The Phillies’ farm system may have taken plenty of heat, but two of the organization’s best minor leaguers just got their due. Alex McFarlane and Bryan Rincon were named the 2026 Paul Owens Award winners, recognition handed out annually to the club’s top minor league pitcher and hitter.
McFarlane’s rise has already started to matter in Philadelphia. The right-hander was pushed into a bigger role after the Phillies were slow to promote him, and once he got the chance, he made it count. He has become a trusted option for interim manager Don Mattingly, backing up that leap with a strong minor league run and useful work in the majors.
Between Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley this season, McFarlane posted a 1.83 ERA over 39.1 innings, struck out 55, and collected 12 saves. He also logged 15.1 innings in the Big Leagues, where he had a 2.35 ERA and struck out 14 batters.
Rincon’s breakout has been even more dramatic. The shortstop, a 14th-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft out of Shaler Area High School in Pittsburgh, has gone from a rough 2025 at High-A Jersey Shore to a major surge with Double-A Reading in 2026. After hitting .181/.304/.298 last year, he has produced a .267/.410/.517 line in 118 games and 534 plate appearances with the Fighting Phils.
The power is the biggest difference. Rincon has launched 26 home runs this season after hitting just 18 total since turning pro from 2022 through 2025.
He has also chipped in 24 doubles, 67 RBI, and 30 stolen bases, while drawing 95 walks and striking out 111 times. With the bat trending up and the glove holding at shortstop, he has forced his way onto the radar as a prospect to watch.
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Support poured in from across the city once word spread of the familys loss, with fans and members of the local sports scene reaching out to Bottalico and his loved ones. In a market that tends to hold onto its former players, the response was a reminder of how much respect Bottalico still carries, even as he takes time away to be with family. [Read more 🡒]
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Phillies Old Pitching Bet Just Got A Lot Tougher To Defend
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For Philadelphia, the comparison with Lorenzen is a messy one. His time in red pinstripes started well enough, but it did not end that way, with his late results and postseason usage leaving the club with less payoff than it probably expected when it made the move. Lees emergence only sharpens the hindsight, especially after he became the first Taiwanese-born player in MLB history to reach 10 home runs in a season, turning a once-routine trade into one that looks tougher to defend now. [Read more 🡒]