The Phillies’ bullpen caused the team a litany of issues throughout the year. Despite ranking eighth in bullpen fWAR, standout closer Jhoan Duran carried much of the heavy lifting. Uneven seasons from players such as Jose Alvarado (5.86 ERA), Orion Kerkering (4.97), and an injury to offseason signing Brad Keller left the team’s relief corps out to dry. Trade deadline pickups Brooks Raley (7.94 ERA) and Caleb Kilian (season-ending moderate oblique strain) didn’t provide much support either.
Ultimately, one of the biggest bullpen contributors behind Duran came right from the farm. Alex McFarlane, who jumped up to 13th amongst Phillies’ farmhands in MLB Pipeline’s midseason prospect re-rank, made big contributions late. The team trusted his 100 MPH fastball to get high-leverage outs, and he responded. Over 19 innings, he posted a 2.84 ERA, holding batters to a .211 average and .324 slugging percentage.
The Phillies will undoubtedly look to the open market for bullpen additions again this offseason. But could they also find answers in the minors? These prospects could serve to give the team internal options to shore up the bullpen.
The Rule-5 Eligible Group
Last year, the Phillies had to decide whether to dedicate a 40-man roster spot to Alex McFarlane. McFarlane was in a notable group of prospects eligible for the Rule 5 Draft. Ultimately, he, then-top prospect Andrew Painter, and Gabriel Rincones Jr. would all get roster spots.
This year, the Phillies have three pitchers who need to be protected with a 40-man roster spot. One is starting pitcher Braydon Tucker, while the other two are relievers: Wen-Hui Pan (PHI #20) and Mavis Graves (PHI #27).
Pan is the most intriguing of the two. He’s been on the radar ever since his pro debut in 2023, when he jumped to High-A after just being an international amateur signing that winter. A broken pinky delayed his start to 2024, then Tommy John Surgery took away his 2025 season. He returned in late April and pitched 40.2 innings with a 3.10 ERA, making it to Double-A. After a rough start with Reading, Pan found his groove. From July on, he posted a 3.00 ERA, walked just 6.4% of batters, and struck out 24.4% of batters.
Graves, meanwhile, had become a starter-turned reliever. He always turned in strong strikeout numbers, but posted a 4.78 ERA in 16 starts with High-A Jersey Shore. Still, he earned a promotion to Reading, but this time with a new role: pitching out of the bullpen. Though his 17.1 BB% leaves room for improvement, he generally thrived in his new role. He struck out 31 batters in 18.2 innings and posted a minuscule 0.96 ERA.
The 2026 Phillies’ Draft Class
In 2023, a rapidly ascending prospect by the name of Orion Kerkering took the Phillies by storm. Kerkering was a fifth-round draft pick in 2022, and a year later was pitching in the major leagues. Ultimately, his story may not have a happy ending. In 2025, the Phillies were eliminated from the NLDS after a brutal error by him. A disastrous crash-and-burn this September could end his Phillies tenure and make him a change-of-scenery candidate.
Whatever fate befalls Kerkering, the point remains clear. Even last year’s draft picks can become bullpen contributors in a short time. And the Phillies’ 2026 Draft Class saw them pick up a pair of college relievers who could contribute soon.
Fourth-round selection Devin Sheerin (PHI #24) will be worth watching. Sheerin’s 4.78 ERA doesn’t seem promising, but he struck out 58 batters over 37.2 innings at LSU. His primary pitch is his fastball, which MLB Pipeline gave a 65 on the 20-80 scale. Sheerin can run his heater up to 100 at times and relies on a good slider.
11th-round pick Drew Titsworth could also provide some grace out of the bullpen. He pitched both as a starter and in relief, but he was much better as a reliever. Though he posted a 5.06 ERA in five starts, Titsworth had a 3.31 ERA in ten relief outings. He’s shown the ability to perform with runners on base too, which is a great quality for a bullpen pitcher. With runners on base, Titsworth held batters to a tiny .164 average. With runners in scoring position, he turned in a .154 average against.
Some Wild Card Options
Among the Phillies’ other draft additions in 2026, two other pitchers could make an impact out of the bullpen. Third-rounder Ruger Riojas (PHI #12) and fourth-rounder compensation pick Jaxon Jelkin (PHI #28) were both college starters. However, both could speed up their timelines if the Phillies chose to deploy them as relief arms.
Riojas had early relief experience before transitioning to a starting gig with the Texas Longhorns in 2025. The righty has explosive stuff, headlined by a 60-grade fastball-splitter duo. In 17 starts, Riojas struck out 120 batters, walking just 21 over 81.2 innings. At 23, he has the pitch mix to be a quality starter and quick contributor. But a move to relief could speed up his ascension and could allow him to integrate quickly to the majors.
Jelkin, meanwhile, put up a career-best 97 innings, after previously topping out at 34.1 in 2024. Stuff wasn’t a question for him, but the lack of experience was a major point of contention. As a freshman with Nebraska, Jelkin was dismissed from the program after just six games. He returned to NCAA action with Houston but then required Tommy John Surgery seven games in. He would miss the rest of 2024 and all of 2025.
Speaking of prospects with injury concerns, Moises Chace (PHI #13) was expected to help at the MLB level already. The Phillies acquired Chace in 2024 as one of two prospects Baltimore sent for southpaw reliever Gregory Soto. He showed signs of promise, but Tommy John Surgery took away most of his 2025 season and all of 2026. If he returns healthy in 2027, the Phillies could ease him back into a relief role while giving him a chance to contribute soon.
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