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Philadelphia Phillies minor league pitcher Corey Phelan has died of cancer at the age of 20, the team announced Thursday.
“The Phillies family is extremely saddened by the tragic passing of Corey Phelan,” the team said in a statement shared on social media.
“Corey’s positive presence and selflessness influenced everyone around him. While he was incredibly passionate about the game of baseball, his love for his family and his strong faith superseded everything else,” the statement added.
Phelan, a New York native, joined the team as an undrafted free agent, just out of school in 2020. He was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a form of cancer that begins in the lymphatic system, this past April.
“I was taking a shower and I passed out in the shower. So I called 911 and the ambulance came,” Phelan told local television station WPIV-TV earlier this year.
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“I got a CT scan of my chest and they told me I had a 9-inch mass in my chest,” added the then-19-year-old.
Before his diagnosis, he pitched in five games for the Phillies Florida Complex League team, accumulating a 0.93 ERA in 9.2 innings, according to Sports Illustrated.
“We extend our deepest condolences to his family, as well as his teammates and staff who were by his side, providing emotional support throughout the course of his courageous battle with cancer,” the Phillies’ statement added.
The Phillies’ director of player development also mourned the loss of the young pitcher.
“Corey is and will always be a special person,” he said. “His smile lit up a room and everyone who came in contact with him cherished the interaction. His memory will live on, especially with the Phillies organization.”
In his last Instagram post, Phelan sounded hopeful about his recovery.
“Can’t wait to get back out there,” he wrote on Sept. 29, adding praying-hands and red heart emojis.
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