PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- Brent Honeywell, the top pitching prospect for the Tampa Bay Rays, has a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right arm and will have Tommy John surgery, sidelining him for the entire season.
The 22-year-old right-hander was hurt during a live batting practice session Thursday at spring training.
He was diagnosed with a strained forearm before further tests confirmed the severity of the injury. Honeywell says he will seek a second opinion from Dr. James Andrews even though he intends to have the operation.
One of the top young prospects in baseball, Honeywell was 12-8 with a 3.64 ERA in 24 starts for Triple-A Durham last season. He also was MVP of last year's All-Star Futures Game.
He wasn't expected to make Tampa Bay's starting rotation coming out of spring training. The team, however, was confident he would be ready to contribute on the major league level this summer.