It has been a fun month of June. Several former G-Stros are making serious progress and the new bunch is winning games. Let's look at how the former Greeneville Astros did this month.
Tri Cities ValleyCats
Pitcher of the Month - Vincent Velasquez made three starts in June and had a 1.76 ERA in 15 1/3 IP with 16 K. What makes this more impressive is these were his first three starts after missing all of 2011 with Tommy John surgery.
Honorable Mention - Juri Perez - two scoreless starts to start his second season in the NYPL. Jamaine Cotton - made five scoreless relief appearances before surrendering two runs on 6/30.
Hitter of the Month - There are only three former G-Stros on the roster in TriCities, none of which are setting the woods on fire. This months award goes to Jesse Wierzbicki who hit .260 for the first 14 games of the season.
Lexington Legends
Pitcher of the Month - Murilo Gouvea had a stellar month out of the pen. Allowing just one earned run in 14 1/3 ip (10 games) with 14 strike outs. He only allowed five hits during that stretch but allowed 10 walks. His June ERA was 0.61.
Honorable Mention - Mike Foltynewicz amassed a 2.97 ERA in five starts. He had a rough outing to end the month, otherwise, he numbers would have been much stronger. Still 2.97 is not to shabby.
Hitter of the Month - I think those who follow Astros minor league ball would come after me with pitch forks and torches if I chose anyone but Delino DeShields Jr. as the Lexington hitter of the month. DDJ hit a solid .303 for the month. He also took 16 walks which helped boost his OPB to .407. He showed some pop with seven extra base hits and when he did find him self on first, he often managed to get to second via one of his 25 stolen bases.
Honorable Mentions - Chan Moon really appears to have put it together at the plate. The South Korean Shortstop hit .276 in June with a .403 OBP. Roberto Pena also had a solid June hitting .329 and hitting seven doubles during the month where he turned 20.
Lancaster JetHawks
Pitcher of the Month - Jose Trinadad had a great month out of the pen. In eight games (seven relief and one start) he allowed 19 hits in 21 innings pitched. His ERA for the month was .043. His last appearance of the month was spreading seven hits over seven shut out innings in his third start of the year. His ERA as as start this season is 1.13
Honorable Mention - Pat Urckfitz who allowed four earned runs in 15 innings pitched for a 2.40 ERA in June.
Hitter of the Month - I normally put those who haven't played a full month in the Honorable Mention category but what Grant Hogue put together in limited playing time is impressive. He played the first nine games of the month and then missed about two weeks on the DL returning to get in for the final few games of the month. During his 11 games, Hogue hit .667 (21 out of 34). Hard to ignore that production.
Honorable Mention - Rafael Valenzuela hit .298 in 17 games with a .403 OBP. Rene Garcia hit .321 in 16 games. Ben Orloff hit .283 and had just four strike outs in 99 at bats during the month.
Corpus Christi Hooks
Pitcher of the Month - Jose Cisnero is the easy choice this month. In five starts, he allowed just eight walks and eight earned runs while striking out 31 in 33 innings pitched. He allowed no home runs in June. He pitched a complete game two hitter on June 16th. He held opponents to a .215 batting average for the month.
Honorable Mention- Henry Villar pitched in 8 games (16 1/3 IP) in June with a 2.70 ERA. During that span, he fanned 16 while only issuing two free passes.
Hitter of the Month - Kody Hinze rebounded from a rough May (.106 in 22 games) to hit for a solid .306 in 24 games in June. Seven of his 22 hits in the month went for extra bases.
Oklahoma City RedHawks
Pitcher of the Month - Vacant - there were no former G-Stros pitching in Oklahoma City in June except Fernando Abad who was on rehab assignment.
Hitter of the Month - Brandon Barnes is the only RedHawk who played in Greeneville but this award isn't given by default. Barnes has earned it! He hit .333 with nine doubles and three home runs in June. He also walked eight times and struck out just 18 in 108 at bats (28 games). If the 26 year old Barnes can keep this up, he might get a shot at the bigs in a September call up or as an injury replacement.
Minors Outside Astros System
Pitcher of the Month - Slingin Sammy Gervacio continues to tear up the Mexican League (unaffiliated AAA). In June, he appeared in 15 games (15 2/3 IP), issued just four walks and nine hits while fanning 23 batters. He earned 12 saves during the month.
Hitter of the Month - Albert Cartwright had a bounce back month after hitting below the Mendoza line for May, he hit .306 with four doubles and three home runs in the Florida State League (Phillies High A).
Major Leagues
Pitcher of the Month - While Jordan Lyles and Fernando Abad had good months, the best month by a former Greeneville Astro pitcher in the Majors was by Troy Patton of the Orioles. Patton appeared in 11 games (14 2/3 IP) in which he fanned 15 batters while allowing only nine hits and four walks. Opponents hit just .190 off Patton during the month.
Hitter of the Month - While you can debate my list choice, I don't think there is much of a debate when it comes to selecting Jose Altuve as the hitter of the month. During June, he hit .291 with five doubles and two home runs.
Quick break down of the number of former G-stros in the Astros system:
Tri Cities - 8
Lexington - 16
Lancaster - 17
Corpus Christi - 6
Oklahoma City - 1
Houston - 4
Showing posts with label Perez. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Perez. Show all posts
Monday, July 2, 2012
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Liga Paralela - The Minor Leagues in Venezuela
In Venezuela, there isn’t just the LVBP season going on . There is also the Liga Paralela, the
Venezuelan minor leagues. Here is an
update on the former G-Stros who are playing minor league winter ball.
MAGALLANES
Frederico Hernandez – Has started five games and is hitting
.227 in 22 at bats. He has played 1st
base in most of his games.
Ernesto Genoves – Has played in four games but started just
three. In 12 at bats, he has three hits
for a .250 batting average. One of those
hit was a home run. He has put in an
appearance at 3rd base in one game.
David Martinez – Has pitched in four games, three of them as
a starter. In 14 innings pitched, he has
yet to allow an earned run. He has
allowed just five hits and two walks for a 0.500 WHIP. He has fanned 8 of the 44 batters he has
faced.
Carlos Quevedo – Has pitched in relief in six games. He has given up five runs in nine innings
pitched but only one of those runs was earned.
So he is sporting a snazzy 1.00 ERA.
He has given up seven hits and fanned three batters.
CARACAS
Yuri (Juri) Perez – Has pitched in five games, three of them
as the starter. In 21 innings, he has given
up 20 hits and eight walks. He has
struck out 16 batters. His ERA is 3.86
NAVEGANTES
Luis Alvarez – Is hitting .282 in 12 games. He has three doubles and a home run. He has walked three times and has struck out
only three times in 39 at bats. He has
caught four out of six base thieves.
This is all that I can locate on the rosters. Just last year, Jose Altuve started winter ball in this league and he finished Winterball in the Venezuelan big leagues. Maybe the same will happen for a few of these guys this year.
This is all that I can locate on the rosters. Just last year, Jose Altuve started winter ball in this league and he finished Winterball in the Venezuelan big leagues. Maybe the same will happen for a few of these guys this year.
Monday, November 7, 2011
2009 Greeneville Astros Progress Report
The 2009 G-Stros were the first bunch that were the sandwich short season team. Below them, the new GCL Astros were playing at the spring training complex. And the ValleyCats were playing above them in the NY- Penn League. In Greeneville, the fans didn't know what to expect from the new set up in the lower minors. What we saw was a mix of high draft pick high school players and low round/free agent college players. This edition of the the G-Stros had just seven teenagers and all seven were still active this year.
Of the 35 players who graced the roster that year, 63% (22) were still active on an affiliated roster at some point this season. Let's look at how high they climbed. They are listed by the highest level they appeared in and the percentage by each level is out of the full roster.
MLB (2- 6%)
Jose Altuve - see 2008 write up
J. D. Martinez - made a brief stop in Greeneville on his rapid climb to the majors. He hit .403 during just 14 games in Greeneville. This year, he hist .274 in 53 games in the big leagues. He made the fastest climb of any G-Stros position player to the majors.
AAA ( 0 - 0%)
AA (0 - 0%)
Altuve & Martinez appeared at this level but made it the the show to end the season.
High A (6- 17%)
Miguel Arrendell - The utility man appeared at five positions for Lancaster (RF, LF, SS, 2B, 3B) while hitting .281 in 50 games. He was moved back to Tri Cities for the last month of the season to sure up their middle infield where he hit just .219 in 18 games. Arrendell will turn 24 during spring training next season.
Grant Hogue - Hogue was a fan favorite during his time in G'ville for his hustle and easy going nature with fans. After playing in CF exclusively in 09 & 10, he spent time in all three outfield positions in Lancaster in 2011. He spent 76 of the 106 games in right field, where he amassed 11 of his 15 assist. He hit .269 on the season. He will be 25 when he reports to spring training.
Jonathan Meyer - Meyer continues to show improvement as he climbs the ladder. In Lancaster in 2011, he hit .264 with 14 home runs. He had only hit 5 in his previous two seasons. Next year will determine if the power is the result of Lancaster or his maturation as a hitter. He will be 21 when he reports next season.
Jio Mier - He evenly split his season between Lexington and Lancaster, playing 57 games at each stop. He hit .245 at Lexington, an improvement over 2010's .235, before moving to Lancaster where he hit .233. Mier is still considered a solid SS prospect and will be 21 when next season rolls around.
Jose Cisnero - is the pitcher from 2009 who has climbed the highest. He pitched in Lancaster and amassed a 6.06 ERA. However, when you average 11.09 strike outs per 9 innings (152 in 123 1/3 IP), that means there is something happening good there. Cisnero will be turn 23 next April.
Luis Cruz - see 2008 write up.
Low A (7 - 20%)
Garrett Bullock - the tall lefty made just three appearances in Lexington before returning to short season ball in Tri Cities. Those three outings were not that impressive. However, his 2.51 ERA in Tri Cities was solid. Bullock is old for the levels he has been playing. He will start the season at 25.
Jeiler Castillo - see 2008 write up.
Gabriel Garcia - after two seasons in G'ville, Garcia moved up to Lexington where he was solid. In 69 1/3 IP (37 games), he had a 3.76 ERA which is lower than his ERA in either season in Greeneville. He struck out 68 batters and had a WHIP of just 1.212 which is the lowest of his career. He is pitching well in winter ball in Venezuela right now. He will be 22 when spring training begins.
Murilo Gouvea - spent most of the season in Lexington with a brief time in Tri Cities. In Lex, he amassed a 3.98 ERA in 30 games (74 2/3 IP). He had more than a strike out an inning with 83. He struggled keeping the walks down. He will be 23 when next season begins.
David Martinez - was a man in search of a role this year. He pitched in 37 games. He started five and finished 17. In 66 2/3 IP, he fanned 44 batters while walking 17. He will be 24 at the beginning of spring training.
Yuri Perez - like Bullock, he had a less than memorable brief stint at Lexington. He made 15 starts for TriCities where he had a 5.48 ERA. Perez missed most of 2010 after elbow surgery. He is still working his way back. We hope he can regain the form he had in 2009 for Greeneville. He will be 21 at the start of spring training.
Carlos Quevedo - really struggled to keep the ball in the park. He gave up 22 home runs in Lexington this season in 151 innings pitched. That equates to 1.3 HR every nine innings. He gave up more home runs than walks. Quevedo walked 19 batters for an average of 1.1 per nine innings pitched. Quevedo will be 22 at the start of spring training.
Short Season A (3 - 5%)
Bubby Williams - the catcher with the cool name,spent 2011 in the New York Penn League. His showed power, leading the team with six home runs but struggled making consistent contact. He hit .206 in 36 games for the ValleyCats. He will be 22 at the start of spring training next year.
Joan Belliard - repeated the NYPenn league in 2011 but only pitched in 18 2/3 innings. His strike out numbers are still strong but is still struggling with walks. He will be turning 23 in March.
Travis Smink - after two seasons in G'ville, he moved to Tri Cities this season. In 23 games, he had a 4.37 ERA. He will turn 25 next April.
Rookie Ball & DL (4 - 11%)
Luis Alverez - returned to Greeneville after missing 2010 with a bad knee injury. Alverez hit .271 in 38 games. He only struck out 19 times in 151 plate appearances. He turns 22 just before minor leaguers report to spring training.
B J Hyatt - listed on the roster for Greeneville but never was in uniform. Still rehabbing from surgery after the 2009 season.
Wilton Infante & Nathan Pettus - see 2008 write up.
Summary
Like the 2008 edition, the 2009 team still has 22 active players. Unlike them, it is the position players who have climbed faster than the pitchers. A few of the players in this group will not be back for spring training but the core of this bunch should be at AA and High A to start next year.
Of the 35 players who graced the roster that year, 63% (22) were still active on an affiliated roster at some point this season. Let's look at how high they climbed. They are listed by the highest level they appeared in and the percentage by each level is out of the full roster.
MLB (2- 6%)
Jose Altuve - see 2008 write up
J. D. Martinez - made a brief stop in Greeneville on his rapid climb to the majors. He hit .403 during just 14 games in Greeneville. This year, he hist .274 in 53 games in the big leagues. He made the fastest climb of any G-Stros position player to the majors.
AAA ( 0 - 0%)
AA (0 - 0%)
Altuve & Martinez appeared at this level but made it the the show to end the season.
High A (6- 17%)
Miguel Arrendell - The utility man appeared at five positions for Lancaster (RF, LF, SS, 2B, 3B) while hitting .281 in 50 games. He was moved back to Tri Cities for the last month of the season to sure up their middle infield where he hit just .219 in 18 games. Arrendell will turn 24 during spring training next season.
Grant Hogue - Hogue was a fan favorite during his time in G'ville for his hustle and easy going nature with fans. After playing in CF exclusively in 09 & 10, he spent time in all three outfield positions in Lancaster in 2011. He spent 76 of the 106 games in right field, where he amassed 11 of his 15 assist. He hit .269 on the season. He will be 25 when he reports to spring training.
Jonathan Meyer - Meyer continues to show improvement as he climbs the ladder. In Lancaster in 2011, he hit .264 with 14 home runs. He had only hit 5 in his previous two seasons. Next year will determine if the power is the result of Lancaster or his maturation as a hitter. He will be 21 when he reports next season.
Jio Mier - He evenly split his season between Lexington and Lancaster, playing 57 games at each stop. He hit .245 at Lexington, an improvement over 2010's .235, before moving to Lancaster where he hit .233. Mier is still considered a solid SS prospect and will be 21 when next season rolls around.
Jose Cisnero - is the pitcher from 2009 who has climbed the highest. He pitched in Lancaster and amassed a 6.06 ERA. However, when you average 11.09 strike outs per 9 innings (152 in 123 1/3 IP), that means there is something happening good there. Cisnero will be turn 23 next April.
Luis Cruz - see 2008 write up.
Low A (7 - 20%)
Garrett Bullock - the tall lefty made just three appearances in Lexington before returning to short season ball in Tri Cities. Those three outings were not that impressive. However, his 2.51 ERA in Tri Cities was solid. Bullock is old for the levels he has been playing. He will start the season at 25.
Jeiler Castillo - see 2008 write up.
Gabriel Garcia - after two seasons in G'ville, Garcia moved up to Lexington where he was solid. In 69 1/3 IP (37 games), he had a 3.76 ERA which is lower than his ERA in either season in Greeneville. He struck out 68 batters and had a WHIP of just 1.212 which is the lowest of his career. He is pitching well in winter ball in Venezuela right now. He will be 22 when spring training begins.
Murilo Gouvea - spent most of the season in Lexington with a brief time in Tri Cities. In Lex, he amassed a 3.98 ERA in 30 games (74 2/3 IP). He had more than a strike out an inning with 83. He struggled keeping the walks down. He will be 23 when next season begins.
David Martinez - was a man in search of a role this year. He pitched in 37 games. He started five and finished 17. In 66 2/3 IP, he fanned 44 batters while walking 17. He will be 24 at the beginning of spring training.
Yuri Perez - like Bullock, he had a less than memorable brief stint at Lexington. He made 15 starts for TriCities where he had a 5.48 ERA. Perez missed most of 2010 after elbow surgery. He is still working his way back. We hope he can regain the form he had in 2009 for Greeneville. He will be 21 at the start of spring training.
Carlos Quevedo - really struggled to keep the ball in the park. He gave up 22 home runs in Lexington this season in 151 innings pitched. That equates to 1.3 HR every nine innings. He gave up more home runs than walks. Quevedo walked 19 batters for an average of 1.1 per nine innings pitched. Quevedo will be 22 at the start of spring training.
Short Season A (3 - 5%)
Bubby Williams - the catcher with the cool name,spent 2011 in the New York Penn League. His showed power, leading the team with six home runs but struggled making consistent contact. He hit .206 in 36 games for the ValleyCats. He will be 22 at the start of spring training next year.
Joan Belliard - repeated the NYPenn league in 2011 but only pitched in 18 2/3 innings. His strike out numbers are still strong but is still struggling with walks. He will be turning 23 in March.
Travis Smink - after two seasons in G'ville, he moved to Tri Cities this season. In 23 games, he had a 4.37 ERA. He will turn 25 next April.
Rookie Ball & DL (4 - 11%)
Luis Alverez - returned to Greeneville after missing 2010 with a bad knee injury. Alverez hit .271 in 38 games. He only struck out 19 times in 151 plate appearances. He turns 22 just before minor leaguers report to spring training.
B J Hyatt - listed on the roster for Greeneville but never was in uniform. Still rehabbing from surgery after the 2009 season.
Wilton Infante & Nathan Pettus - see 2008 write up.
Summary
Like the 2008 edition, the 2009 team still has 22 active players. Unlike them, it is the position players who have climbed faster than the pitchers. A few of the players in this group will not be back for spring training but the core of this bunch should be at AA and High A to start next year.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
GCL - Past, Present, & Future (2011 edition)
Last year, I looked back at the where the 2009 GCL players spent their seasons and then made predictions where the 2010 folks would spend their 2011. I didn't do to badly on the prediction piece. All four of the players I predicted to be in G'ville (Moon, Monzon, Smith & Jones) were there. Of the three I projected for Tri Cities, two of the three spent time there this year (Scott & Rosario) while one player was released (Ditthardt). I didn't fair as well in Lexington where I only one (Perez) out of three spent any time there.
Let's do the same process for this year:
Where 2010 GCL Astros Spent 2011:
Lets look at only those who spent more than a handful of games in the GCL in 2010 and find out where they spent 2011.
Repeat of GLC
Of the 39 players who spent significant time on the GCL roster in 2010, 11 (28%) of them returned to the GCL for 2011. That is a slight increase from the 26% (9 players) who returned from 2009 to 2010. Let's look at a few of the returnees to see who they did in their second stint.
Jose Fernandez (SS) - The young shortstop showed slight improvement at the plate. His average and OBP raised slightly. He stolen base total jumped from four to 11 while holding his caught stealing to three. His fielding showed significant improvement. He dropped from 32 errors in 265 chances to 15 errors in 203 chances. He will still be 18 when spring training rolls around next season.
Luca Martone (2B) - Showed a huge jump at the plate this season in the GCL. His average went from .173 to .314 and his OPS jumped from .419 to .770. He remained solid in the field. He will also be 18 when spring training starts.
Kyle Reddinger (1B) - The 11th round draft pick in 2010 went backwards in 2011. His average dropped from .219 to .148 and his OPS dropped from .568 to .436. He will be 20 when spring training starts.
Pedro Gomez (RHP) - His ERA dropped from 7.76 down to 4.18. His WHIP dropped from 1.979 to 1.429. This drop was highlighted by his hits dropping from 54 in 31 1/3 IP to 21 in 28 IP. However, his BB jumped from 8 to 19. He will be 20 when spring training starts.
Evan Grills (LHP) - The 10th pick in the 2010 draft might be ready for a big jump in 2012. He showed good progress in 2011. He appeared in 13 games (33 1/3 IP) and amassed a 3.00 ERA. He only allowed 7 walks to go along with 33 hits for a 1.212 WHIP and he fanned 29 batters. He will be 19 at the start of spring training.
Kirshawn Holley (RHP) - Holley only made one appearance in 2010, so 2011 was for all intents and purposes, his first season. He had an impressive showing. In 13 appearances (16 2/3 IP) he fanned 15 while only allowing 12 hits and 8 unintentional walks. He will turn 20 just before spring training starts.
Francis Ramirez (RHP) - He repeated the GCL for most of the season and while his numbers didn't improve from an outcome standpoint. He continued to miss bats consistently. This warranted a late season jump to Greeneville where he fared better in ERA and showed better control. He will be 20 when spring training starts.
Promoted to Greeneville
Greeneville was a popular landing spot for the GCL class of 2010. They had 14 players (36%) make the jump to the Appy League. This is an increase from the 24% who made the same jump last year. Here is a look at what the experience was like for some of the more notable players to make the leap.
Ernesto Genoves (C) - He looked poised for a break out season after posting a batting average over .370 for the first 20 games. However he faded in August, hitting just 172 for his last 18 games. However, his season average of .280 was still an increase from his GCL numbers and his OPS jumped .140 points. He will still be 20 when spring training begins.
Jordan Scott (LF) - Scott actually spent some time this year in Lexington before the short season teams started but he spent the majority of the season in Greeneville so he is listed here. He had an All Star caliber season in Greeneville. He was named the team MVP after hitting .337 in 60 games in Greeneville. His defense will need some work but has shown he is ready for full season ball, and he will just be 19 when spring training starts.
Joshua Magee (2B) - Magee showed a significant amount of development this season. He only hit .133 in June (9 games), he hit .232 in July (21 games) and then capped off the season by hitting .376 in August. His August was helped by a 12 for 12 streak during the month. Overall, his average jumped 56 points and his OPS rose 134 points. He will be 20 when spring training starts.
Chan Moon (SS) - Moon showed a descent glove but his offensive numbers dropped from the GCL days. He showed alittle more power but everything else showed decline. Although he did have better numbers in August (.256 avg with .680 OPS). He will be turning 21 during spring training next year.
Luis Ordosgoitti (RHP) - When as an 18 year old, you come into the APPY and strike out 42 batters in 44 IP while only walking seven, you qualify as a pitcher to watch. He needs to work on missing bats a bit more. He gave up 47 hits in those 44 IP. He will be 19 when spring training starts.
Jose Perdomo (RHP) - Perdomo didn't fare as well as Ordosgoitti. In fact, he was shut down in mid July and didn't appear again. In his five starts (18 IP), he surrendered 33 hits and four HR. He did fan 21 during those appearances. Perdomo will be 20 at the start of spring training 2012.
Jeremiah Meiners (LHP) - I always like to pull for the underdog. Meiners was a 40th round draft pick who didn't fare too well in the GCL in 2010 (6.95 ERA in 22 IP). However, he showed growth in Greeneville. In 40 1/3 IP (20 games), he fanned 42 batters and only allowed 34 hits and 10 walks for a WHIP of 1.09. He will be 23 when spring training rolls around so the odds are against him but I hope the growth continues.
Promoted to Tri Cities
There were four players (10%) who were promoted to Tri Cities from the 2010 team. That is up from 2 players or 6% from the 09 group. All of those promoted were pitchers.
Kristian Bueno (LHP) - Bueno struggled with his control in SS-A ball. He walked 19 batters in 20 2/3 IP. He will be 23 when 2012 spring training starts.
Dayan Diaz (RHP) - Diaz put on a show in Tri Cities. His season ERA was an impressive 1.98 over 50 IP (19 games). More impressive was the 70 strike outs in those 50 innings pitched. Diaz missed all of 2009 and most of 2010 with injury so his 2011 performance puts his name on the radar for 2012. He will 23 just before spring training begins.
Juri Perez (RHP) - Perez is working his way back from an injury at the end of the 09 season that stunted his development. He show some signs of returning to his strong 2009 form (67 Ks in 67 1/3 IP) but there is still a long way to go (5.48 ERA). He will still only be 21 when spring training rolls around.
Ebert Rosario (RHP) - Rosario continued his effort to covert from an infielder to a pitcher. He struggled with his control in the NYPenn League, walking 14 batters in 23 2/3 IP but he also fanned 27. Still a work in progress. He will turn 25 after the season starts next year, so time is limited.
Promoted to Lexington
There was only one player(3%) who spent the majority of 2010 in the GCL who made the jump to the SALLY League. That is down from four in 2010.
Roberto Pena (C) - In his first full season, Pena showed promise, nabbing 39% of runners who tried to steal. However, the wear and tear of the long season appeared to catch up to him. His batting numbers peaked in July (.258 avg & .638 OPS) but waned as the season went along. He is seen as a promising catching prospect by those in Houston.
Released
So far, we have covered 30 of the 39 players who spent any significant time on the 2010 GCL Astros roster, that leaves us with 9 players who were released, retired or were placed on the restricted list before the end of the 2011 season. That list is as follows:
Ryan Ditthardt
Wilder Parra
Geber Suniaga
Emmanuel Cedano
B J Hagans
Rafael Felix
Austin Lucas
Andrea Lucatti
Dieudone Paul
Back to the Future
So now who do I think could make the move this year. Any of the projections here are likely to be impacted by the draft, and any prospects picked up in trades. Let’s see who the crystal ball says we should keep an eye on for next year.
Greeneville
Yonathon Mejia (2B) - After improving his average from .235 in the DSL to .329 in the GCL, Mejia is ready to move up. However, with his age being 19 next year, I don't expect him to jump to Tri Cities but it is possible. He needs time in the field. He was at DH for 21 of his games in the GCL.
Luca Martone (2B) -He got the majority of the starts at 2B for the GCL team but he only appeared in 29 games. I can see he and Mejia sharing time at 2B at Pioneer Park next season.
Kenny Diaz (C) - It is a small sample size but in 13 games, he hit .281 and he threw out 5 out of 9 runners trying to steal. He will be 19 when spring training begins.
Kelvin Vizcaino (LF) - Average increased from .191 to .244 in his jump from the DSL to the GCL.
Javaris Reynolds (CF) - The 7th round draft pick out of H. S. only hit .228 this season but he plays a solid center field. He might repeat the GCL but I wouldn't be surprised to see him in Greeneville.
Kirshawn Holley (RHP) & Evan Grills (LHP) - They give every indication that it is time to move up.
Tri Cities
Juan Mojica (RHP) - His 1.42 ERA earned a late season promotion to Greeneville in 2011.
Blake Ford (RHP) - The 44th round pick for 2011 appeared in 18 games with a 1.90 ERA. Might jump all the way to Lex.
Justin Gill (RHP) - Held opponents to a .210 average in 21 2/3 IP as a 22 year old in the GCL.
Lexington
Chris Epps (RF/LF) - Hit .304 in 35 games before promotion to Tri Cities. There he hit just just .212 in 70 plate appearances but did crush two HR. Will turn 23 in December.
Feel free to add you ideas about who you think is going where. We will look back at this next year to see how we did.
Let's do the same process for this year:
Where 2010 GCL Astros Spent 2011:
Lets look at only those who spent more than a handful of games in the GCL in 2010 and find out where they spent 2011.
Repeat of GLC
Of the 39 players who spent significant time on the GCL roster in 2010, 11 (28%) of them returned to the GCL for 2011. That is a slight increase from the 26% (9 players) who returned from 2009 to 2010. Let's look at a few of the returnees to see who they did in their second stint.
Jose Fernandez (SS) - The young shortstop showed slight improvement at the plate. His average and OBP raised slightly. He stolen base total jumped from four to 11 while holding his caught stealing to three. His fielding showed significant improvement. He dropped from 32 errors in 265 chances to 15 errors in 203 chances. He will still be 18 when spring training rolls around next season.
Luca Martone (2B) - Showed a huge jump at the plate this season in the GCL. His average went from .173 to .314 and his OPS jumped from .419 to .770. He remained solid in the field. He will also be 18 when spring training starts.
Kyle Reddinger (1B) - The 11th round draft pick in 2010 went backwards in 2011. His average dropped from .219 to .148 and his OPS dropped from .568 to .436. He will be 20 when spring training starts.
Pedro Gomez (RHP) - His ERA dropped from 7.76 down to 4.18. His WHIP dropped from 1.979 to 1.429. This drop was highlighted by his hits dropping from 54 in 31 1/3 IP to 21 in 28 IP. However, his BB jumped from 8 to 19. He will be 20 when spring training starts.
Evan Grills (LHP) - The 10th pick in the 2010 draft might be ready for a big jump in 2012. He showed good progress in 2011. He appeared in 13 games (33 1/3 IP) and amassed a 3.00 ERA. He only allowed 7 walks to go along with 33 hits for a 1.212 WHIP and he fanned 29 batters. He will be 19 at the start of spring training.
Kirshawn Holley (RHP) - Holley only made one appearance in 2010, so 2011 was for all intents and purposes, his first season. He had an impressive showing. In 13 appearances (16 2/3 IP) he fanned 15 while only allowing 12 hits and 8 unintentional walks. He will turn 20 just before spring training starts.
Francis Ramirez (RHP) - He repeated the GCL for most of the season and while his numbers didn't improve from an outcome standpoint. He continued to miss bats consistently. This warranted a late season jump to Greeneville where he fared better in ERA and showed better control. He will be 20 when spring training starts.
Promoted to Greeneville
Greeneville was a popular landing spot for the GCL class of 2010. They had 14 players (36%) make the jump to the Appy League. This is an increase from the 24% who made the same jump last year. Here is a look at what the experience was like for some of the more notable players to make the leap.
Ernesto Genoves (C) - He looked poised for a break out season after posting a batting average over .370 for the first 20 games. However he faded in August, hitting just 172 for his last 18 games. However, his season average of .280 was still an increase from his GCL numbers and his OPS jumped .140 points. He will still be 20 when spring training begins.
Jordan Scott (LF) - Scott actually spent some time this year in Lexington before the short season teams started but he spent the majority of the season in Greeneville so he is listed here. He had an All Star caliber season in Greeneville. He was named the team MVP after hitting .337 in 60 games in Greeneville. His defense will need some work but has shown he is ready for full season ball, and he will just be 19 when spring training starts.
Joshua Magee (2B) - Magee showed a significant amount of development this season. He only hit .133 in June (9 games), he hit .232 in July (21 games) and then capped off the season by hitting .376 in August. His August was helped by a 12 for 12 streak during the month. Overall, his average jumped 56 points and his OPS rose 134 points. He will be 20 when spring training starts.
Chan Moon (SS) - Moon showed a descent glove but his offensive numbers dropped from the GCL days. He showed alittle more power but everything else showed decline. Although he did have better numbers in August (.256 avg with .680 OPS). He will be turning 21 during spring training next year.
Luis Ordosgoitti (RHP) - When as an 18 year old, you come into the APPY and strike out 42 batters in 44 IP while only walking seven, you qualify as a pitcher to watch. He needs to work on missing bats a bit more. He gave up 47 hits in those 44 IP. He will be 19 when spring training starts.
Jose Perdomo (RHP) - Perdomo didn't fare as well as Ordosgoitti. In fact, he was shut down in mid July and didn't appear again. In his five starts (18 IP), he surrendered 33 hits and four HR. He did fan 21 during those appearances. Perdomo will be 20 at the start of spring training 2012.
Jeremiah Meiners (LHP) - I always like to pull for the underdog. Meiners was a 40th round draft pick who didn't fare too well in the GCL in 2010 (6.95 ERA in 22 IP). However, he showed growth in Greeneville. In 40 1/3 IP (20 games), he fanned 42 batters and only allowed 34 hits and 10 walks for a WHIP of 1.09. He will be 23 when spring training rolls around so the odds are against him but I hope the growth continues.
Promoted to Tri Cities
There were four players (10%) who were promoted to Tri Cities from the 2010 team. That is up from 2 players or 6% from the 09 group. All of those promoted were pitchers.
Kristian Bueno (LHP) - Bueno struggled with his control in SS-A ball. He walked 19 batters in 20 2/3 IP. He will be 23 when 2012 spring training starts.
Dayan Diaz (RHP) - Diaz put on a show in Tri Cities. His season ERA was an impressive 1.98 over 50 IP (19 games). More impressive was the 70 strike outs in those 50 innings pitched. Diaz missed all of 2009 and most of 2010 with injury so his 2011 performance puts his name on the radar for 2012. He will 23 just before spring training begins.
Juri Perez (RHP) - Perez is working his way back from an injury at the end of the 09 season that stunted his development. He show some signs of returning to his strong 2009 form (67 Ks in 67 1/3 IP) but there is still a long way to go (5.48 ERA). He will still only be 21 when spring training rolls around.
Ebert Rosario (RHP) - Rosario continued his effort to covert from an infielder to a pitcher. He struggled with his control in the NYPenn League, walking 14 batters in 23 2/3 IP but he also fanned 27. Still a work in progress. He will turn 25 after the season starts next year, so time is limited.
Promoted to Lexington
There was only one player(3%) who spent the majority of 2010 in the GCL who made the jump to the SALLY League. That is down from four in 2010.
Roberto Pena (C) - In his first full season, Pena showed promise, nabbing 39% of runners who tried to steal. However, the wear and tear of the long season appeared to catch up to him. His batting numbers peaked in July (.258 avg & .638 OPS) but waned as the season went along. He is seen as a promising catching prospect by those in Houston.
Released
So far, we have covered 30 of the 39 players who spent any significant time on the 2010 GCL Astros roster, that leaves us with 9 players who were released, retired or were placed on the restricted list before the end of the 2011 season. That list is as follows:
Ryan Ditthardt
Wilder Parra
Geber Suniaga
Emmanuel Cedano
B J Hagans
Rafael Felix
Austin Lucas
Andrea Lucatti
Dieudone Paul
Back to the Future
So now who do I think could make the move this year. Any of the projections here are likely to be impacted by the draft, and any prospects picked up in trades. Let’s see who the crystal ball says we should keep an eye on for next year.
Greeneville
Yonathon Mejia (2B) - After improving his average from .235 in the DSL to .329 in the GCL, Mejia is ready to move up. However, with his age being 19 next year, I don't expect him to jump to Tri Cities but it is possible. He needs time in the field. He was at DH for 21 of his games in the GCL.
Luca Martone (2B) -He got the majority of the starts at 2B for the GCL team but he only appeared in 29 games. I can see he and Mejia sharing time at 2B at Pioneer Park next season.
Kenny Diaz (C) - It is a small sample size but in 13 games, he hit .281 and he threw out 5 out of 9 runners trying to steal. He will be 19 when spring training begins.
Kelvin Vizcaino (LF) - Average increased from .191 to .244 in his jump from the DSL to the GCL.
Javaris Reynolds (CF) - The 7th round draft pick out of H. S. only hit .228 this season but he plays a solid center field. He might repeat the GCL but I wouldn't be surprised to see him in Greeneville.
Kirshawn Holley (RHP) & Evan Grills (LHP) - They give every indication that it is time to move up.
Tri Cities
Juan Mojica (RHP) - His 1.42 ERA earned a late season promotion to Greeneville in 2011.
Blake Ford (RHP) - The 44th round pick for 2011 appeared in 18 games with a 1.90 ERA. Might jump all the way to Lex.
Justin Gill (RHP) - Held opponents to a .210 average in 21 2/3 IP as a 22 year old in the GCL.
Lexington
Chris Epps (RF/LF) - Hit .304 in 35 games before promotion to Tri Cities. There he hit just just .212 in 70 plate appearances but did crush two HR. Will turn 23 in December.
Feel free to add you ideas about who you think is going where. We will look back at this next year to see how we did.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Appy Astros G-Stros End of August Report
Little Appy Astro and I went to Pioneer Park last night and caught the last game of the season. It is always a bitter sweet time of the year. You can tell the players are ready to go home and see family and friends. And having experienced being away from home, I understand where they are coming from. However, as a baseball fan, it means the season is drawing to a close. And a disappointing season at that.
I had high hopes for this edition of the G-Stros. Some of the players I thought would do well, didn't. However, that doesn't mean there wasn't some development that took place. Let's take a look at who showed some growth during the final month of the season.
Josh Magee turned his season around in a big way in the month of August. In June and July, he played in 30 games and was 20 for 99 at the plate (.202). He got sizzling hot in August including one stretch where he hit in 12 straight AB. He finished the month hitting .376 (32 of 85) and that brought his season average up to a respectable .283. He is a good example of a player who develops over a short season. He raised his OBP at least .100 points each month.
Jordan Scott was the MVP of the G-Stros this season. He hit .337 on the season but hit .366 for the month of August. He also hit his first HR of the season. He will turn 20 on 9/22/11. Look for him to be in LF in Lexington next season.
Jean Batista joined the G-Stros around the middle of August. He appeared in 12 games and got off to a hot start. The 19 year old SS hit .333 and also hit two HR during his brief stay in Greeneville.
On the mound, there were also some positive developments:
Frances Ramirez was called up from the GCL and made four starts in G'ville in August. In those four starts, he put up a 2.89 ERA in 18 2/3 IP. He only allowed 12 hits and two walks while striking out 11 batters during that span.
Tyson Perez put together a solid last month of the season. His ERA for August was 3.54 in six starts but he fanned 29 batters in 28 innings pitched. Prior to this month, he had only fanned 20 in 27 IP.
Chris Lee, the highest draft pick at the start of the year, showed some signs of development. He fanned 26 batters during his last 23 2/3 IP. While he still gave up way too many walks, he was getting more swings and misses and more ground balls.
Jeremiah Meiners was one of the most solid arms out of the pen all season. He finished with a 2.90 ERA and never had a month where his ERA rose to the 3.00 level. In 40 1/3 IP, he fanned 42 batters and only walked 10. He didn't get enough IP to qualify among the league leaders (14 1/3 short), but his WHIP of 1.09 would have been in first place. He showed significant growth over his 2010 season in the GCL (6.95 ERA).
Zach Dando didn't have the best of months for August but despite an ERA of 4.97, he held opposing batters to a .196 average. He had more Ks (35) than IP (33).
Matison Smith was one of the older players on the roster. At 23, he put together a nice August out of the G-Stros pen. He put up a 1.42 ERA in 9 appearances (12 2/3 IP). During that span, he fanned 20 batters.
Scott Zuloaga, had an impressive August. The side winding lefty posted a 2.45 ERA for the month that was less than half of his previous month's 5.68. During August, he appeared in 12 games and fanned 8 batters in 7 1/3 IP. He also induced ground balls at a higher rate. His season ERA is deceptively high due to his 36 ERA in August.
Most Likely To Return
Last year, I predicted that Cotton & Batista would return to pitch in G'ville. Here are the players, I feel will be back in Greeneville next year. It will be a larger number than were here this year.
Possible returnees include:
Ariel Ovando - raw talent still has a great deal of work to do in the field and on the bases.
Darwin Rivera - made a big jump to the Appy after only 13 games in the DSL over 2 years.
Garen Wright - injuries hampered this season for another raw outfielder.
Chan Moon - really started to shine at SS later in the season. Had a few flashes at the plate as well.
Adrian Houser - don't see him ready for older competition yet.
Jose Perdomo - if he is not hurt, I could see him back for a 2nd year. Didn't pitch after 7/18.
If those six players return, that would be a solid foundation for a good team for 2012. Because there is always next year.
I had high hopes for this edition of the G-Stros. Some of the players I thought would do well, didn't. However, that doesn't mean there wasn't some development that took place. Let's take a look at who showed some growth during the final month of the season.
Josh Magee turned his season around in a big way in the month of August. In June and July, he played in 30 games and was 20 for 99 at the plate (.202). He got sizzling hot in August including one stretch where he hit in 12 straight AB. He finished the month hitting .376 (32 of 85) and that brought his season average up to a respectable .283. He is a good example of a player who develops over a short season. He raised his OBP at least .100 points each month.
Jordan Scott was the MVP of the G-Stros this season. He hit .337 on the season but hit .366 for the month of August. He also hit his first HR of the season. He will turn 20 on 9/22/11. Look for him to be in LF in Lexington next season.
Jean Batista joined the G-Stros around the middle of August. He appeared in 12 games and got off to a hot start. The 19 year old SS hit .333 and also hit two HR during his brief stay in Greeneville.
On the mound, there were also some positive developments:
Frances Ramirez was called up from the GCL and made four starts in G'ville in August. In those four starts, he put up a 2.89 ERA in 18 2/3 IP. He only allowed 12 hits and two walks while striking out 11 batters during that span.
Tyson Perez put together a solid last month of the season. His ERA for August was 3.54 in six starts but he fanned 29 batters in 28 innings pitched. Prior to this month, he had only fanned 20 in 27 IP.
Chris Lee, the highest draft pick at the start of the year, showed some signs of development. He fanned 26 batters during his last 23 2/3 IP. While he still gave up way too many walks, he was getting more swings and misses and more ground balls.
Jeremiah Meiners was one of the most solid arms out of the pen all season. He finished with a 2.90 ERA and never had a month where his ERA rose to the 3.00 level. In 40 1/3 IP, he fanned 42 batters and only walked 10. He didn't get enough IP to qualify among the league leaders (14 1/3 short), but his WHIP of 1.09 would have been in first place. He showed significant growth over his 2010 season in the GCL (6.95 ERA).
Zach Dando didn't have the best of months for August but despite an ERA of 4.97, he held opposing batters to a .196 average. He had more Ks (35) than IP (33).
Matison Smith was one of the older players on the roster. At 23, he put together a nice August out of the G-Stros pen. He put up a 1.42 ERA in 9 appearances (12 2/3 IP). During that span, he fanned 20 batters.
Scott Zuloaga, had an impressive August. The side winding lefty posted a 2.45 ERA for the month that was less than half of his previous month's 5.68. During August, he appeared in 12 games and fanned 8 batters in 7 1/3 IP. He also induced ground balls at a higher rate. His season ERA is deceptively high due to his 36 ERA in August.
Most Likely To Return
Last year, I predicted that Cotton & Batista would return to pitch in G'ville. Here are the players, I feel will be back in Greeneville next year. It will be a larger number than were here this year.
Possible returnees include:
Ariel Ovando - raw talent still has a great deal of work to do in the field and on the bases.
Darwin Rivera - made a big jump to the Appy after only 13 games in the DSL over 2 years.
Garen Wright - injuries hampered this season for another raw outfielder.
Chan Moon - really started to shine at SS later in the season. Had a few flashes at the plate as well.
Adrian Houser - don't see him ready for older competition yet.
Jose Perdomo - if he is not hurt, I could see him back for a 2nd year. Didn't pitch after 7/18.
If those six players return, that would be a solid foundation for a good team for 2012. Because there is always next year.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Appy Astros Alumni of the Month - June
Wow, summer is flying by. We just got started with ball in Greeneville and it is halfway over for the full season teams. Let's look at how the former G-Stros are doing up the ladder and outside the system.
Tri Cities ValleyCats
I know they just are just about two weeks into their season but we have 11 former G-Stros on the roster and we needed to check in on those guys.
Hitter of the Month
With just three candidates the pickings are a little slim. We we go with the one alumni with an average over the mendoza line. Ryan McCurdy has appeared in 4 games and is hitting .267. Let's hope that we have to make a choice between great performances for July.
Pitcher of the Month
Now this is a competition. There are eight former G-Stros on the roster and at least five merited some discussion here. We will go with Juri Perez as the pitcher of the month. Perez who is working his way back from arm surgery. He only threw 8 1/3 innings in 2010. He made a brief appearance in Lexington earlier this spring but is making his presence felt in Tri Cities. Perez made three starts in June. He struggled with his control a bit in the first start but since then, he has been dominate. In his last two starts, he has pitched 10 innings and struck out 16 batters; while allowing eight hits, two walks, and two runs. Opponents are hitting just .212 against him. His 20 total strike outs leads the NY/Penn League.
Honorable Mention goes to Ryan Cole who has 3 saves and a 1.93 ERA (4 2/3 IP); Garrett Bullock who has a 2.03 ERA in 4 appearances (4 1/3 IP); Travis Smink who has a 2.45 ERA in 4 appearances (7 1/3 IP); and Ebert Rosario who has a 3.60 ERA but 8 Ks in 5 IP. Rosario started the transition to pitcher from third baseman last summer.
Lexington Legends
Hitter of the Month
The roster has experienced a fair amount of turn over in Lexington. During the month, Chris Wallace won the Sally League HR Derby and found himself wearing a Corpus Christi uni. Jio Mier jumped to Lancaster and Telvin Nash was activated from the DL after missing most of the month with a broken hamate bone in his hand. With those guys gone, the hitter of the month is Emilio King. King lost 100 points off his average from last month but still hit a solid .286 with seven doubles and two HR.
Pitcher of the Month
The G-Stro Alumni are starting to put together a solid pitching staff in Lexington. This is a very close call. So close that I am giving a started and reliever of the month for June. Luis Cruz is the starer of the month. He moved from the pen to the rotation after his first appearance in June. After three starts, he had a 2.45 ERA as a starter and a 17 K in 18 1/3 IP. Jorge DeLeon is the reliever of the month. He finished with a 0.75 ERA and 5 saves with 14 K in 12 IP. DeLeon is in his second season of conversion from SS to P.
Honorable Mentions Murilo Gouvea missed part of the month but booked ended his time on the DL with a solid 0.75 ERA in six appearances where he fanned 14 in 11 1/3 IP. Ruben Alaniz had a solid month in the starting rotation. He finished June with a 3-1 record and a 2.28 ERA. David Martinez's contributions also cannot be overlooked. He fanned 10 in 10 1/3 IP and finished the month with a 1.73 ERA.
Lancaster JetHawks
Hitter of the Month
This one is the easiest of the bunch. Kody Hinze is just too good for the California League. Hinze put up a .357/.505/.690 slash line despite a 2 for 23 slump following the All Star Break. Hinze won the Cal./Car. All Star Game HR Derby and still leads ALL of minor league baseball with a .469 OBP. He finished June with 8 home runs. His total of 21 on the season ties him for 3rd most in all of minor league baseball.
Honorable Mention goes to Miguel Arrendell who in 11 games put up a .342 average.
Pitcher of the Month
Wander Alvino put up a solid month out of the Lancaster bullpen. In 10 appearances, he finished with a 3.75 ERA and 14 Ks in 17 1/3 IP.
Honorable Mention goes to Colton Pitkin who had a solid month except for his last outing of the month. In his first 7 outings, he pitched 10 1/3 innings and allowed just 4 earned runs. His last outing of the month was a rough one. Only 2/3 innings pitched and 7 earned runs scored. That outing accounts for 1/3 of the total runs he has surrendered all season.
Corpus Christi Hooks
Hitter of the Month
Who else but Jose Altuve. The Venezuelan prospect has taken away the excuse that his previous numbers were inflated by the "Lancaster effect". He it .364 with 13 extra base hits since his call up to the Hooks on June 1st. He is a contact hitter, he doesn't walk much; only four times in June. He doesn't strike out much either; only 10 times in 110 AB.
Honorable Mention to J D Martinez whose RBI totals should benefit from Altuve being on base in front of him. Martinez hit .320 for June with seven extra base hits.
Pitcher of the Month
It was an up and down month for the Appy Astros Alumi with the Hooks. There was no solid consistent performer and people were moving all over the place. This months award goes to Kyle Greenwalt. Since being moved to the pen, Greenwalt has adjusted nicely. In his 9 relief appearances in June, he is 0-2 with a 3.09 ERA.
Oklahoma RedHawks
Hitter of the Month
Wlad Sutil is the only former G-Stro with any numbers worth noting. The little glove first player continues to use his bat effectively too. He hit a respectable .267 in 15 games with more walks (5) than strikeouts (2).
Pitcher of the Month
Douglas Arguello had two good starts before going on the DL. Jordan Lyles stayed up with the big club. Henry Villar and Pat Urckfitz were sent down to Corpus Christi. Sammy Gervacio came up from Corpus Christi late in the month. Fernando Abad made 6 appearances before being called up to join Lyles with the big club. So based on this info we are giving the pitcher of the month to the Waiver Wire - for its great Change Up of the roster.
Outside the Astros System (Minors)
Hitter of the Month
Jordan Parraz continues to have a decent season for the Scranto/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. His average dropped a bit hitting only .243 for the month but he hit six doubles and three HRs.
Pitcher of the Month
Troy Patton had a solid June. He appeared in seven games for the Norfolk Tide (16 1/3 IP) and finished with a 1.65 ERA. It appears he is becoming a different pitcher than he was before the shoulder surgery of 2009. He only struck out 4 batters in the month.
MLB
Hitter of the Month
Yet another month where only J. R. Towles represents the G-Stros as a position player. We are pulling for September call ups for Martinez & Altuve so that he can have some company. Towles was beat up for much of the month and in 15 games only hit .154.
Pitcher of the Month
Since being traded from the Rockies to the Royals, Felipe Paulino has been a solid starter. In his six starts in June, he amassed a 3.58 ERA and struck out 33 in 37 2/3 IP while walking 10.
Honorable Mention to Fernando Abad who in the five games since he was called up to Houston, has a 1.80 ERA and five strike outs.
Tri Cities ValleyCats
I know they just are just about two weeks into their season but we have 11 former G-Stros on the roster and we needed to check in on those guys.
Hitter of the Month
With just three candidates the pickings are a little slim. We we go with the one alumni with an average over the mendoza line. Ryan McCurdy has appeared in 4 games and is hitting .267. Let's hope that we have to make a choice between great performances for July.
Pitcher of the Month
Now this is a competition. There are eight former G-Stros on the roster and at least five merited some discussion here. We will go with Juri Perez as the pitcher of the month. Perez who is working his way back from arm surgery. He only threw 8 1/3 innings in 2010. He made a brief appearance in Lexington earlier this spring but is making his presence felt in Tri Cities. Perez made three starts in June. He struggled with his control a bit in the first start but since then, he has been dominate. In his last two starts, he has pitched 10 innings and struck out 16 batters; while allowing eight hits, two walks, and two runs. Opponents are hitting just .212 against him. His 20 total strike outs leads the NY/Penn League.
Honorable Mention goes to Ryan Cole who has 3 saves and a 1.93 ERA (4 2/3 IP); Garrett Bullock who has a 2.03 ERA in 4 appearances (4 1/3 IP); Travis Smink who has a 2.45 ERA in 4 appearances (7 1/3 IP); and Ebert Rosario who has a 3.60 ERA but 8 Ks in 5 IP. Rosario started the transition to pitcher from third baseman last summer.
Lexington Legends
Hitter of the Month
The roster has experienced a fair amount of turn over in Lexington. During the month, Chris Wallace won the Sally League HR Derby and found himself wearing a Corpus Christi uni. Jio Mier jumped to Lancaster and Telvin Nash was activated from the DL after missing most of the month with a broken hamate bone in his hand. With those guys gone, the hitter of the month is Emilio King. King lost 100 points off his average from last month but still hit a solid .286 with seven doubles and two HR.
Pitcher of the Month
The G-Stro Alumni are starting to put together a solid pitching staff in Lexington. This is a very close call. So close that I am giving a started and reliever of the month for June. Luis Cruz is the starer of the month. He moved from the pen to the rotation after his first appearance in June. After three starts, he had a 2.45 ERA as a starter and a 17 K in 18 1/3 IP. Jorge DeLeon is the reliever of the month. He finished with a 0.75 ERA and 5 saves with 14 K in 12 IP. DeLeon is in his second season of conversion from SS to P.
Honorable Mentions Murilo Gouvea missed part of the month but booked ended his time on the DL with a solid 0.75 ERA in six appearances where he fanned 14 in 11 1/3 IP. Ruben Alaniz had a solid month in the starting rotation. He finished June with a 3-1 record and a 2.28 ERA. David Martinez's contributions also cannot be overlooked. He fanned 10 in 10 1/3 IP and finished the month with a 1.73 ERA.
Lancaster JetHawks
Hitter of the Month
This one is the easiest of the bunch. Kody Hinze is just too good for the California League. Hinze put up a .357/.505/.690 slash line despite a 2 for 23 slump following the All Star Break. Hinze won the Cal./Car. All Star Game HR Derby and still leads ALL of minor league baseball with a .469 OBP. He finished June with 8 home runs. His total of 21 on the season ties him for 3rd most in all of minor league baseball.
Honorable Mention goes to Miguel Arrendell who in 11 games put up a .342 average.
Pitcher of the Month
Wander Alvino put up a solid month out of the Lancaster bullpen. In 10 appearances, he finished with a 3.75 ERA and 14 Ks in 17 1/3 IP.
Honorable Mention goes to Colton Pitkin who had a solid month except for his last outing of the month. In his first 7 outings, he pitched 10 1/3 innings and allowed just 4 earned runs. His last outing of the month was a rough one. Only 2/3 innings pitched and 7 earned runs scored. That outing accounts for 1/3 of the total runs he has surrendered all season.
Corpus Christi Hooks
Hitter of the Month
Who else but Jose Altuve. The Venezuelan prospect has taken away the excuse that his previous numbers were inflated by the "Lancaster effect". He it .364 with 13 extra base hits since his call up to the Hooks on June 1st. He is a contact hitter, he doesn't walk much; only four times in June. He doesn't strike out much either; only 10 times in 110 AB.
Honorable Mention to J D Martinez whose RBI totals should benefit from Altuve being on base in front of him. Martinez hit .320 for June with seven extra base hits.
Pitcher of the Month
It was an up and down month for the Appy Astros Alumi with the Hooks. There was no solid consistent performer and people were moving all over the place. This months award goes to Kyle Greenwalt. Since being moved to the pen, Greenwalt has adjusted nicely. In his 9 relief appearances in June, he is 0-2 with a 3.09 ERA.
Oklahoma RedHawks
Hitter of the Month
Wlad Sutil is the only former G-Stro with any numbers worth noting. The little glove first player continues to use his bat effectively too. He hit a respectable .267 in 15 games with more walks (5) than strikeouts (2).
Pitcher of the Month
Douglas Arguello had two good starts before going on the DL. Jordan Lyles stayed up with the big club. Henry Villar and Pat Urckfitz were sent down to Corpus Christi. Sammy Gervacio came up from Corpus Christi late in the month. Fernando Abad made 6 appearances before being called up to join Lyles with the big club. So based on this info we are giving the pitcher of the month to the Waiver Wire - for its great Change Up of the roster.
Outside the Astros System (Minors)
Hitter of the Month
Jordan Parraz continues to have a decent season for the Scranto/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. His average dropped a bit hitting only .243 for the month but he hit six doubles and three HRs.
Pitcher of the Month
Troy Patton had a solid June. He appeared in seven games for the Norfolk Tide (16 1/3 IP) and finished with a 1.65 ERA. It appears he is becoming a different pitcher than he was before the shoulder surgery of 2009. He only struck out 4 batters in the month.
MLB
Hitter of the Month
Yet another month where only J. R. Towles represents the G-Stros as a position player. We are pulling for September call ups for Martinez & Altuve so that he can have some company. Towles was beat up for much of the month and in 15 games only hit .154.
Pitcher of the Month
Since being traded from the Rockies to the Royals, Felipe Paulino has been a solid starter. In his six starts in June, he amassed a 3.58 ERA and struck out 33 in 37 2/3 IP while walking 10.
Honorable Mention to Fernando Abad who in the five games since he was called up to Houston, has a 1.80 ERA and five strike outs.
Monday, August 30, 2010
GCL - Past, Present & Future
The Gulf Coast League has just finished up its season. Now we get to start looking at where some of them will land next year. To prepare for looking at where they may be headed, let’s look at what happened to last years GCL Astros. Out of last years GCL Astros roster of players who played more than a handful of games, here is where they landed with a few players from each group highlighted.
Traded (1 – 3%)
Luis Bryan to Marlins in the Lindstrum. He started the season in the NYPENN League but was sent back to the GCL and has struggled.
Repeat of GCL (9 – 26%)
Jose Vargas – Repeated the league but changed positions from C to RF. The 19 year old saw his playing time increase but his numbers decreased. One silver lining is that he reduced his K rate significantly.
Ronald Sanchez – The 16th round pick of the 2009 draft out of Puerto Rico has not made the progress that would be expected. His numbers went backwards this year. He turned 19 earlier this month. So he is still young.
Garen Wright – The 29th round pick of the 2009 draft made progress repeating this year. He raised his batting average 46 points and his OPS .69 points. I expect to see him in Greeneville next year.
Mark Jones – The 22nd round draft pick of 09 repeated the GCL this year. He showed some improvement and spent more time as a starter.
Promoted to Greeneville (8 - 24%)
Telvin Nash – Made the move up to Greeneville and has be patrolling left field for the G-Stros. At times, it has been an adventure. The plate is where he is making news. After hitting only 1 HR in 142 AB, he has 11 in 189 so far this season. He is still striking out about one every three at bats, but his OPS jumped .250 points this season. He was named the Greeneville MVP at the game Sunday night.
Euris Quizada – El Grande is a late bloomer. Not signed until before the 09 season, he was sent straight state side to the GCL. This year, he has been a back of the rotation started for the G-Stros. He improved his ERA from almost seven down to just barely over six, but APPY league batters hit .315 while facing him.
Garrett Bullock – The 24 year old NDFA has flourished in Greeneville this season. The tall lefty with a good pick off move has combined better strike out numbers and much better control to put up a solid 1.26 ERA through 43 IP.
Promoted to Tri Cities (2 – 6%)
Enrique Hernadez – Made his debut in the NYPENN League as an 18 year old. Hit .280 in 60 games.
Jack Frawley – The 24 year old NDFA started the 2010 campaign in Greeneville but was sent up to Tri Cities after just 5 appearances. He has since made 6 in Tri Cities. His combined ERA for the year is 3.00.
Promoted to Lexington (4 – 12%)
Kody Hinze – Started 2010 where he started 2009, in Lexington. This time, he has added .100 to his batting average and shown more pop. After a hot start, he is currently at .275 with 44 extra base hits out of 118 hits. He turned 23 during the season.
Juan Minaya – Jumped from the lowest level of state side ball in 09 to full season ball in 2010. He has struggled with his control as a 20 year old in Lexington. He has walked 71 batters in 119 2/3 innings thus far. Batters are only hitting .240 against him.
Tanner Bushue – The second round pick from 09 jumped to full season ball and has stuck there. He has wrapped up a solid August with a 2.64 ERA.
Michael Schurz – The 44th round pick from 09 started the season in Lex and then jumped to Lancaster for a taste of pitching torment. Since returning to Lex, he has kept his ERA just under a touchdown.
Released (10 – 29%)
Jan Baldee – the Dutch SS experiment was a failure. When your batting average over two seasons doesn’t add up to .100, you know you are going to be released.
Back To The Future
So now who do I think could make the move this year. Any of the projections here are likely to be impacted by the draft, and any prospects picked up in trades. Let’s see who the crystal ball says we should keep an eye on for next year.
Greeneville
Chan Moon - The 19 year old from South Korea didn’t hit much but will likely still earn a promotion to Greeneville next year.
Jose Monzon – The 18 year old from Venezuela showed hit .250 for the season with 9 extra base hits (3 HR). He showed good speed too swiping 9 bases in 14 tries. He finished the season strong hitting .381 over the last 6 games but didn’t play after 8/7. Looks like a strong candidate for Greeneville.
Joshua McGee – Hit in the .260s all season before slumping at the end and brining his average down to .227 on the season. He only struck out 15 times in the first 98 AB and then fanned 20 in his last 78. McGee was the 18th pick in the 2010 draft. Another strong candidate for Greeneville.
Matison Smith - The NDFA from Texas turned 22 during the season. He didn’t strike out a bunch and gave up almost a hit per inning pitched; but he managed to keep his ERA at 1.59. I look for him to be in Greeneville next season.
Mark Jones – The 6’ 7” righty faded at the end of the season. His ERA after the month of July was 2.50. He finished the season with a 3.91 ERA. Control must improve for success at the next level. I would like to see him in Greeneville next year.
Tri Cities (or where ever we have a SS A team next year)
Jordan Scott – The lefty hitting OF finished the year with a .301 average and had hit .385 in his last 10 games. Only 33 K in 146 AB. Scott was the 14th round pick of the 2010 draft. I expect to see him in Tri Cities if he continues this pattern of play in Instructs and Spring Training next year.
Ryan Ditthardt - The 22 year old NDFA hit a solid .274, low strike outs but not much power. He will likely jump to Tri Cities next year.
Ebert Rosario – The former 3rd baseman is now a pitcher. He made a few appearances at the end of the season. Had 12 K’s in 10 2/3 IP. I expect he will be in Tri Cities to start the year next year.
Lexington
Juri Perez – Coming back from an elbow injury, Perez had 6 outings at the end of the season. He had one bad outing where he allowed 4 runs in 1/3 of an inning. The rest of the time, he allowed just 1 run in 8 innings. If he is healthy, I could see him jump to Lexington to start 2011.
Dieudone Paul - The 22 year old lefty from Haiti will likely make a significant jump based on his 13 outings this season. I would expect him to at least be in Tri Cities next season and I wouldn’t rule out a jump to Lexington.
Jose Perdomo – The 18 year old from Venezuela fanned 63 batters in 55 1/3 IP. He made 11 starts during the year, and finished with a 4-2 record and a super impressive 1.62 ERA. He might jump straight to Lexington.
Feel free to post your ideas of where theses guys might wind up in the comment section
Traded (1 – 3%)
Luis Bryan to Marlins in the Lindstrum. He started the season in the NYPENN League but was sent back to the GCL and has struggled.
Repeat of GCL (9 – 26%)
Jose Vargas – Repeated the league but changed positions from C to RF. The 19 year old saw his playing time increase but his numbers decreased. One silver lining is that he reduced his K rate significantly.
Ronald Sanchez – The 16th round pick of the 2009 draft out of Puerto Rico has not made the progress that would be expected. His numbers went backwards this year. He turned 19 earlier this month. So he is still young.
Garen Wright – The 29th round pick of the 2009 draft made progress repeating this year. He raised his batting average 46 points and his OPS .69 points. I expect to see him in Greeneville next year.
Mark Jones – The 22nd round draft pick of 09 repeated the GCL this year. He showed some improvement and spent more time as a starter.
Promoted to Greeneville (8 - 24%)
Telvin Nash – Made the move up to Greeneville and has be patrolling left field for the G-Stros. At times, it has been an adventure. The plate is where he is making news. After hitting only 1 HR in 142 AB, he has 11 in 189 so far this season. He is still striking out about one every three at bats, but his OPS jumped .250 points this season. He was named the Greeneville MVP at the game Sunday night.
Euris Quizada – El Grande is a late bloomer. Not signed until before the 09 season, he was sent straight state side to the GCL. This year, he has been a back of the rotation started for the G-Stros. He improved his ERA from almost seven down to just barely over six, but APPY league batters hit .315 while facing him.
Garrett Bullock – The 24 year old NDFA has flourished in Greeneville this season. The tall lefty with a good pick off move has combined better strike out numbers and much better control to put up a solid 1.26 ERA through 43 IP.
Promoted to Tri Cities (2 – 6%)
Enrique Hernadez – Made his debut in the NYPENN League as an 18 year old. Hit .280 in 60 games.
Jack Frawley – The 24 year old NDFA started the 2010 campaign in Greeneville but was sent up to Tri Cities after just 5 appearances. He has since made 6 in Tri Cities. His combined ERA for the year is 3.00.
Promoted to Lexington (4 – 12%)
Kody Hinze – Started 2010 where he started 2009, in Lexington. This time, he has added .100 to his batting average and shown more pop. After a hot start, he is currently at .275 with 44 extra base hits out of 118 hits. He turned 23 during the season.
Juan Minaya – Jumped from the lowest level of state side ball in 09 to full season ball in 2010. He has struggled with his control as a 20 year old in Lexington. He has walked 71 batters in 119 2/3 innings thus far. Batters are only hitting .240 against him.
Tanner Bushue – The second round pick from 09 jumped to full season ball and has stuck there. He has wrapped up a solid August with a 2.64 ERA.
Michael Schurz – The 44th round pick from 09 started the season in Lex and then jumped to Lancaster for a taste of pitching torment. Since returning to Lex, he has kept his ERA just under a touchdown.
Released (10 – 29%)
Jan Baldee – the Dutch SS experiment was a failure. When your batting average over two seasons doesn’t add up to .100, you know you are going to be released.
Back To The Future
So now who do I think could make the move this year. Any of the projections here are likely to be impacted by the draft, and any prospects picked up in trades. Let’s see who the crystal ball says we should keep an eye on for next year.
Greeneville
Chan Moon - The 19 year old from South Korea didn’t hit much but will likely still earn a promotion to Greeneville next year.
Jose Monzon – The 18 year old from Venezuela showed hit .250 for the season with 9 extra base hits (3 HR). He showed good speed too swiping 9 bases in 14 tries. He finished the season strong hitting .381 over the last 6 games but didn’t play after 8/7. Looks like a strong candidate for Greeneville.
Joshua McGee – Hit in the .260s all season before slumping at the end and brining his average down to .227 on the season. He only struck out 15 times in the first 98 AB and then fanned 20 in his last 78. McGee was the 18th pick in the 2010 draft. Another strong candidate for Greeneville.
Matison Smith - The NDFA from Texas turned 22 during the season. He didn’t strike out a bunch and gave up almost a hit per inning pitched; but he managed to keep his ERA at 1.59. I look for him to be in Greeneville next season.
Mark Jones – The 6’ 7” righty faded at the end of the season. His ERA after the month of July was 2.50. He finished the season with a 3.91 ERA. Control must improve for success at the next level. I would like to see him in Greeneville next year.
Tri Cities (or where ever we have a SS A team next year)
Jordan Scott – The lefty hitting OF finished the year with a .301 average and had hit .385 in his last 10 games. Only 33 K in 146 AB. Scott was the 14th round pick of the 2010 draft. I expect to see him in Tri Cities if he continues this pattern of play in Instructs and Spring Training next year.
Ryan Ditthardt - The 22 year old NDFA hit a solid .274, low strike outs but not much power. He will likely jump to Tri Cities next year.
Ebert Rosario – The former 3rd baseman is now a pitcher. He made a few appearances at the end of the season. Had 12 K’s in 10 2/3 IP. I expect he will be in Tri Cities to start the year next year.
Lexington
Juri Perez – Coming back from an elbow injury, Perez had 6 outings at the end of the season. He had one bad outing where he allowed 4 runs in 1/3 of an inning. The rest of the time, he allowed just 1 run in 8 innings. If he is healthy, I could see him jump to Lexington to start 2011.
Dieudone Paul - The 22 year old lefty from Haiti will likely make a significant jump based on his 13 outings this season. I would expect him to at least be in Tri Cities next season and I wouldn’t rule out a jump to Lexington.
Jose Perdomo – The 18 year old from Venezuela fanned 63 batters in 55 1/3 IP. He made 11 starts during the year, and finished with a 4-2 record and a super impressive 1.62 ERA. He might jump straight to Lexington.
Feel free to post your ideas of where theses guys might wind up in the comment section
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