Shane

Watson

Watson spent this past season with the independent Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, posting a 6.40 ERA and 43/25 K/BB ratio over 45 innings. The 25-year-old was a supplemental first-round pick of the Phillies back in 2012, just one pick ahead of the Astros’ Lance McCullers. Watson hasn’t advanced past Double-A.

The 20-year-old right-hander, and Phillies first round selection from the 2012 draft, is expected to be sidelined until at least August due to the ailment. He’s coming off a mildly disappointing season, where he compiled a 4.75 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 53/28 K/BB ratio over 72 innings at Class-A Lakewood.

Watson was the 40th overall pick of the 2012 MLB Draft. He was suspended in September of 2014 for a violation of the minor league drug policy, and never advanced past Double-A in the Philadelphia organization.

It was recreational drug abuse, not one of the performance-enhancing variety. The 21-year-old was the first round selection of the Phillies in the 2012 draft, but was forced to miss the entirety of the 2014 season as he recovered from shoulder surgery and battled type 1 diabetes.