While most Double-A players are hoping to travel to Lehigh Valley to move up to Triple-A, Alex McFarlane took a different trip. He went from Reading to Atlanta to join the Phillies for their three-game weekend series against the Braves. Being born in St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands, McFarlane has been in more exotic places, but Atlanta probably looked like paradise to the 24-year-old.
With an open roster spot that the Phillies initially were just going to keep open until they activate Zack Wheeler from his IL stint today, the Phillies took a change of course of their own and recalled McFarlane. There will be another move to activate Wheeler for his Saturday night start.
McFarlane, a right-hander moved through the Southeast pipeline, attending Habersham Central High School in Georgia before heading to the University of Miami, a program known for producing pro arms.
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He was drafted twice, first by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 25th round in 2019 out of high school, but he chose to go to college. That decision helped his stock, and he was later selected in the fourth round of the 2022 MLB Draft by the Phillies.
At Miami, his performance showed a mix of swing-and-miss ability and shaky control, which has followed him into pro ball.
At 6’3″ and 215 pounds, he brings a strong, durable frame and generates easy velocity.
Early in his development he worked as a starter, but as a professional he has shifted more into a bullpen role, although he did make 18 starts last season. The move to the ‘pen does make sense given his profile, allowing his stuff to play up in shorter outings while minimizing exposure to command issues.
Pitch Arsenal and Usage
His arsenal is built around a power fastball and a developing slider, with a changeup mixed in occasionally.
The fastball is the foundation. It typically sits in the pper 90s and has enough life to miss bats even when it is not perfectly located; it’s clearly his best pitch.
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“He’s got a really, really good arm. He’s really exciting to watch,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson told reporters prior to Friday night’s game in Atlanta. “There’s so much sink to [the fastball] that sometimes it’s tough to control, but if he throws it over the plate, it’s going to be hard to hit. It’s a bowling ball.”
The slider flashes average and sometimes a bit better, showing decent bite and the ability to generate swings and misses. The issue is consistency, both in shape and location.
The changeup is used sparingly and is still behind the other two pitches and serves as a show pitch at this stage.
In terms of usage, he leans heavily on the fastball, especially in relief. The slider is his secondary offering, while the changeup appears only occasionally.
Minor League Performance
McFarlane’s minor league results have been uneven but intriguing. There are stretches where he looks dominant, particularly when he is in the strike zone. In a small 2026 sample before his promotion, he struck out 10 hitters in 6.1 innings, but also walked four. His ERA was impressive though at 1.42 and opponents were hitting just .190 against him with a 1.26 WHIP, elevated by the walks.
Across his broader minor league track record, the pattern is consistent. He generates strikeouts at a strong rate, but walks remain an issue.
From a sabermetric perspective, his strikeout rate stands out as a clear positive. He has shown the ability to miss bats at a high level, which is one of the most important indicators for future success.
On the flip side, his walk rate has been elevated, which drives up his WHIP and creates unnecessary pressure. Hit rates tend to be more manageable, suggesting that when hitters do make contact, it is not consistently loud.
Overall, the numbers point to a high-variance reliever who can dominate in short bursts but struggles with consistency.
The Upside…
Velocity is the clear carrying tool. An upper 90s fastballs give him a strong foundation and allows him to challenge hitters. He also misses bats at a high rate, which gives him real upside if he can refine his command.
His background as a starter provides some flexibility, as he could handle more than one inning in a bullpen role if needed.
The Downside…
You guessed it – command is the main concern. His walk rates have been consistently high, and that limits his effectiveness.
The secondary pitches are not yet reliable enough to carry him if the fastball command is off. The slider shows promise but is not consistently sharp.
Because of this, he currently profiles more as a developmental bullpen arm than a finished high-leverage option.
Overall Projection
McFarlane fits the mold of a power arm with upside but risk. The Phillies are betting on his ability to harness his stuff, and the early major league opportunity reflects that.
If his command improves even slightly, he has a chance to become a useful bullpen piece who can generate strikeouts in meaningful spots. If not, he is more likely to settle into a depth role, moving between levels as needed.
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