As an organization, the Philadelphia Phillies have to believe they’re in a decent spot to compete in the long term. While the Phillies will have some tough free agency decisions to make this winter, for the most part, they’re in a great spot.

It’ll be interesting to see how they perform when it matters most in October, but there’s reason for optimism in the long term.

Plenty of that falls on the prospects the Phillies have, including Andrew Painter. Throughout parts of Painter’s time in the organization, many thought that he was the top prospect in Major League Baseball.

Could Phillies give up on promising player?

Some still have them as high as that, but after a disappointing showing in Triple-A throughout the 2025 campaign, it’s tough to say that Painter is who the Phillies thought he was.

Whether that’s due to him not striking out hitters at the level he was expected to or the injuries he’s dealt with, Painter has more questions about him than ever before. That’s why Eric Cole of FanSided named him one of six prospects who could be traded this offseason.

“This is a tough one because Zack Wheeler just had thoracic outlet surgery which could lead one to believe that Philly could need Painter to field a competitive rotation in 2026 and beyond. However, it feels like the Phillies have soured on Painter now that we know what he looks like post-surgery.

“With Dave Dombrowski as good as any executive at striking trades in the middle of a competitive window, trading Painter feels very possible at the moment,” he wrote.