Niskayuna's Whitley tears labrum

PHOTOGRAPHER: Peter R. Barber

Garrett Whitley, right, has a torn right labrum.

Garrett Whitley, the No. 13 pick in the 2015 MLB amateur draft, is set to miss the start of his fourth professional season.

While getting ready to play another season in the Tampa Bay Rays’ minor league system, the Niskayuna High School graduate suffered a torn right labrum. Whitley confirmed the injury in a text message and that he underwent surgery on Friday.

“Tough times only make the strong even stronger,” Whitley tweeted Friday afternoon, along with a photo of him wearing a sling on his right arm.

Labrum surgery today…tough times only make the strong even stronger. Best believe I’m gone come back better than ever pic.twitter.com/UF3dQQy3Sd

— Garrett Whitley (@RealGWhit) March 30, 2018

General recovery time for a torn labrum is three to six months.

Whitley, 21, has been projected to play this season for the Rays’ Class A-advanced affiliate in Charlotte after hitting .249 with an on-base percentage of .362 and 35 extra-base hits in 358 at-bats for Class A Bowling Green. Of Whitley’s 35 extra-base hits, 13 of them were home runs.

Whitley, an outfielder, also played this past winter in the Australian Baseball League for the Perth Heat. In that league, Whitley hit .265 with an on-base percentage of .384 and 19 extra-base hits in 155 at-bats.

MLB.com’s prospect rankings rate Whitley as the ninth best prospect in the Rays’ system.

Reach Michael Kelly at [email protected] or @ByMichaelKelly on Twitter.