Former 1st-Overall Draft Pick Elects Free Agency


The former top overall selection was removed from the Philadelphia Phillies' 40-man roster earlier this week.

Now, rather than accepting an outright assignment to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, pitcher Mark Appel has decided to elect free agency.
After laboring in the minors his whole career, Appel finally made it to the majors this past season, finishing the season with a strong 1.74 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and five strikeouts over 10.1 innings of work.

For his minor league career, the thirty-one-year-old holds a 5.05 ERA, 1.51 WHIP, and 411 strikeouts over 486.2 innings. 

Appel should be able to find a contract with a team this offseason and serve as organizational relief depth. Appel was the first overall selection by the Houston Astros in the 2013 MLB Draft.
Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports