Quad Cities set to become first-ever Minor League Baseball team with back-to-back No. 1 picks
DAVENPORT, Iowa (JULY 9, 2013) - Right-handed pitcher Mark Appel, the No. 1 overall pick by the Houston Astros in the 2013 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, will join the Quad Cities River Bandits Wednesday before their six-game home stand at Modern Woodmen Park, the Astros announced on Tuesday. With 2012 No. 1 overall pick Carlos Correa, the River Bandits are set to become the first team in Minor League Baseball history with consecutive No. 1 overall picks on the same roster.
The Houston Astros selected Appel out of Stanford University with the top pick of the draft on June 6. He signed with the Astros and was introduced at a press conference June 19 at Minute Maid Park. Appel made his professional debut July 5 with the short-season Class-A Tri-City ValleyCats of the New York-Penn League. In two starts July 5 and July 9, Appel pitched five total innings, allowed six hits, two earned runs and no walks while striking out six batters.
At Stanford for four seasons, Appel is the all-time Cardinal leader with 372 career strikeouts. He finished his career with the fourth-most innings pitched (377 2/3) and sixth-most wins (28) in program history. In 2012, he was named the National Pitcher of the Year by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. This year, he finished 10-4 with four complete games and a 2.12 ERA and was a Louisville Slugger First Team All-American. He was the Pac-12 Baseball Scholar Athlete of the Year and earned his degree in management science and engineering.
The 21-year-old Appel was a Houston-area native before moving to California at age 12. He graduated from Monte Vista (Calif.) High School. Previously selected by the Detroit Tigers (15th round, 2009) and Pittsburgh Pirates (first round, No. 8 overall, 2012), Appel was named the top prospect in the 2013 draft by MLB.com.
Since the June amateur draft began in 1965, four Minor League Baseball teams have had two No. 1 picks on their roster at the same time, but Quad Cities is the first to have consecutive No. 1 overall picks on the same roster.
Team League Level MLB Club Year Player (Year drafted No. 1 overall)
Tidewater Tides International League Triple-A New York Mets 1970 C Steven Chilcott (1966), SS Tim Foli (1968)
Hawaii Islanders Pacific Coast League Triple-A San Diego Padres 1975 3B Dave Roberts (1972), SS Bill Almon (1974)
Lynn Sailors Eastern League Double-A Seattle Mariners 1981 OF Al Chambers (1979), RHP Mike Moore (1981)
Quad Cities River Bandits Midwest League Class-A Houston Astros 2013 SS Carlos Correa (2012), RHP Mark Appel (2013)
The River Bandits open their six-game homestand at 7 p.m. Wednesday against the Bowling Green Hot Rods at Modern Woodmen Park.
UP NEXT: Golf Night and the John Deere Classic Celebration open the River Bandits' six-game homestand Wednesday against the Bowling Green Hot Rods at Modern Woodmen Park. Fans can also enter copies of the bills into a drawing to be one of the two paid up to $100 by the River Bandits on a Pay Your Bill Wednesday presented by U.S. Bank and Mix 96. Single-game tickets are on sale at the River Bandits box office at Modern Woodmen Park, by phone at 563-324-3000 and online at www.riverbandits.com. Season ticket and mini-plan packages start at just seven games and begin at less than $50. Call a River Bandits account representative today to choose your seats and get the details of our various mini-plan packages.
