Daniel Brito had begun to capture the attention of scouts and the organization. The Philadelphia Phillies minor league infielder had finally come into his own, showing more pop than he had at any time in his career. With a recent promotion to Triple-A, it seemed to be a matter of time before he arrived in the majors.
But that ascension will have to wait. In a frightening scene, Brito collapsed during the first inning of a doubleheader on Saturday, and was rushed to a local hospital for emergency surgery.
🙏 Phillies AAA 3B Daniel Brito suffered a medical emergency tonight & is undergoing surgery
— Jeff Skversky (@JeffSkversky) August 1, 2021
Brito was given oxygen by paramedics before being transported to a Rochester hospital
The game was suspended
Brito has been in Phillies minor leagues since 2015pic.twitter.com/WF5IdxQuot
Philadelphia Phillies prospect Daniel Brito collapses during game
Brito was given oxygen on the field and transported to a hospital in Rochester where he had emergency surgery. The Phillies have not provided any other details, so it is still unknown as to what happened to cause his medical emergency. However, he had reportedly complained of a headache earlier in the day, which may be related to his sudden medical emergency.
He had signed as an international free agent, slowly working his way up the Phillies system. Brito had displayed a decent eye at the plate, made solid contact, and had decent speed, but was limited in terms of power. At best, he appeared to be a future utility infielder, someone who could hit the occasional double and steal a base.
That had changed this season. While Double-A had seen an uptick in offense, Brito began to show more pop than expected, tying his career high in homers in just 63 games. That surge continued after his promotion, although he had just eight games in Triple-A. Altogether, he had posted a .295/.364/.473 batting line with eight homers and 15 doubles in his 307 plate appearances.
But now, there are other concerns than whether or not he will continue to progress on the diamond. The Phillies prospect is battling for more than his playing career now, and hopefully, will be able to get back on his feet soon.
Philadelphia Phillies prospect Daniel Brito collapsed during the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday. Our thoughts are with him and his family.