This wraps up the progress reports of former G-Stros for this off season. It's only been a year but lets look at the progress made by the 2010 G-Stros. Thirty nine players spent time in Greeneville playing in 2010. Twenty six of those players were playing affiliated ball in 2011 for 66%.
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.
AA (1 - 3%)
Chris Wallace started the year in Low A Lexington but was double promoted to AA Corpus Christi to finish out the year. With him turning 23 years of age in April and him having solid success in Lexington, it was not surprising the Astros challenged him by putting him on a fast track. Wallace hit .244 in 36 games in AA. he also found out that base runners were better there. He only threw out 10% of attempted stolen bases. Wallace spent part of the fall in instructionals.
High A (2 - 5%)
Bryce Lane spent most of the season in Lexington but did appear in Lancaster for five games during the year. He was hit less during his stint in Lancaster and hit .222 in 67 games in Lexington. He will be 22 when spring training begins.
Hector Rodriguez bounced around three levels this year. He started in Lancaster, then was sent to Tri Cities and finished the year in Lexington. He never got much consistent playing time in those stops appearing in only 35 games through the year. He combined to hit just .163 on the season. He will be 22 when spring training rolls around.
Low A (13- 33%)
Ruben Alaniz had an inconsistent year in Lexington. He had a rough April, sporting a 8.78 ERA after the first month of the season. However in June, he sported a solid 2.28 ERA. Overall, he finished with a 4.44 ERA in 27 games (21 starts). He fanned 96 batters in 115 2/3 innings pitched. He gave up 11 home runs, with only four in the second half of the season. He earned an invite to instructionals. Alaniz will be 20 when he reports to spring training.
Garrett Bullock see 2009 write up.
Jeiler Castillo see 2008 write up.
Delino Deshields Jr. only appeared in 16 games in 2010 for Greeneville. However, he was impressive in those games as just a 17 year old. This year, as he continued to make the transition to becoming a second baseman, he struggled in the first half of the year hitting just .197 before the All Star break. DeShields had a great July (.320) and finished the second half of the season with a respectable .242 average. His power dropped in the second half but his on base percentage climbed. All promising signs for a young man who won't turn 20 until next August. He got a bit of extra work in this fall in instructionals.
Mike Foltynewicz appeared to run out of gas as the long Sally League season of bus trips ground to an end. After keeping his ERA in the upper three and low four range for May, June & July; it jumped to the seven and eight range for August and September. He was on the instructional league roster. He is still seen as a top prospect and will just be 20 when next season begins.
Gabriel Garcia pitched out of the pen in 31 games for the Legends. Garcia struck out 68 batters in 69 1/3 innings pitched. His ERA was 3.76 on the season. He is pitching in his home country for Winter Ball and through his first 11 appearances in the Dominican League, he is sporting a 2.84 ERA. He will still be 22 when next season rolls around.
Emilio King had a break out year in Lexington. In Greeneville, he showed good defense with a great arm but very little with the bat. In 2011, he hit .293 and 34 of his 106 hits went for extra bases. He also had 14 outfield assist on the year. King will be 22 at the start of spring training.
Ryan McCurdy appeared in just one game for Lexington. He spent most of his season in TriCities. There he hit .324 which is an impressive jump from the .148 combined between Greeneville & TriCities in 2010. He will turn 24 in December.
Jhonny Medrano hit .203 in 60 games for the Legends this season. He is a minor league free agent and will likely not be playing affiliated ball next season. Injuries limited his potential.
Telvin Nash got his 2011 season of to a bang with an impressive April where he hit .310 with an OPS of .997 but then broke the hamate bone in his hand and missed all of May and almost but three games of June. In the second half, Nash was okay but not as spectacular as his April. He finished the year with a .269 average and a .858 OPS in Lexington. It is expected that recovery from a hamate fracture can take some time to recover hand strength so we have to take that into account. Nash has very good power. Of his 72 hits this season in Lexington, 30 of them were for extra bases. Here is a video of his power stroke. He will need to cut down on the strike outs as he continues to climb up the ladder. He also was learning a new position this year, playing 37 games at 1st base. He got some extra work in at instructionals. Nash will turn 21 just before spring training begins.
Marcus Nidiffer was released by the Astros and subsequently signed by the Angels organization. They moved him back to catcher and he hit .230 for Cedar Rapids this year. He threw out 29% of potential base stealers. He will be 25 when spring training opens.
Roberto Pena was impressive behind the plate in Lexington this season. He threw out 39% of the potential base burglars. He wasn't as impressive at the plate, hitting just .217 but showed improvement over his numbers in Greeneville last year. He is seen as a solid catching prospect by the Astros as evidenced by them sending him for a brief stint in the Arizona Fall League. He was also in instructionals. Pena won't turn 20 until June of next year.
Brian Streinlein appeared in 40 games for the Legends and amassed a 3.99 ERA. Streinlein will be 24 when spring training begins.
Tri Cities (6 - 15%)
Ryan Cole finished 22 of the 26 games he appeared in for the ValleyCats. He was credited with 10 saves. He will be 24 when pitchers report to spring training.
Jermaine Cotton started 2011 in Greeneville in the bullpen. However, he was moved into the starting rotation and was solid there. He was promoted to Tri Cities and finished the year with a 3.68 ERA in five starts for the ValleyCats. He earned an invitation to fall instructional league. He will be 21 when next season begins.
Euris Quezada is a big righty who when he has his control is fun to watch. for the ValleyCats this year, sometime he had it, some times he didn't. He was shut down after just one start in August. He finished the year with a 6.95 ERA with 24 Ks and 24 BB in 33 2/3 IP. He will turn 23 next April.
Travis Smink appeared in 23 games for the ValleyCats this season. He amassed a 4.37 ERA in 45 1/3 IP. He will turn 25 shortly after the 2012 season begins.
Rafael Valenzuela continues to show he can hit. After being injured for much of the first half of the season, he reported to Tri Cities and hit .316 in 31 games for the ValleyCats. The non drafted free agent will be 24 when spring training begins.
Bubby Williams see 2009 write up.
Greeneville (2 - 5%)
Richardo Batista the lefty returned to Greeneville for the 2011 season and showed improvement. He finished the season strong with a 3.57 ERA for the month of August. During that month, opponents hit just .192 off of him. During August he also struck out 20 batters in 22 1/2 innings but he also walked 18. He was invited to instructionals. He will still be 20 when next season begins.
Rodney Quintero returned to Greeneville for the 2011 season. He struck out 32 batters in 28 2/3 IP out of the pen. Even though the numbers aren't great, he was invited to fall instructional league. He will turn 22 before pitchers and catchers report to spring training.
Injury/DL (2- 5%)
Vincent Velasquez and Jonathon Merritt both spent their year rehabbing from injuries. Velasquez was on the instructional league roster.
I expect the number of active players to drop pretty heavily next year with the large number of guys already in the 24 to 25 range in this group.
Showing posts with label Castillo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Castillo. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
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.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Outside the System - Farm & Bigs
Yesterday was the opening day of the Minor League Season. It was the second opening day of the baseball season. The third opening day, short season opening day, is the one I am anxiously awaiting now.
For yesterday's action, Subber10 over at The Crawfish Boxes and some citizen of Astros County have done fine recaps so no sense in repeating their hard work. So let's check on those former Greeneville Astros who are no longer in the Houston farm system. I will list who is where and any reports on their opening day results.
Jimmy Barthmaier is in AA Harrisburg of the Nationals organization.
Albert Cartwright is in AA Reading of the Phillies organization.
Jieller Castillo is at Low A Burlington in the A's Organization.
Victor Garate is in AAA New Orleans of the Marlins organization.
Ralphie Henriquez is in A-Advanced High Desert of the Mariners organization. He played in Thursday's game against Lancaster and went 1 for 4 with 2 of the Maverick's strike outs. Opening day was Ralphie's 24th birthday. (His MILB page now list him as Ralph but he will always be Ralphie to me.)
Santo Luis is in AA Portland of the Red Sox organization.
Jordan Parraz is in AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre of the Yankees organization. He went 2 for 3 on opening night with a triple, a run scored and a RBI.
Troy Patton is in AAA Norfolk with the Orioles organization.
Neil Sellers is in AA Jacksonville of the Marlins organization.
Major League Update:
Let's also check on the former G-Stros who play for other MLB teams besides Houston.
Juan Gutierrez - has made 3 appearances for the D-Backs in relief this year so far. He has yet to surrender an earned run, though he has given up 2 unearned runs. He has fanned 5 in 2 2/3 IP.
Felipe Paulino has made 2 appearances for the Rockies out of the pen so far. He has yet to surrender a run in those appearances which span 2 innings of work.
There have been a few transactions involving former G-Stros over the last few weeks. The following players were released out of spring training this year.
Robert Bono released by the Marlins.
Beau Torbert released by the Braves.
Polin Trinidad released by the Cubs.
For yesterday's action, Subber10 over at The Crawfish Boxes and some citizen of Astros County have done fine recaps so no sense in repeating their hard work. So let's check on those former Greeneville Astros who are no longer in the Houston farm system. I will list who is where and any reports on their opening day results.
Jimmy Barthmaier is in AA Harrisburg of the Nationals organization.
Albert Cartwright is in AA Reading of the Phillies organization.
Jieller Castillo is at Low A Burlington in the A's Organization.
Victor Garate is in AAA New Orleans of the Marlins organization.
Ralphie Henriquez is in A-Advanced High Desert of the Mariners organization. He played in Thursday's game against Lancaster and went 1 for 4 with 2 of the Maverick's strike outs. Opening day was Ralphie's 24th birthday. (His MILB page now list him as Ralph but he will always be Ralphie to me.)
Santo Luis is in AA Portland of the Red Sox organization.
Jordan Parraz is in AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre of the Yankees organization. He went 2 for 3 on opening night with a triple, a run scored and a RBI.
Troy Patton is in AAA Norfolk with the Orioles organization.
Neil Sellers is in AA Jacksonville of the Marlins organization.
Major League Update:
Let's also check on the former G-Stros who play for other MLB teams besides Houston.
Juan Gutierrez - has made 3 appearances for the D-Backs in relief this year so far. He has yet to surrender an earned run, though he has given up 2 unearned runs. He has fanned 5 in 2 2/3 IP.
Felipe Paulino has made 2 appearances for the Rockies out of the pen so far. He has yet to surrender a run in those appearances which span 2 innings of work.
There have been a few transactions involving former G-Stros over the last few weeks. The following players were released out of spring training this year.
Robert Bono released by the Marlins.
Beau Torbert released by the Braves.
Polin Trinidad released by the Cubs.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Jeiller An A
Today was the Rule 5 draft at the Winter Meetings. The Rule 5 draft is a way for MLB to try to make sure no organization is stockpiling young talent down on the farm just to keep them from other teams. Each team gets to protect 40 players on their major league roster. Those can't be taken in the Major League portion of the Rule 5 draft. If you take a player (the Astros took two today) you have the option of keeping them on your 25 man active roster all year and paying $50,000 to the team you drafted them from, or if you don't want to keep them at the major league level, you can work out a trade for them. If you decide you don't want to keep the player, you just ship them back to the team they came from. You get some of your money back but not all.
In the minor league portion, the players are protected by being on the AAA or AA reserved list. The options are the same but the money is less and you don't have to keep the player in the same level they were drafted in.
Today, Jeiler Castillo was taken in the AAA portion of the Rule 5 draft by the A's. I was surprised by this selection. Castillo first appeared in Greeneville in 2008. That year, he had more walks (21) than Ks (18) in 20 2/3 IP. He returned in 2009 and showed improved control. However, the ball left the yard more frequently. In 2010, he started the season with Tri Cities of the NY Penn League and was sent down to Greeneville after appearing in just 3 games. He was told he was coming down to anchor the bullpen for a team the Astros thought had a chance to win the league. He had his best year yet but was visibly discouraged at the end of the year. Three seasons in the Appy League normally doesn't bode well for your career.
I am hoping that this opportunity will be good for Jeiler. He is having a good winter in Venezuela. He is pitching in the Liga Paralela (LVBP minors) for Caracas. He is 5-0 with a 2.15 ERA in 29 1/3 IP (7 appearances/3 starts).
Jeiler is not the first former G-Stro to leave the organization via the Rule 5 draft. Neil Sellers, Santo Luis & Victor Garate were all selected in the minor league portion of Rule 5 drafts.
In the minor league portion, the players are protected by being on the AAA or AA reserved list. The options are the same but the money is less and you don't have to keep the player in the same level they were drafted in.
Today, Jeiler Castillo was taken in the AAA portion of the Rule 5 draft by the A's. I was surprised by this selection. Castillo first appeared in Greeneville in 2008. That year, he had more walks (21) than Ks (18) in 20 2/3 IP. He returned in 2009 and showed improved control. However, the ball left the yard more frequently. In 2010, he started the season with Tri Cities of the NY Penn League and was sent down to Greeneville after appearing in just 3 games. He was told he was coming down to anchor the bullpen for a team the Astros thought had a chance to win the league. He had his best year yet but was visibly discouraged at the end of the year. Three seasons in the Appy League normally doesn't bode well for your career.
I am hoping that this opportunity will be good for Jeiler. He is having a good winter in Venezuela. He is pitching in the Liga Paralela (LVBP minors) for Caracas. He is 5-0 with a 2.15 ERA in 29 1/3 IP (7 appearances/3 starts).
Jeiler is not the first former G-Stro to leave the organization via the Rule 5 draft. Neil Sellers, Santo Luis & Victor Garate were all selected in the minor league portion of Rule 5 drafts.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Season Recap - The Bullpen
Here is the final installment for the 2010 Season Recap. Let's look at the lovable guys who sit down the right field line at Pioneer Park and try to lure unsuspecting kids into trying to drop a quarter into a cup for a scuffed up game ball. If a single ball is not enough, do it 3 times and you can get a broken bat. If these guys don't have a future in baseball, they might have a future in business or at least on the carnival circuit.
We will list the players by number of game appearances. I think you will notice a much older group of guys than when we looked at the other players.
The guys who were released (B. J. Hagan), promoted (Jack Frawly), demoted (Andrea Lucati) or signed too late in the year (Rodney Quintero) and didn't have more than a handful of appearances are not addressed here.
Ryan Cole appeared in 22 games out of the pen. He had a streak of 8 straight scoreless outings than spanned 12 2/3 IP and had 14 appearances where he didn't give up an earned run. He finished with a season ERA of 2.83 and 2 saves. He had the best WHIP among closers (1.06). His walk totals look high at eight in 35 IP but 4 of those were intentional passes. So 4 in 35 innings is a much truer picture of his control. With his age and his performance, I could see him in the pen in Lexington next season.
Garrett Bullock the lefty NDFA out of Wake Forest repeated at Greeneville this year and showed marked improvement. He lead the bullpen with 41 IP in 21 appearances. He was often the first guy out of the pen, but he did garner two saves. In 16 of his 21 appearances, he didn't allow an earned run. Bullock is able to keep runners close with an excellent pick off move that he refined to reduce the balks called on him. Bullock was too old for the Appy at 24. He was promoted to Tri Cities at the end of the season but didn't get to pitch. With his age, being a lefty with a good pick off move and his ability to keep the ball down (no home runs in a combined 62 1/3 IP for his career, I could see him landing in Lancaster next season but Lexington might be more likely.
Philip Rorabaugh is another NDFA who is in his second pro year. He pitched in the GCL in 09 and at 23 was at the top end of the age for the Appy League. Rorabaugh started the year okay but struggled with a rough stretch in July and 2 bad outings in August that left him with a 4.91 ERA for the year in his 21 appearances. If Rorabaugh is with the organization next season, he will likely be in Tri Cities for some additional depth.
Brian Streilein made his pro debut in Greeneville this year. The big righty appeared in 20 games covering 32 IP and was second on the team with 5 saves. He too had a large number of his walks accounted for with intentional passes (4 out of 8). Streilein was the closer at the end of the season and earned a brief appearance in Tri Cities. At 22 next season, I could see Streilein in Tri Cities working the late innings out of the pen.
Travis Smink returned to Pioneer Park this year and showed improvement. He was the closer to start the season. He got 5 saves out of his first 6 outings. There doesn't appear to be a reason why he stopped getting save opportunities as he continued to be effective through the end of July, giving up just 3 ER in 151/3 IP. But maybe the Astros coaching staff could see something we couldn't because in August, Smink struggled. After posting a 2.25 ERA in 9 outings in July, he put up a 5. 02 ERA in his 7 August outings. For the year, he finished with a 3.34 ERA and 6 saves. Look for Smink to be in Lexington next season.
Jeiler Castillo started the year on the Tri Cities roster but was sent back for his third year with the G-Stros shortly after the season began. He was a solid arm out of the pen pulling two 4 inning stints in long relief. He also spot started 2 games and closed out 4, getting the save in 1 of those. Heading into August, Castillo was putting together a solid season. Then the wheels came off starting on August 11th. Over his next 4 outings, he gave up 9 earned runs in just 3 innings pitched. His ERA for July had been 2.25 and for August it was 8.71. Castillo will turn 23 this off season, I expect him to be in Lexington if he is with the organization next year. Three seasons of short season ball should be sufficient.
Paul Gerrish started his pro career in Greeneville. The former Horned Frog, appeared in 14 games for the G-Stros with mixed results. He finished 6 games and got the save in 1 of those. He held opponents to no earned runs in half of his appearances. He finished with an ERA of 4.56 but he had good control numbers (4 walks in 23 2/3 IP- 1 IBB) and only 2 of the 32 hits he surrendered were doubles or homers. Of the 19 runs he surrendered 7 were unearned. I am not sure if he was more unlucky or ineffective. He finished the year with a great outing, facing the minimum in 3 1/3 IP while striking out 4. He is already 24 so his age is a factor here. Based on his numbers and his age, I expect him to be in Lexington next year.
Jamaine Cotton took the long way to get the Greeneville. He is from St. Thomas, VI but went to college at Western Oklahoma State. This was his second straight year to be drafted (Giants in 09) and the Astros were able to sign him as their 15th pick. Apparently, Jamaine is a man of few words and is still learning the art of pitching. He only appeared in 13 games accounting for only 14 IP. He didn't meet much success. The only exciting stat is that he had more than one strike out per inning. However, he got hit (28 in 14 IP) and hard too (3 HR). He also struggled with control (7 BB & 3 WP). He had already pitched over 60 innings when he got to Greeneville so we don't know how tired he was, that might be a factor here. Jarmaine will probably get a second year in Greeneville.
Justin Harper was the 17th pick of the 2009 draft by the Astros. He had been selected before (Marlins 31st round 07, Yankees 37th round 08) so there is something scouts like when they see Harper pitch. He made 11 appearances in Greeneville totaling all of 18 innings pitched. He only got 6 innings pitched in 2009. So we have a 2 year vet with only 24 IP. Not much of a sample to make much of an assessment. Especially when you consider that 7 of his 10 earned runs occurred in his first three outings. He will be 22 when the season opens next year. I expect he will return to Tri Cities to show continued improvement and to get a full short season of work in.
Assessment None of these guys jump out and scream top prospect. Most will probably be roster fillers for their careers but you never can tell when someone puts it all together and makes it to the show. All of these guys have a long road ahead of them to get to the show, but we are pulling for them to make it.
We will list the players by number of game appearances. I think you will notice a much older group of guys than when we looked at the other players.
The guys who were released (B. J. Hagan), promoted (Jack Frawly), demoted (Andrea Lucati) or signed too late in the year (Rodney Quintero) and didn't have more than a handful of appearances are not addressed here.
Ryan Cole appeared in 22 games out of the pen. He had a streak of 8 straight scoreless outings than spanned 12 2/3 IP and had 14 appearances where he didn't give up an earned run. He finished with a season ERA of 2.83 and 2 saves. He had the best WHIP among closers (1.06). His walk totals look high at eight in 35 IP but 4 of those were intentional passes. So 4 in 35 innings is a much truer picture of his control. With his age and his performance, I could see him in the pen in Lexington next season.
Garrett Bullock the lefty NDFA out of Wake Forest repeated at Greeneville this year and showed marked improvement. He lead the bullpen with 41 IP in 21 appearances. He was often the first guy out of the pen, but he did garner two saves. In 16 of his 21 appearances, he didn't allow an earned run. Bullock is able to keep runners close with an excellent pick off move that he refined to reduce the balks called on him. Bullock was too old for the Appy at 24. He was promoted to Tri Cities at the end of the season but didn't get to pitch. With his age, being a lefty with a good pick off move and his ability to keep the ball down (no home runs in a combined 62 1/3 IP for his career, I could see him landing in Lancaster next season but Lexington might be more likely.
Philip Rorabaugh is another NDFA who is in his second pro year. He pitched in the GCL in 09 and at 23 was at the top end of the age for the Appy League. Rorabaugh started the year okay but struggled with a rough stretch in July and 2 bad outings in August that left him with a 4.91 ERA for the year in his 21 appearances. If Rorabaugh is with the organization next season, he will likely be in Tri Cities for some additional depth.
Brian Streilein made his pro debut in Greeneville this year. The big righty appeared in 20 games covering 32 IP and was second on the team with 5 saves. He too had a large number of his walks accounted for with intentional passes (4 out of 8). Streilein was the closer at the end of the season and earned a brief appearance in Tri Cities. At 22 next season, I could see Streilein in Tri Cities working the late innings out of the pen.
Travis Smink returned to Pioneer Park this year and showed improvement. He was the closer to start the season. He got 5 saves out of his first 6 outings. There doesn't appear to be a reason why he stopped getting save opportunities as he continued to be effective through the end of July, giving up just 3 ER in 151/3 IP. But maybe the Astros coaching staff could see something we couldn't because in August, Smink struggled. After posting a 2.25 ERA in 9 outings in July, he put up a 5. 02 ERA in his 7 August outings. For the year, he finished with a 3.34 ERA and 6 saves. Look for Smink to be in Lexington next season.
Jeiler Castillo started the year on the Tri Cities roster but was sent back for his third year with the G-Stros shortly after the season began. He was a solid arm out of the pen pulling two 4 inning stints in long relief. He also spot started 2 games and closed out 4, getting the save in 1 of those. Heading into August, Castillo was putting together a solid season. Then the wheels came off starting on August 11th. Over his next 4 outings, he gave up 9 earned runs in just 3 innings pitched. His ERA for July had been 2.25 and for August it was 8.71. Castillo will turn 23 this off season, I expect him to be in Lexington if he is with the organization next year. Three seasons of short season ball should be sufficient.
Paul Gerrish started his pro career in Greeneville. The former Horned Frog, appeared in 14 games for the G-Stros with mixed results. He finished 6 games and got the save in 1 of those. He held opponents to no earned runs in half of his appearances. He finished with an ERA of 4.56 but he had good control numbers (4 walks in 23 2/3 IP- 1 IBB) and only 2 of the 32 hits he surrendered were doubles or homers. Of the 19 runs he surrendered 7 were unearned. I am not sure if he was more unlucky or ineffective. He finished the year with a great outing, facing the minimum in 3 1/3 IP while striking out 4. He is already 24 so his age is a factor here. Based on his numbers and his age, I expect him to be in Lexington next year.
Jamaine Cotton took the long way to get the Greeneville. He is from St. Thomas, VI but went to college at Western Oklahoma State. This was his second straight year to be drafted (Giants in 09) and the Astros were able to sign him as their 15th pick. Apparently, Jamaine is a man of few words and is still learning the art of pitching. He only appeared in 13 games accounting for only 14 IP. He didn't meet much success. The only exciting stat is that he had more than one strike out per inning. However, he got hit (28 in 14 IP) and hard too (3 HR). He also struggled with control (7 BB & 3 WP). He had already pitched over 60 innings when he got to Greeneville so we don't know how tired he was, that might be a factor here. Jarmaine will probably get a second year in Greeneville.
Justin Harper was the 17th pick of the 2009 draft by the Astros. He had been selected before (Marlins 31st round 07, Yankees 37th round 08) so there is something scouts like when they see Harper pitch. He made 11 appearances in Greeneville totaling all of 18 innings pitched. He only got 6 innings pitched in 2009. So we have a 2 year vet with only 24 IP. Not much of a sample to make much of an assessment. Especially when you consider that 7 of his 10 earned runs occurred in his first three outings. He will be 22 when the season opens next year. I expect he will return to Tri Cities to show continued improvement and to get a full short season of work in.
Assessment None of these guys jump out and scream top prospect. Most will probably be roster fillers for their careers but you never can tell when someone puts it all together and makes it to the show. All of these guys have a long road ahead of them to get to the show, but we are pulling for them to make it.
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