Appel said in an interview with Joon Lee of Bleacher Report that he is taking an "indefinite break" from professional baseball.

EDGE Analysis

Selected by the Astros with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 first-year player draft, Appel was expected to be a centerpiece of Houston's rebuild and require only limited time in the minors before fronting the big club's rotation. Instead, Appel was hit hard in his first exposure to professional baseball and only saw his command and control worsen over the subsequent four seasons while never rising above the Triple-A level, with a trade to the Phillies in December 2015 doing little to improve his outlook. The Phillies were expected to transition Appel to a bullpen role this spring after shoulder inflammation cut short his 2017 campaign, but the 26-year-old decided walking away from the game was in his best interest at this time. If Appel declines to resume his baseball career, he'll become only the third No. 1 overall pick never to reach the majors.