Top prospect Carroll facing 'long road' back
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As he begins the long road back from shoulder surgery, D-backs top prospect Corbin Carroll is at peace with what happened and what lies ahead.
Carroll, Arizona's No. 1 prospect and MLB Pipeline's No. 37 overall prospect, sustained a shoulder injury while hitting a home run for High-A Hillsboro on May 10. On the follow-through of his swing, Carroll sustained a posterior capsular avulsion and a labrum tear. It required surgery, which was performed this past week by team doctor Gary Waslewski.
"I think that a lot of the reason that I¡¯m able to have such good spirits is because I know that it was kind of just a freak thing," Carroll said. "I did what I could do to prepare. I really don¡¯t have any regrets about, 'Oh, I wish I could go back and do this.' I took care of what I needed to take care of. Unfortunately, this happened, but at least I¡¯m able to look at myself in the mirror at the end of the day and say I did what I could do."
The home run was Carroll's second of the season, as he was off to an outstanding start at the plate. Through seven games, he was hitting .435 with a double, two triples and three stolen bases.
When the ball initially left his bat, Carroll felt good about how hard he had hit it. But then on his backswing, he said he felt like his arm "kept going a bit. It didn't feel right."
After a period of rest following the surgery, the real work begins for Carroll, who said the range of a possible time frame he's been given makes it impossible for him to say whether he could be playing again this fall or winter.
"It¡¯s going to be a long road," Carroll said. "There are a lot of boxes to check, a lot of thresholds I¡¯m going to have to hit. All I can say is that I¡¯m going to work as hard as I can to get back as soon as possible. That¡¯s all I want to do. I think it¡¯s something where I kind of have to take it a day at a time. I really have to trust the people around me, which I do, I¡¯ve got a great relationship with our medical staff and Dr. Waslewski as well at this point. I think, under their direction, they¡¯re going to create the right plan for me."
Selected in the first round (No. 16 overall) of the 2019 MLB Draft out of Lakeside School in Seattle, Carroll has been taking some college courses and will be done with his first year at the end of the month.
Carroll appeared to be on a fast track to the big leagues prior to the injury, and he plans to pick up where he left off when he can.
"I don¡¯t think it changes any of those goals," Carroll said. "Sure, it may push me back a year. Nine months from now, a year from now, I can say it's completely behind me and I can get back out there and play the game the way I like to play it -- 100 percent and give it my all."