Astros' Appel: 'I believe I can help this year right out of spring training'

Houston Astros prospect Mark Appel is ready to live up to the hype of being a top draft pick.

The first selection of the 2013 draft hasn't performed well in the minors to this point, but believes he's an important part of the team's future.

"If the question is whether or not I can make it to the big leagues, the answer is 100 percent," Appel told the Houston Chronicle. "I believe I can help Houston this year right out of spring training? One hundred percent. But the proof will be in the pudding. I know I have to put in the work."

The right-hander is 6-8 with a 5.93 ERA across two seasons at various levels in the minors - not the kind of numbers you'd expect from a top pick. But he's taking the mound in the Arizona Fall League in hopes of getting a shot at the big club in 2015.

"The funny thing is that starting pitchers don't come here (AFL) unless something has happened to them where they need innings," Appel said. "I'm a realist, and I understand that if I had a phenomenal year, then I wouldn't have been selected to come here."

Appel earned high praise from Astros director of scouting Mike Elias after tossing 12 scoreless innings over his first three AFL starts. But the 23-year-old coughed up eight earned runs in nine innings over his next two appearances.

Houston general manager Jeff Luhnow believes Appel can help the squad sooner rather than later, despite his inconsistencies.

"There's no question that with an injury (to a pitcher) or a strong year from him that he could be in Houston in 2015," Luhnow said. "Nobody wants him here more than I do and more than he does, and I hope we can make that happen."