Phillies No. 1 prospect Sixto Sanchez reportedly could return in August

Philadelphia Phillies No. 1 prospect Sixto Sanchez, by all accounts, was off-the-table in discussions for superstar Manny Machado, who the Baltimore Orioles ultimately dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Sanchez has been out since early June with elbow inflammation, so it’s unclear if that played any role in his lack of involvement in trade talks (the guess here is that it didn’t). In any event, it appears that the 19-year-old is nearing a return.

According to Ben Badler of Baseball America, Sanchez will start throwing again in the near future:

Right elbow inflammation has kept Sanchez out since June 3, but he’s expected to be throwing again by late July and could be pitching again in August.

Sanchez had been doing well with High-A Clearwater before the injury, as he had 4-3 record with a 2.51 ERA and 1.07 WHIP in eight starts.

If all goes well upon his return, Sanchez could open the 2019 season at Clearwater. At the beginning of the 2018 season, MLB Pipeline projected that Sanchez would make his major league debut in 2019, though it’s unclear how his injury may have affected his timeline.

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