Tampa Bay Rays Minor League pitcher Tyler Zombro is said to be in a stable condition in hospital after he was hit in the head by a line drive on Thursday which left the 26-year-old convulsing on the mound.
Zombro was pitching in the eighth inning for Minor League outfit the Durham Bulls, a feeder for the Rays organization, when he was struck by a fierce drive from he Norfolk Tides' Brett Cumberland which collapsed him to the ground face-down and immediately sent him into convulsions prompting immediate concerns from both sets of players.
He was treated on the turf for around 10 minutes before being removed from the field on a stretcher and rushed to the nearby Duke University Hospital.
The shocking incident led to the game being called off with Norfolk in the lead by a score of 12-4.
WARNING: GRAPHIC
"Tyler Zombro was transported to Duke University Hospital in Durham and is in stable condition," the Rays announced in a statement.
"He is currently undergoing further treatment and observation. Additional updates will be provided as they become available. Our thoughts and prayers are with Tyler, his family and his teammates."
Cumberland was among several players from both teams who took a knee while Zombro was receiving medical treatment, some of whom seemed to be praying for his recovery.
In spite of the potential hazards, there has been just one death recorded in Major League Baseball since which occurred in 1920 when Ray Chapman was hit in the head by a pitch from the Yankees' Carl Mays.
"Damn, that's so scary," announced one baseball fan on Twitter is response to the footage of Zombro.
"I was warned, yet I still wasn't prepared for how bad this is. Hope for the best," said another.
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