In another setback for a former Padres' #1 draft pick, top pitching prospect Max Fried will be become the latest player in the organization to have to undergo Tommy John surgery. Fried already missed three months at the beginning of this season with soreness in his forearm, which probably should have been a red flag for Padres fans.
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He returned to the mound at the beginning of July and made three starts for the rookie-level AZL Padres, followed by two starts for the Fort Wayne TinCaps in single-A. After his last start with the TinCaps, on July 21st, he was sidelined again with what they deemed as elbow soreness. But the team announced yesterday that Fried will be getting the UCL reconstruction surgery next week.
#Padres LHP prospect Max Fried to have TJ on 8/20, the team announced today.
— Corey Brock (@FollowThePadres) August 15, 2014
Padres prospect Fried set for Tommy John surgery | padres.com
"Any time a young pitcher anywhere, regardless of what organization he's in, a guy just getting started, especially [high school guy out of the] Draft, that's tough," Padres manager Bud Black said. "The way the surgeons are in today's day and age, and the success rate of Tommy John, we have to hope for the best in the future with Max and hope that he's one of those many pitchers that comes back from Tommy John and resumes his career and pitches to the potential that all our scouts believe he can pitch to."
Fried will likely miss the entirety of the 2015 season. It's definitely another blow to the organization, losing its No. 2 overall prospect. But on the bright side it's better that it happens now than during his World Series run with the 2018 Padres.