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Andrew Painter, Alex McFarlane, and Gabriel Rincones Jr. added to Phillies’ roster before Rule 5 draft

Painter is the team's No. 1 prospect and posted a 5.26 ERA in 118 innings between single-A Clearwater and triple-A Lehigh Valley. The Phillies’ 40-man roster stands at 33 players.

Andrew Painter, who posted a 5.26 ERA in triple A this season, was one of three prospects added to the Phillies' 40-man roster before the Dec. 10 Rule 5 draft.
Andrew Painter, who posted a 5.26 ERA in triple A this season, was one of three prospects added to the Phillies' 40-man roster before the Dec. 10 Rule 5 draft.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer

The Phillies added three prospects to their 40-man roster Tuesday to protect them from next month’s Rule 5 draft: right-handed pitchers Andrew Painter and Alex McFarlane and outfielder Gabriel Rincones Jr.

The Rule 5 draft will be held Dec. 10 at the winter meetings in Orlando. If an eligible player is selected by another organization, he must remain on their 26-man roster all season or he will have to pass through outright waivers and be offered back to his former team.

As the Phillies’ No. 1 prospect, Painter was expected to be protected. In his first full season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, Painter, 22, posted a 5.26 ERA in 118 innings between single-A Clearwater and triple-A Lehigh Valley. He had issues with command, but stayed healthy for the full season, and the Phillies remain confident he will be a part of their future.

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“I think he’s going to be better the second year out after the Tommy John [surgery],” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said in October. “The command’s going to get better. The quality of stuff’s going to get a little bit better. He’s going to be fine.”

McFarlane, 24, wrapped up his first season following Tommy John surgery in 2023 and posted a 4.84 ERA. He moved to the bullpen toward the end of the season and finished the year with double-A Reading. McFarlane has had some command struggles, but his slider grades out highly and he can touch 100 mph with his fastball.

Rincones, 24, made a strong impression with his power in spring training this year as a nonroster invitee. A left-handed hitter, Rincones spent the season in triple A, where he slashed .240/.370/.430 and hit 18 home runs. He struggles against lefties, hitting just .107, but could fill a platoon role with his .261 average and .873 OPS against right-handers.

The Phillies’ 40-man roster stands at 33 players.

Notable names left unprotected include Griff McGarry, who will be eligible for the Rule 5 draft for the second straight season. McGarry was named the Phillies’ Paul Owens Award recipient as their 2025 minor league pitcher of the year after a bounce-back season.

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Once considered a top prospect, McGarry, 26, has had inconsistencies with command but improved his walk rate from 10.2 walks per nine innings in 2024 to 5.2 in 2025.

Felix Reyes, who had some eye-popping numbers in double A and triple A this season, will also be unprotected. The utility player slashed .331/.362/.562 in 101 games.

Catcher Caleb Ricketts was also left off the roster. Ricketts hit .256 with a .702 OPS in 58 games with double-A Reading.