On Friday, prior to the opening game of their weekend series in Atlanta, the Phillies announced that pitching prospect Alex McFarlane has been promoted from Double-A Reading directly to the majors. The 24-year-old will bypass Triple-A Lehigh Valley entirely and head straight to the big leagues. He will make his MLB debut the moment he steps onto the field—assuming, that is, he gets the chance to help snap a nine-game losing streak. No pressure.
So, what do the Phillies have in reliever Alex McFarlane?
They’re adding a power arm to the bullpen, one who leans heavily on a fastball in the upper-90s. McFarlane began his pro career as a starter and spent the first two-plus seasons in that role. After undergoing Tommy John surgery and sitting out all of 2024 while rehabbing, he returned last season with control issues, posting a 4.72 ERA across 24 appearances (18 starts) with High-A Jersey Shore. A late-season move to the bullpen earned him a brief four-game look with Reading, though he still struggled to a 6.00+ ERA.
This season, however, McFarlane has thrived as a full-time reliever. In seven outings with the Fighting Phils in 2026, he owns a 1.42 ERA, having allowed a run in only one appearance. He’s striking out 1.6 batters per inning while doing a respectable job limiting walks. The former Miami Hurricane also made three scoreless, one-inning outings during Grapefruit League play this spring, fanning two Marlins hitters in his first appearance including star shortstop Xavier Edwards.
A fourth-round pick in 2022, McFarlane ranks 19th on MLB Pipeline’s list of top Phillies prospects. The outlet gives his fastball an above-average grade and his slider an average one; he also added a sweeper during spring training. McFarlane becomes the fifth right-hander in the Phillies’ bullpen mix, joining Orion Kerkering, Brad Keller, Chase Shugart, and recently recalled Nolan Hoffman. While the fact that the team didn’t need to make a 40-man roster move likely aided his promotion, McFarlane should continue getting big-league opportunities as an optionable arm throughout 2026 if he produces anywhere near his current minor-league numbers.
