venezuela, had a 3.46 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. He totaled 76 strikeouts and 30 walks in 52 innings.

Following the trade to the Phillies, Chace made two starts with the BlueClaws. He had a 4.15 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP in 8 2/3 innings. The right-hander compiled 13 strikeouts and three walks during his brief time with Jersey Shore. He finished 2024 with the Fightin Phils and made four starts. The young prospect had 10 strikeouts during a start on Aug. 24 versus the Binghamton Rumble Ponies. He surpassed that total in his following appearance with 13 punchouts against the Somerset Patriots on Aug. 31.

Chace was one of the three players the Phillies protected from being selected in December’s Rule 5 Draft by adding him to their 40-man roster. Preston Mattingly, Philadelphia’s assistant general manager of player development at the time, said the following about the right-hander on an episode of The Phillies Show podcast: “Moisés Chace is a guy to me that has the stuff now to compete in the big leagues, it’s just refining. The fastball is special; he’s got a sweeper, a cutter, and a changeup. It’s a lot of finer points with him we’re trying to do, like holding runners.”

According to his scouting report on Baseball Savant, Chace relies on three pitches: a fastball that reaches the low 90s followed by a sweeper and changeup. The report also includes that his ceiling is predicted to be at the end of a starting rotation. He may also end up being a reliever. He needs to improve his command to find the strike zone more consistently.

Devin Saltiban

Devin Saltiban looks to be a player skilled in playing multiple positions. He was an outfielder in high school and played shortstop with the Florida Complex League Phillies in the Rookie league for 10 games in 2023.

The 19-year-old played at second base last season with the Threshers. Saltiban totaled a .956 fielding percentage at the position and had 13 errors. He may see more time at shortstop and in the outfield this season if he continues to have issues with committing mistakes. After starting exclusively at second in 2024, the Phillies may want to put him in the outfield or at shortstop more often to keep him sharp at those spots.

Saltiban was Philadelphia’s No. 9 prospect in MLB Pipeline’s mid-season rankings in 2024, and he is currently ranked No. 8. A native Hawaiian, the youngster has drawn some comparisons to former Phillie Shane Victorino, who also is from the state.

Kaha Wong, the father of players Kolten and Kean Wong, worked with Saltiban and spoke about what is impressive about the prospect after the Phillies drafted him in the third round of the 2023 MLB Draft: “Fast, quick, good arm, he can track the ball in the outfield. He hits the ball hard. He can turn a single into a double with his speed. He’s smart on the bases.

Saltiban posted a .333/.391/.452 line and an OPS of .843 in 10 games with the FCL Phillies two years ago. He had 14 hits, 10 runs and seven RBI. The Hilo, Hawaii, native finished with a .237/.346/.428 slash line and a .774 OPS with the Threshers in 2024. He totaled 68 runs, 13 doubles, 17 home runs, 53 RBI and 22 stolen bases.

Wong complimented the character Saltiban demonstrated at a young age: “Just how he presents himself. He’s easy to coach. That’s something people don’t look at, and I do. He works hard. He had no problem with just listening. Going through the process is easy with a guy like that. Some young kids don’t want to do that. Devin worked hard. Not only on the field, but in the classroom.”

Baseball America listed Saltiban as one of the three Phillies prospects expected to break out (subscription required) in 2025. The utility player has shown his defensive versatility and his quick bat on offense thus far. It would not be surprising if he ends the year in Jersey Shore or Reading.

Eduardo Tait

Catcher Eduardo Tait has become one of the franchise’s most exciting prospects. He could end up being the Phillies future catcher for several years. The 18-year-old is still multiple seasons from being ready for the majors.

He was the No. 5 prospect during the 2024 season. Following the trade of Caba, Tait is now Philadelphia’s No. 4 prospect. The catcher began last year with the FCL Phillies. He totaled a line of .321/.377/.500 along with an impressive OPS of .877 in 51 contests.

Tait received a promotion to the Threshers in July. He compiled a .269/.316/.462 line with a .778 OPS in 28 games. He will begin the 2025 season in High-A, aiming to get even better and possibly ending the year with the BlueClaws or the Fightin Phils.

Preston Mattingly has expressed enthusiasm regarding the young catcher.

“This kid is extremely intelligent. He knows what he needs to work on and get better at,” Mattingly said on The Phillies Show podcast earlier this offseason. “He’s hungry to learn and do those things and I think we’ve seen, even being the 17-year-old kid that he is, he’s taken big steps forward on the receiving side this year. We think he’s going to stay behind the plate, and if he can stay behind the plate it’s a hit-power combo, a guy that’s going to be a force in the middle of the lineup.”

Between his time with the FCL Phillies and the Threshers, Tait totaled 18 doubles, 11 home runs and 73 RBI. MLB.com’s Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Sam Dykstra listed the catcher as Philadelphia’s breakout prospect for 2025. The Panama City, Panama, native is from the same country as former Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz.

What does Mattingly think Tait needs to improve upon? The Phillies assistant general manager of player development said the following: “I think once he gets that final piece [strike zone discipline and understanding where you can do damage] he’s gonna be a guy that, I know everybody kind of knows about him now, but it’ll be nationally known amongst everybody.”

Callis, Mayo and Dykstra noted Tait’s strong defensive skills including a good throwing arm. If he has a second consecutive strong season, the young catcher will further his reputation as one of the Phillies’ best prospects along with Painter, Miller and Crawford.