DENVER (AP) — Top pitching prospect Drew Pomeranz, the key acquisition by the Colorado Rockies in the deal that sent Ubaldo Jimenez to Cleveland, is out indefinitely after undergoing an emergency appendectomy.
The Rockies hoped to bring up Pomeranz, who was assigned to Double-A Tulsa, in September. But those plans are likely on hold after Saturday’s appendectomy, which went well, according to the club.
Pomeranz only joined the Rockies last Tuesday, nearly three weeks after the teams completed the four-player deal. Under baseball’s rules, the Indians could not finalize Pomeranz’s inclusion in the deal until he had been with the club a year since signing his initial contract. He was the fifth overall draft pick in June 2010.
Pomeranz, a left-hander, made his debut as a member of the Rockies organization on Wednesday and threw seven scoreless innings.
