Phillies prospect Matt Imhof loses eye after freak gym accident

A Philadelphia Phillies minor leaguer has lost his right eye after a freak accident with exercise equipment.|
ASSOCIATED PRESS
BY ASSOCIATED PRESS

PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia Phillies minor league pitcher Matt Imhof has lost his right eye after a freak accident with exercise equipment.

Imhof said in an Instagram post Thursday that he had surgery Tuesday to remove the eye. He said the first operation couldn't restore his vision and he opted to have a prosthetic put in.

The 22-year-old left-hander was a second-round pick in 2014 out of Cal Poly. He was pitching for Single-A Clearwater.

Imhof was injured after a game Friday night when a piece of metal broke off an exercise machine and hit him in the head and eye. He also suffered a broken nose and two broken orbital bones.

Imhof said doctors told him that his right eye was "crushed like a grape."

He didn't say if he plans to continue playing baseball.

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