Forrest Whitley got off to a shaky start in spring training in 2021, as the right-hander battled soreness. The Houston Astros’ prospect will need Tommy John surgery to repair a strained UCL, according to a late announcement.
Whitley has returned to throwing in West Palm Beach, Fla. On Monday, the top pitching prospect shared a quick look at his progress on Instagram.
Whitley has spent the entire season on the Astros’ 40-man roster, and a move to the 60-day injured list would start the clock on his service time.
The right-move hander’s to the 60-day could be deemed too valuable in terms of future payments and service time, as a potentially drastic 40-man shuffle could be the only reason he would move late in the season.
Whitley could be back on the field as early as mid-March 2022, with most Tommy John surgeries taking 12-14 months to recover from.
The right-hander has never pitched above Triple-A, but he could still make his major-league debut and serve as rotational depth next season.
Left-hander Kent Emanuel has resumed throwing, and right-hander Tyler Ivey is currently on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Sugar Land. Whitley joins a list of pitchers eyeing 26-man roster spots in 2022.
How Much Does Forrest Whitley Make?
Forrest Whitley earns an average of $3,148,000 per year.