Appel (elbow) has made two Grapefruit League appearances to date, giving up an earned run on two hits and one walk while striking out two over two innings.
The No. 1 overall pick of the Astros in the 2013 first-year player draft, Appel reached the majors for the first time in his career last June with Philadelphia. He logged six appearances out of the bullpen, pitching to a 1.74 ERA and 1.16 WHIP over 10.1 innings. Appel missed the final month of the regular season due to right elbow inflammation and was outrighted off the Phillies' 40-man roster over the winter before rejoining Philadelphia on a minor-league contract in January. He'll likely head to Triple-A Lehigh Valley to begin the 2023 season.