NEWS

Zach Letson - Newport Gulls Broadcaster and Team Publicist

NEWPORT, R.I – After over six seasons of minor league baseball, the journey has finally reached its peak for 2010 Gull Mark Appel, who Saturday became the 29th Gull in team history to make the major leagues with the Philadelphia Phillies. 

"Completely overwhelmed. I have so many thoughts I want to share but can't find the words, so I'll just say this: I'm thankful," Appel tweeted Saturday morning. "Today, I get to play a game I love as a Major League Baseball player." 

Appel had quite the decade-long journey to arrive in the major leagues. The No. 1 Overall Pick in the 2013 MLB Draft by the Houston Astros, the right hander was traded from Houston to Philadelphia during the 2017 season. Appel took a four-year break away from the game from 2017 to 2021, and came back as ready as ever, turning in a dominant start to the 2022 season with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, the AAA affiliate of the Phillies. The former top pick is 5-0 with a 1.61 ERA this season.

Much of that dominance and growth evolved with the Gulls during the summer of 2010. An NECBL All Star, Appel pitched in eight games and recorded a 6-1 record to go with a 1.86 ERA, leading the Gulls to a Eastern Division title. After a dominant junior season at Stanford, Appel gave a lot of credit to Newport for his development.

“I had a lot of worry after my freshman year,” Appel said in a 2012 interview with MLB Network. “I went out and played summer ball and just went back to the basics. That’s where I learned how to be a starting pitcher, was in Newport, Rhode Island in the NECBL.”

After leaving Newport, Appel flourished in his next three seasons with the Cardinal. In his last three collegiate seasons, the San Ramon, California native finished with a 26-13 record to go with a 2.56 ERA in 47 starts. After 474.2 innings pitched in the minor leagues, Appel’s remarkable journey has brought him to the biggest stage. Welcome to the show, Mark.