:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/58798277/usa_today_10153115.0.jpg)
Tampa Bay Rays’ coveted pitching prospect Brent Honeywell has a torn UCL and will need Tommy John surgery.
The 22-year-old left a live batting practice session after feeling discomfort in his pitching arm. The UCL tear was confirmed this morning, despite early reports suggesting that the injury was only a forearm strain.
Honeywell is the Rays’ second-ranked prospect in the organization, per FanGraphs. He is ranked as high as 14th in all of baseball.
The news comes as a devastating blow to a Rays team looking to begin a rebuild after trading away Jake Odorizzi, Evan Longoria and Corey Dickerson this offseason. Chris Archer remains a fixture in trade discussions as well.
Honeywell was superb in Triple-A last season, particularly down the stretch. He finished his Triple-A stint with a 3.64 ERA while averaging 11.06 strikeouts per nine innings. He was also the first pitcher to win the MVP award at the All-Star Futures Game. While he wasn’t expected to be on the Rays’ Opening Day roster, he was a solid candidate to be an early call-up in 2018.