Ashe Russell, the Royals’ first-round pick in the 2015 draft, has stepped away from professional baseball, club officials told The Star.
Russell, a 20-year-old right-handed pitcher from Indianapolis, left last month. Royals assistant general manager J.J. Picollo described it as a “mental break” after a frustrating two-year stretch.
General manager Dayton Moore said Russell had the club’s full support. Picollo said there was no timeline for a potential return to the organization.
“We’re not worried about baseball one bit with Ashe Russell,” Picollo said. “It’s not our concern at all. It’s something that when the time is right for the game, that’s when we’ll do it.