Phillies Call Up Former No. 1 Overall Pick Mark Appel
Former No. 1 overall pick Mark Appel is finally making his way to the majors.
Appel, who was the No. 1 pick in the in the 2013 MLB Draft by the Houston Astros, was called up by the Phillies on Saturday.
The Phillies acquired Appel back in 2015 as part of the Ken Giles trade with Houston, along with Vince Velasquez, Thomas Eshelman, Harold Arauz and Brett Oberholtzer.
He took to social media to express his excitement for the opportunity, saying he was "completely overwhelmed".
Connor Brogdon was placed on the COVID-19 list to open a roster spot. Brogdon has pitched very well out of the bullpen, posting a 2.04 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 21 strikeouts across 17.2 innings this season.
After stepping away from the game in 2017 after posted a 5.27 ERA, 1.76 WHIP, and 60 strikeouts in 82 innings. Appel returned to the organization this season and has pitched well at Triple-A Lehigh Valley, with a 1.61 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 24 strikeouts in 28 innings.