Astros prospect right-hander Mark Appel had his best start of the season on Thursday and now Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle reports that he’s set to be promoted to Double-A Corpus Christi.
When the Astros chose Appel first overall in last June’s First-Year Player Draft, many believed that he was on the fast track to the major leagues. Of course, it hasn’t worked out that way. After a solid showing in his pro debut last season, the 23-year-old has struggled to the tune of a 9.74 ERA over 12 starts this season with High-A Lancaster. He got a late start this spring following an appendectomy in late January, but the Astros sent him to a full-season affiliate anyway and he had some trouble adjusting to the organization’s piggyback pitching rotation. He has also missed some time with right wrist and thumb issues.
It’s been a rough ride, but Thursday’s start provided reason for optimism, as Appel allowed two runs on five hits and no walks while striking out seven batters. He’s hoping to look back on his struggles as a learning experience.