Phillies pitching prospect suffers career threatening eye injury

ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick reports the Phillies’ second round draft pick in the 2014 MLB Draft, left-handed pitcher Matt Imhof, has suffered an eye injury during a routine stretching exercise that is considered career threatening.

Imhof, who was not listed among the Phils’ top 30 prospects heading into this season but was No. 19 on MLB.com’s list heading into last year, was the 47th overall pick two years ago.

Crasnick reports Imhof’s agent, Adam Karon, said it was a "significant injury to his right eye," caused by the use of a stretching band. From Crasnick:

Imhof, 22, was taking part in a routine stretching regimen after a game at Brevard County when a piece of equipment malfunctioned and he was struck in the right eye, a baseball source told ESPN.com. Imhof has undergone surgery and is likely to need further procedures, the source said.

In 53 innings at high-A Clearwater this year, Imhof had a 3.91 ERA and a 4.81 FIP, with 8.15 K/9 but a far-too-high 7.30 BB/9. Last year, in 18 starts at Clearwater, his ERA was 3.94 with a FIP of 4.49, striking out 6.84 batters per nine and walking 4.52. He had recently made the transition from starting to relieving.

Imhof signed a $1.2 million bonus when he was drafted by the Phillies.