Tampa Bay Rays Brent Honeywell’s career in jeopardy?

For years, Brent Honeywell has been one of the Tampa Bay Rays top prospects. He hasn’t pitched since 2017 and after requiring another surgery, that’s unlikely to change in 2020.

Should the Tampa Bay Rays baseball be played in 2020, Brent Honeywell will likely take no part in it.

The poor guy hasn’t pitched in a competitive game since 2017. He was ready to contribute to the big-league club prior to requiring Tommy John surgery in 2018. He lost the entire season. Last June, during his recovery he fractured his elbow. Another season laid to rest.

The last time we reported on him it was with a seasoning of sanguinity. He was throwing baseballs at Tropicana Field in January of this year.

Wow, January of this year… it feels like years ago.

It was reported Wednesday by Josh Tolentino of the Athletic that Honeywell had undergone a decompression procedure on his right ulnar nerve. The surgery removed scar tissue from around the nerve.

Tampa Bay Rays – Brent Honeywell likely to miss third-straight season.

Prior to the surgery, it was unlikely Honeywell was going to see any action in 2020 anyway. Now, it seems to be a foregone conclusion. Having not pitched since 2017, he had an intense season of rehab ahead of him.

A shortened season made it even more improbable that he would complete the intense rehab and prove his health in AAA-Durham, which is what the Rays would require before clearing him for a return to action.

If Honeywell is able to make his return next season, he will be 26-years-old. Time is ticking on the talented hurler. Especially considering his elbow has had three surgeries in the past three years.

Tampa Bay Rays – Brent Honeywell’s career in jeopardy?

Only two other pitchers have ever had Tommy John surgery and subsequently fractured their elbows, Jarrod Parker and Nick Hagadone. Neither of those two ever pitched in the majors again.

Parker had two Tommy John surgeries and fractured his elbow twice after his second TJ procedure. He announced his retirement at the age of 29, about two years following the second fracture.

"“Your arm will tell you when it’s done, and it did,” said Parker."

Honeywell possesses a spectacular repertoire of pitches, including a fastball, changeup, curve, slider, all of which are considered above average. He is also one of the few pitchers in the game to possess a command of the screwball.

For his minor league career, Honeywell has compiled the following stats:

• 79 Games
• 416 Innings Pitched
• 458 Strikeouts
• 2.88 ERA
• 31 Wins
• 19 Losses
• 1.08 WHIP
• 2.0 BB9
• 0.6 HR9
• 9.9 SO9

We wish him all the best in his recovery and hope we get a chance to see a healthy Brent Honeywell in St. Petersburg in 2021.