Watson to Undergo Shoulder Surgery

To follow up on a previous story, Phillies right-handed pitching prospect Shane Watson learned this week that rehab would not be enough to allow his ailing shoulder to return to form and he'll require surgery.

Watson, the Phils' top draft choice in 2012, missed time during the regular season with a shoulder issue, but had rehabbed through the fall instructional league and was thought to be in good health until recently.  On a the latest edition of the PhoulBallz Podcast, Watson told me that he woke up one day in November with considerable discomfort in his joint and the pain worsened over the week that followed. The 21-year-old also admitted that the issue, which has kept him out of action since July, initially popped up in 2012 when he was playing racquetball.

admitted that the issue, which has kept him out of action since July, initially popped up in 2012 when he was playing racquetball. - See more at: http://philliesnation.com/archives/2013/12/watson-shoulder-injury-occurred-while-playing-racquetball/#sthash.yHoLtgN8.dpuf

admitted that the issue, which has kept him out of action since July, initially popped up in 2012 when he was playing racquetball. - See more at: http://philliesnation.com/archives/2013/12/watson-shoulder-injury-occurred-while-playing-racquetball/#sthash.yHoLtgN8.dpuf

admitted that the issue, which has kept him out of action since July, initially popped up in 2012 when he was playing racquetball. - See more at: http://philliesnation.com/archives/2013/12/watson-shoulder-injury-occurred-while-playing-racquetball/#sthash.yHoLtgN8.dpuf

Earlier this month, Watson was diagnosed by Phillies team doctor Michael Ciccotti with an enlarged capsule.  The procedure, which will occur in January in Los Angeles, will help to correct inflammation and clear more room for the arm to move in the socket.  If things go as expected, Watson would miss three months total.

After a difficult start to the 2013 regular season, in which he posted a 6.35 ERA in his first 12 starts with Class A Lakewood, the California native sported a 0.86 ERA in his final four outings prior to being sidelined. Overall in 16 starts, Watson posted a 4-6 record, a 6.62 K/9 mark and a .230 batting average against.