Phillies minor league pitcher Corey Phelan has died at the age of 20 after dealing with cancer, the team announced in a statement Thursday.
“Corey’s positive presence and selflessness influenced everyone around him,” the team said in the statement. “While he was incredibly passionate about the game of baseball, his love for his family and his strong faith superseded everything else.”
Along with the team’s statement, Phillies director of player development Preston Mattingly mourned Phelan’s loss.
“Corey is and will always be a special person,” Mattingly said. “His smile lit up a room and everyone who came in contact with him cherished the interaction. His memory will live on, especially with the Phillies organization.”
Philadelphia signed Phelan as an undrafted free agent out of high school following the 2020 draft. In ’21, the he pitched in five games for the Phillies Florida Complex League team, accumulating a 0.93 ERA in 9.2 innings.
Phelan missed the 2022 season after he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in April.
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