CLEARWATER, Florida – Three years after moving away from baseball as a rare no. 1 who never reached the majors, Mark Appel prepared for a comeback.
The 29-year-old Appel will soon be at the Phillies complex for minor league spring training, according to several sources. Phillies still owns Appel’s rights after announcing on February 1, 2018 that he will take an “indefinite break” from baseball. He was named for the award after the 2017 season and was claimed by the other 29 teams in Major League Baseball.
Astros designed Appel, a Houston native, the first general in 2013 and envisioned it as a key piece in their ambitious reconstruction. Then they won the World Series without him playing a role. Appel was sincere about his mental struggles, as the pressure of being a No. 1 pick weighed more and more.
Only two No.