What does 'lost ball in high weeds' mean?

[Priya Raghavan]

English Language Tests, Intermediate level

ESL/EFL Test #297 "English Slang Idioms (19)", question 1

That new employee was sure a lost ball in high .......... He didn't know anything about his job and managed to mess up every project so far.

(a) stands
(b) drugs
(c) costs
(d) weeds

English Language Tests, Intermediate level

ESL/EFL Test #297 "English Slang Idioms (19)", answer 1

That new employee was sure a lost ball in high weeds. He didn't know anything about his job and managed to mess up every project so far.

Correct answer: (d) weeds
_________________________

What does 'lost ball in high weeds' mean?

Priya Raghavan

[Mister Micawber]

.
'A lost ball in high weeds' is someone or something completely lost. Here it means 'lost' in the sense of ignorant and/or confused.
.
_________________
Canadian-American native speaker
who teaches English for a living at Mister Micawber's
ESL cafe: Interview with Mr. Micawber