Phillies Minor Leaguer Corey Phelan Dies at 20 After Being Diagnosed with Cancer

Philadelphia Phillies pitching prospect Corey Phelan died after being diagnosed with cancer in April.

He was 20.

“Corey is and will always be a special person. His smile lit up a room and anybody who came in contact with him cherished the interaction. His memory will live on, especially with the Phillies organization," Phillies director of player development Preston Mattingly said in a statement.

Phelan was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma after collapsing in the shower in April.

"I was taking a shower and I passed out in the shower. So I called 911 and the ambulance came," Phelan told Jamie Apody of ABC6 in June. "I got a CAT scan of my chest and they told me I had a 9-inch mass in my chest."

Despite the cancer diagnosis, Phelan visited the team in May—a visit many in the organization pointed to as an inspiration.

Phelan signed with the Phillies as an undrafted free agent in August 2020. He appeared in nine games of rookie ball during his career, posting a 1-0 record with an 0.93 ERA and 1.14 WHIP.