The Philadelphia Phillies continue adding pitching depth to their farm system following the 2026 MLB Draft, giving another promising arm a chance to begin his professional career despite not hearing his name called during the draft. Organizations frequently target undrafted free agents with intriguing upside, and the Phillies appear to believe the left-handed pitcher has the tools to develop into a valuable prospect.
According to the MLB Draft League, Philadelphia has signed the undrafted free agent.
Although he went unselected in the 2026 MLB Draft, he did enough throughout his collegiate career to earn a professional opportunity with the Phillies.
The 23-year-old spent three seasons at Western Kentucky before transferring for his final year of college eligibility.
In his final collegiate season, Higgins made 11 appearances as a graduate student, posting a 5.56 ERA, a 2.12 WHIP and 16 strikeouts. Despite the modest numbers, the left-hander’s previous success and ability to generate strikeouts made him an intriguing developmental addition for Philadelphia.
Before transferring to Western Kentucky, Cal Higgins began his college career at Iowa Western in 2022, where he surrendered four earned runs while striking out 14 batters over nine innings.
His first season at Western Kentucky in 2023 was a challenge, as he posted a 9.58 ERA, a 1.79 WHIP and 22 strikeouts across 20 2/3 innings. However, he made a major leap the following year, recording a 3.18 ERA, a 1.18 WHIP and 29 strikeouts in 34 innings.
Higgins elevated his performance even further in his final season with the Hilltoppers, compiling a 1.87 ERA, a 0.90 WHIP and 52 strikeouts over 43 1/3 innings. That breakout campaign earned him a transfer to Texas, one of the nation’s premier college baseball programs, for his final year of eligibility.
While Higgins struggled during his lone season in Austin, his ability to generate strikeouts and his dominant final season at Western Kentucky suggest there is still plenty of upside as he begins his professional career.
Philadelphia Phillies Right Now
Phillies fans enjoyed an eventful week as Citizens Bank Park hosted both the Home Run Derby on Monday and the All-Star Game on Tuesday.
Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber represented Philadelphia in the Home Run Derby, with Schwarber coming close to claiming the title before Jordan Walker of the St. Louis Cardinals delivered the decisive performance. Even without a victory, the event gave Phillies fans plenty to cheer about.
The excitement continued during the All-Star Game. Although the National League came up short, Philadelphia was well represented by Harper, Schwarber, Brandon Marsh, Cristopher Sánchez, Jhoan Duran and Jesús Luzardo.
The Phillies endured a difficult start to the season, opening with a 9-19 record. That slow beginning prompted president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski to dismiss manager Rob Thompson at the end of April.
Since Don Mattingly took over as manager, Philadelphia has responded by going 45-24. The club currently owns the second National League Wild Card spot with a 54-43 record despite a minus-10 run differential.
Philadelphia also sits just two games behind the Atlanta Braves for first place in the National League East. Considering how the season began, the Phillies’ climb back into the playoff race has been one of the more impressive turnarounds in the league.
The Phillies enter the second half after taking two of three games from the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park last weekend. They will open the post-All-Star break schedule with the first MLB game back, facing the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park at 7:10 p.m. EDT. Both teams will have Friday off before concluding the series on Saturday and Sunday.
