Mark Stewart Appel...2009 graduate of Monte Vista High School (CA), where he played baseball and basketball...Went 4-0, 0.90 ERA in his senior season...Named Contra Costa Times Baseball and Basketball Prep Athlete of the Year in 2009...Attended Stanford University (CA), where he is the school’s all-time leader in strikeouts (372) and ranks fourth in innings pitched (377.2) and T-6th in wins (28)...Went 10-4, 2.12 ERA with four CG his senior season and compiled 130 SO in 106.1 IP while holding opposing hitters to a .203 AVG...Was one of 10 semifinalists for the National Pitcher of the Year Award as named by the College Baseball Hall of Fame...Hobbies: Hanging out with friends, going to church and playing video games...Signed by Bryan Byrne.
2022
Spent majority of the season with Lehigh Valley (AAA), going 6-0 with a 3.15 ERA (14 ER, 40.0 IP) in 31 appearances...Had his contract selected by the Phillies on 6/25, marking his first time on an active ML roster...Made his ML debut on 6/29 vs ATL, working a scoreless ninth inning and recording his first ML strikeout (Adam Duvall)...Posted a 6.0-inning scoreless streak to start his ML career, beginning on 6/29 and ending on 7/12 at TOR...Worked a career-high 3.0 innings of relief on 7/12 at TOR...Had one other stint with the Phillies, 7/30-8/2...Was placed on the IL on 9/5 with right elbow inflammation; was recalled and placed on the 60-day IL, 9/12 for the remainder of the season.
2021
Began season with Reading (AA)...On 5/8, appeared in his first professional game since 9/2/17, going 1,344 days between appearances...Promoted to Lehigh Valley on 6/24...With Lehigh Valley, held LHH to a .200 AVG (15-75)...Combined to make four scoreless starts of at least 5.0 IP (3 with LHV and 1 with REA).
2017
Attended ML spring training...Spent most of the season with Lehigh Valley; appeared in two games for Gulf Coast League Phillies (R) as part of a rehab assignment...Went 2-2 with a 2.50 ERA (10 ER, 36.0 IP) over six June starts...Was on the IL from 7/13-end of season with a right shoulder strain.
2016
Was a non-roster invitee to Phillies spring training...Began the season with Lehigh Valley (AAA)...Started season with a 9.2-inning scoreless streak...Posted a 3-0 record with a 1.64 ERA (4 ER, 22.0 IP) in his first 4 starts of the season (4/12-29)...Went 0-3, 8.27 ERA (15 ER, 16.1 IP) over his next 4 starts before being placed on the DL on 5/27 with a right shoulder strain...Underwent surgery to remove a bone spur from his right elbow on 6/29 (Dr. Michael Ciccotti) and missed the remainder of the season.
2014
Made 19 combined appearances (18 starts) between Double A Corpus Christi (7g) and Class A Advanced Lancaster (12g), striking out 78 batters with 24 walks in 83.1 innings...was a non-roster invitee to Astros Major League Spring Training, but had a delay to his Spring season due to an emergency appendectomy conducted on Jan. 30...began the year with Lancaster and made 12 starts before moving up to Corpus Christi...had his best outing in the California League in his last start with Lancaster on July 24 at Stockton...went 6.0 innings, allowing two runs on five hits with seven strikeouts and no walks...had a strong seven-game (six start) showing with Corpus Christi in the Double A Texas League...went 1-2 with a 3.69 ERA (16ER/39IP), one complete game, 38 strikeouts and 13 walks...tossed the best professional start of his career on Aug. 26 vs. Frisco, going 8.0 shutout innings while striking out 10 and allowing two hits and one walk in a 1-0 victory...pitched in the Arizona Fall League following the 2014 season and led the league in innings pitched while going 1-0 with a 2.61 ERA (9ER/31IP) and 24 strikeouts...named to the All-Prospect Team after finishing tied for second in the AFL in strikeouts and eighth in WHIP (0.84)...made seven total starts for the AFL Champion Salt River Rafters...was named the No. 6 prospect in the AFL by Baseball America.
2013
Drafted by Houston with the first overall selection in the 2013 draft on June 6...signed his professional contract less than two weeks later on June 19 and reported to the Astros Extended Spring Training facility in Kissimmee...made his professional debut with Class A Short Season Tri-City on July 5 vs. Lowell (2ER/2IP) and made his second start with the club on July 9 vs. Aberdeen (0ER/3IP)...promoted to Class A Quad Cities on July 10 and joined the Astros No. 1 overall selection from the 2012 draft (SS Carlos Correa) with the River Bandits...this made the River Bandits the first team in minor league baseball history with consecutive No. 1 overall picks on the same roster...went on to make eight starts with Quad Cities from July 14-Aug. 25... gave up one earned run or less in six of his eight outings with Quad Cities, and pitched the team to a 5-1 victory on Aug. 25 at Burlington that clinched a playoff berth for the club (5.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 3 SO)...combined to go 3-1 with a 3.79 ERA (16ER/38IP) in 10 minor league starts...pitched 106.1 innings at Stanford in 2013, which combined for 144.1 innings in his calendar year.