Former first-round picks set to face Red Wings Tuesday

Courtesy of RedWingsBaseball.com

ROCHESTER, NY – Mark Appel and Zach Eflin, both former first round selections by different organizations, will start for Lehigh Valley in a doubleheader Tuesday against the Rochester Red Wings. 

Appel was drafted by Houston with the first pick in 2013 out of Stanford University. He was also selected eighth overall by Pittsburgh in 2012 but didn’t sign and returned to school. Appel was traded to Philadelphia in a seven-player deal in December, 2015 that sent Phillies closer Ken Giles to the Astros. 

Eflin is already with his third organization after being drafted 33rd overall by San Diego out of Paul J. Hagerty High School (Oviedo, FL) in 2012. He was dealt by the Padres as part of a five-player trade involving Matt Kemp in December, 2014. Eflin was sent to Philadelphia a day later along with another minor leaguer as the Dodgers acquired Jimmy Rollins.

Both are ranked in the top 14 among Phillies prospects by both MLB.com and Baseball America. Eflin will start game one with Appel opposing the Wings in game two. Gates open at 4 p.m. with first pitch set for 5:05 p.m.