As expected the Astros have shut down No. 1 overall pick Mark Appel shortly before the end of the minor-league season to limit his workload.
Appel made his final appearance Sunday at low Single-A and finishes his professional debut with a 3.79 ERA and 33/9 K/BB ratio in 38 innings between two levels. Not a particularly spectacular first taste of pro ball for a No. 1 pick and experienced college ace, but certainly not bad either.
Between the minors and college he threw a total of 144 innings this season, so he’ll skip the Single-A team’s playoff run and rest up for next year. Appel figures to begin 2014 at high Single-A or Double-A and presumably should move pretty quickly if things go well, perhaps reaching the majors at age 22 within a year of being drafted.
