ALLENTOWN — Tom Eshelman was far from the centerpiece of the deal for the Phillies when they traded Ken Giles to Houston in 2015. That title probably belonged to former No. 1 overall pick Mark Appel, or maybe Vince Velasquez.
But Eshelman, the Astros’ 2015 second-round selection out of Cal State Fullerton, came to Philadelphia as a plus prospect. After he compiled a 2.40 ERA in 23 starts between double-A Reading and triple-A Lehigh Valley last season, the big leagues didn’t seem too far away.
His 2018 numbers tell a different story.
At the IronPigs’ all-star break, Eshelman has a 6.