The Philadelphia Phillies released right-hander Mark Appel on Monday. The former No. 1 overall pick back in 2013 finally made his big-league debut last year and allowed two earned runs on nine hits while walking three and striking out five in 10 1/3 innings over six relief appearances. However, he dealt with right elbow inflammation at the end of 2022 and really struggled in his six appearances in spring training before the Phillies cut him loose. The 31-year-old will now try to latch on with another organization before the start of the 2023 regular season, which is expected to be his last in professional baseball.

The Philadelphia Phillies re-signed right-hander Mark Appel to a minor-league deal on Tuesday that includes an invitation to major-league spring training. The 31-year-old made his MLB debut with the Phils in 2022 after being drafted first overall in 2013 by the Houston Astros out of Stanford. He didn't stick around long, though, and landed on the injured list due to an elbow injury. In six relief appearances, Appel allowed two earned runs on nine hits while walking three and striking out five. He will have to be healthy in spring training to have any shot of winning an Opening Day spot in Philly's revamped bullpen in 2023.

Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Mark Appel has been recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Veteran starter Kyle Gibson was placed on the bereavement list on Saturday and Appel was recalled in a corresponding move. Appel, the former first overall pick way back in 2013, made his major league debut earlier this season and should work out of the Phillies pen this time around. He's got a 1.29 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 3:2 K/BB ratio over seven innings of relief so far on the season.

NEW YORK (AP) — Baseball’s amateur draft is about to enter the next phase of its ongoing development — same as all those young prospects picked every year.Even before the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 version was ticketed for a move to Omaha, Nebraska, to coincide with the College World Series. The idea was to stage a bigger television event with more elite players on hand, like Arizona State first baseman Spencer Torkelson and Vanderbilt infielder Austin Martin.Of course, the COVID-19 outbreak scuttled the CWS and sent draft headquarters back to mostly empty MLB Network studios this week in Secaucus, New Jersey. Major League Baseball owners and players agreed to slash 40 rounds to five, beginning Wednesday night with the first 37 picks. The remaining 123 will be made Thursday.MLB Network and ESPN will both produce broadcasts Wednesday, the first time multiple networks will provide live coverage in prime time. Much like the NFL draft in April, remote cameras will show premier prospects... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Baseball’s amateur draft is about to enter the next phase of its ongoing development — same as all those young prospects picked every year. Even before the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 version was ticketed for a move to Omaha, Nebraska, to coincide with the College World Series there. The idea was to stage a bigger television event with more elite players on hand, like Arizona State first baseman Spencer Torkelson and Vanderbilt infielder Austin Martin.Of course, the COVID-19 outbreak scuttled the CWS and sent draft headquarters back to mostly empty MLB Network studios this week in Secaucus, New Jersey. Major League Baseball owners and players agreed to slash from 40 rounds to five, beginning Wednesday night with the first 37 picks. The remaining 123 will be made Thursday.MLB Network and ESPN will both produce broadcasts Wednesday, the first time multiple networks will provide live coverage in prime time. Much like the NFL draft in April, remote cameras will show premier... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — After losing 100 games in three straight seasons, the Houston Astros are in position to become the first team to win 100 in four consecutive years.A core of José Altuve, Carlos Correa, Alex Bregman and George Springer has been supplemented with stud starting pitchers Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole and Zack Greinke, the combination leading the Astros to their second World Series appearance in three seasons."The ability to recognize when you have a chance to win — and realistically when you have a chance to win and not — I think is one of our most important responsibilities," former Boston Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said ahead of Tuesday's Series opener against Washington. "You can fool yourself one way or the other. Making the wise decisions is extremely important for you to try to win a championship."Houston went 56-106 in 2011 after dealing stars Lance Berkman, Michael Bourn, Roy Oswalt and Hunter Pence. The team was sold from Drayton McLane... [More]

Using the search engine at Baseball-Reference.com, The Associated Press evaluated each team's draft performance from 1996 through 2018, adding up wins above replacement (WAR) figures for drafted players.For each pick, the player's career WAR was added to the appropriate total for the team, depending on whether or not the player signed with the team after being drafted. Some players had their WAR totals included multiple times, if they were drafted more than once.Stats are through May 25. Compensation picks were considered part of the first round where applicable.___ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKSTotal WAR for all drafted players: 581.8 (MLB rank: 4th)Total WAR for drafted players who signed: 440.1 (rank: 5th)Total WAR for drafted players who did not sign: 141.7Impact players (10 WAR or more) drafted: 17 (rank: tie-9th)Impact players drafted and signed: 13 (rank: 12th)Most recent impact player drafted and signed: Trevor Bauer, 2011, first round, pick No. 3 (15.2 WAR)Lowest pick for impact player drafted... [More]

Using the search engine at Baseball-Reference.com, The Associated Press evaluated each team's draft performance from 1996 through 2018, adding up wins above replacement (WAR) figures for drafted players.For each pick, the player's career WAR was added to the appropriate total for the team, depending on whether or not the player signed with the team after being drafted. Some players had their WAR totals included multiple times, if they were drafted more than once.Stats are through May 25. Compensation picks were considered part of the first round where applicable.___ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKSTotal WAR for all drafted players: 581.8 (MLB rank: 4th)Total WAR for drafted players who signed: 440.1 (rank: 5th)Total WAR for drafted players who did not sign: 141.7Impact players (10 WAR or more) drafted: 17 (rank: tie-9th)Impact players drafted and signed: 13 (rank: 12th)Most recent impact player drafted and signed: Trevor Bauer, 2011, first round, pick No. 3 (15.2 WAR)Lowest pick for impact player drafted... [More]

The No. 1 overall pick of the 2013 draft has walked away from baseball without every throwing a pitch in the major leagues.Mark Appel, a hard-throwing pitcher from Stanford taken by the Houston Astros with the No. 1 pick in the 2013 Major League Baseball draft, has announced his intention to leave the game. He was released by Philadelphia in November ahead of the winter meeting draft.Appel told Bleacher Report he was at peace with his decision."If you want to call me the biggest draft bust, you can call it that," Appel told Bleacher Report. "If I never get to the big leagues, will it be a disappointment? Yes and no. That was a goal and a dream I had at one point, but that's with stipulations that I'm healthy, I'm happy and doing something I love. If I get to the big leagues, what's so great about the big leagues if you're in an isolated place, you're hurt and you're emotionally unhappy? How much is that worth to you?"Appel grew up an Astros fan in West Houston, became a college star at... [More]

Appel, 24, has a 6.52 ERA and 14:8 K:BB ratio in 19.1 innings since being promoted to Triple-A Fresno.

Perhaps the organization feels the pressure of Appel having been the No. 1 pick in the 2013 draft, but the Astros continue to promote Appel up the ranks despite less-than-stellar results. A bump to the Pacific Coast League has clearly not helped matters. He shows flashes of excellence, followed by absolute duds. With the Astros in the playoff hunt, it would be best to leave Appel in the minors for the rest of the season.

Appel was promoted to Triple-A Fresno on Wednesday, Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle reports.

The top overall pick from the 2013 draft class hasn't had overwhelming numbers at Double-A Corpus Christi this season with a 4.26 ERA to go with 49 strikeouts and 23 walks. Appel has also given up seven home runs in his 63.1 innings of work this season and will now head to the Pacific Coast League to play with the Astros' Triple-A affiliate in Fresno.

Through seven starts for Double-A Corpus Christi, Appel is 3-0 with a 4.70 ERA, 1.63 WHIP and 23:14 K:BB over 30.2 innings.

Appel opened 2015 with two consecutive two-hit outings (both wins), but he's struggled in five starts for Corpus Christi since then. While fellow top overall pick Carlos Correa was promoted to Triple-A Fresno last week, Appel is unlikely to follow him any time soon, as he has yet to build any consistency at the Double-A level.