It was the 2013 June MLB Amateur Draft when the Houston Astros picked Mark Appel first overall. He was highly regarded as a can’t-miss prospect for a while, as he was also drafted by the Pirates in the first round in 2012 and the Tigers in the 15th round in 2009. He finally signed with the Astros in 2013 after playing four years at Stanford University.
It is sad to see, but Appel since 2013 had struggled in the minors and never played in the majors. It has now been reported that he is stepping away from baseball at the age of 26.