Yankees pitcher Eric Reyzelman talks about scary incident at training camp
TAMPA, Fla. — Eric Reyzelman has had a severe peanut allergy his entire life.
But never before had the righthander, a non-roster invitee to spring training with the Yankees, needed to be hospitalized as a result of it.
That is, until Wednesday, when the 23-year-old was rushed to a hospital after suffering an allergic reaction, having eaten something with peanuts or a peanut product.
“Just was on oxygen and was able to get it resolved,” Reyzelman told Newsday on Thursday afternoon.
Of the hospital visit, Reyzelman called it “mostly just precautionary.”
“They just wanted to make sure I was all set,” he said. “Had a great staff over there at St. Joe’s and was able to be all set and be back here this morning.”
The pitcher — a fifth-round pick of the Yankees in 2022 out of LSU who spent most of last season with Double-A Somerset, for which he posted a 1.93 ERA in 21 appearances and struck out 37 batters in 21 1⁄3 innings — said he wasn’t exactly sure what it was he ate that caused the reaction.
“Just something I didn’t realize had peanuts,” Reyzelman said. “Obviously, I’m trying to keep an eye on it as much as I can, but it happens, even when we try sometimes. It’s just part of it [having the allergy].”
Reyzelman, who is not a threat to make the roster out of camp but has been mentioned by talent evaluators both inside and outside the organization as a pitcher to watch because of the “ride” he gets on his mid- to high-90s fastball, said he is scheduled to throw on Friday.
“Ran today, conditioned today. Feel fantastic,” Reyzelman said. “Very grateful. We have an amazing training staff; they took really, really good care of me. Recognized it early and we were able to get it all figured out. Just very thankful to be where we are here.”
Yankees manager Aaron Boone was thankful as well.
“Obviously, a scary day yesterday,” Boone said earlier Thursday. “He came in here today in good spirits so I got to see him. I talked to him a couple of times yesterday. Seemed like he really started to turn the corner in a good way late in the afternoon and was good when I touched base with him in the evening. Scary situation, but happy to report he’s doing well.”
Erik Boland started in Newsday's sports department in 2002. He covered high school and college sports, then shifted to the Jets beat. He has covered the Yankees since 2009.
More Yankees headlines
