Phillies prospect Matt Imhof has eye removed after freak accident

"I'm lucky to be surrounded by the most loving and understanding people in the world."

Phillies pitching prospect Matt Imhof said his right eye was "crushed like a grape" in an accident while exercising last week.

Following multiple tests and surgeries, his doctors were forced to remove Imhof's right eye as a result of the damage.

"It was decided that the best chance I had to live a normal life was to have my right eye removed and have a prosthetic one put in," he wrote in a lengthy Instagram post. "This decision was not an easy one to make but to me it seemed like the right one so on Tuesday afternoon I went forward with the surgery."

Here's how the injury happened, according to Philly.com:

Imhof was injured during a postgame exercise routine at Brevard County’s Space Coast Stadium, a Phillies official said. He was struck in the face while using a rubber resistance band anchored to a wall. The mounted base broke off the wall, a source said, and damaged Imhof’s right eye.

Imhof says this has been the hardest week of his life and he is grateful he still has vision in his left eye.

The 22-year-old was a second-round pick by the franchise in 2014.