Phillies Top 30 Prospects No. 15: Sean Youngerman Bets On Himself

This is the sixteenth in a series of stories breaking down the Philadelphia Phillies’ Top 30 prospects heading into 2026.

The Phillies front office blitzed pitching talent to begin the 2025 MLB Entry Draft, selecting and signing pitchers with each of their first seven picks. Former Oklahoma State right-hander Sean Youngerman came off the board in the fourth round, giving Philadelphia a 21-year-old right-hander with a durable 6-foot-3, 230 pound frame, one who needed just 32 Division I innings to prove his pedigree.

Youngerman spent his first two college seasons at Division-II Westmont in his native California — he took inspiration from Dodgers’ legend Clayton Kershaw growing up, but throws with the opposite arm — winning an NAIA national championship as a true freshman. After posting a 3.49 ERA and roughly one strikeout per inning over two seasons at Westmont, Youngerman gave his stock a massive boost with the Cowboys in 2025, pitching to a 2.23 ERA with 37 strikeouts in 32.1 innings, most of them out of the bullpen.

He served as a starter during his sophomore season at Westmont and has a low-to-mid 90s fastball, a slider and a changeup, the type of mix that could propel him into a professional starting rotation. Youngerman relied heavily on his fastball in 2025, but popping in for an inning or two gave him less of a need to diversify his offerings. He also does an excellent job of pounding the zone, issuing just three walks last season.

Youngerman’s next professional inning will be his first, as the Phillies shut him down for the season after signing. His start to 2026 should demonstrate whether they try to build up his secondary pitches and try his hand as a full-time starter… but after using a fourth round pick on him, they almost certainly will.