Report: Phillies turn prospect into NCAA for negotiating contract with an agent
The Phillies reported Oregon State pitcher Ben Wetzler to the NCAA after he negotiated a contracted with the team with the help of an agent, according to Baseball America's Aaron Fitt.
The NCAA prohibits its athletes from hiring an agent as doing so means forfeiting their amateur status.
However, according to CBSSports.com, college baseball players using an agent to negotiate deals with an MLB team is common practice, especially with the amount of money that could be at stake.
Teams rarely report the athletes to the NCAA and the penalty largely goes unchecked. But the Phillies chose to turn their fifth-round pick from last year in.
So why did the Phils blow the whistle on Wetzler?
According to Fitt, Wetzler declined to sign with the Phillies and opted to return to Oregon State for his senior season.
The Phillies, feeling spurned, then decided to notify the NCAA that Wetzler was negotiating with an agent. According to CBSSports.com, the NCAA suspended Wetzler indefinitely.
This isn't the first time the Phillies have done this apparently. The team also tried to turn in Washington State outfielder/first baseman Jason Monda when he decided to not sign with the Phils and go back to school.