What To Watch For In 2012 - Former G-Stros First Basemen

There are more former G-Stros at first than there were last year but the majority are a bit long in the tooth for the levels they were at last year.   Here is what I am watching for from them this year.

First Base
Koby Clemens - (2005 - 25- AAA) -  Signed a minor league free agent deal with the Blue Jays.  Where will he land when spring training breaks?  Las Vegas (AAA) or New Hampshire (AA)? Will he be at 1st or 3rd? 

Chase Davidson - (2011 - 22 - SS A) - Hit .335 in 43 games with Greeneville before a brief promotion to Tri Cities.  Saw only 10 games at 1B in the 2011 season.  How will he hit when he faces more age appropriate competition? Can he cut down on the K's?

Kody Hinze - (2008 - 24 - AA) - Made the two level move last year, blistering Lancaster and putting up solid numbers in AA.  Is the best defensive first baseman in the bunch, with a career .991 fielding percentage.  Can he increase his power numbers against advanced pitching?

Marcus Nidiffer - (2010 - 25 - Low A ) Was released by the Astros and later signed with the Angels last year.  They moved him back to catcher, where he played in college.  He hit .230 for Cedar Rapids in the Midwest League.  Will he get a shot to play ball again this season or will he be considered to old for the level? 

Telvin Nash - (2010 - 21 - Low A) Made the move to 1B last season and was off to a great start at he plate when he broke the hamate bone in his hand. He is the best prospect of the bunch.  Just how many prodigious HR will he hit in Lancaster this year?  Can he stay healthy?  Can he reduce the K's?

Rafael Valenzuela - (2010 - 24 - SS A) The NDFA out of Arizona missed part of 2011 with injury but hit a solid .316 in 31 games with Tri Cities. In his minor league career, he has 42 games at 1B and 37 at 3B. Will he get a shot at full season ball in 2012?   Which side of the diamond will he land on?


Jesse Wiersbicki - (2011- 23 - Rookie) Played 37 of 45 games at 1B for the G-Stros in 2011.  He hit .265 and had five HR.  Will he get to jump to full season ball in 2012?  Can he continue to show good OBP (358 in 2011) against advance competition?

Projected placement of those in the Astros organization. Last year, I was two out of three.

Oklahoma (AAA)
Hinze 

Corpus Christi

Lancaster (HiA)
Nash
 
Lexington (LoA)
 Davidson
Valenzuela 

Extended Spring Training
Wiersbicki

Blast from the past
2004 G-Stro Ole Shelton was still playing indy ball in 2011.  He hit .304 for the Saint Paul Saints.

New Uni's for old G-Stros

As spring training approaches, it looks like most teams have wrapped up their signing of minor league free agents.  Baseball America has a great database tool this year to help keep up with where players have signed.  Here are players who used to be G-Stros and where they have signed for 2012.



Jimmy Barthmaier - Nationals (re-signed)
Koby Clemens - Blue Jays
Victor Garate - Brewers
Juan Gutierrez - Royals
Jordan Parraz - Braves
Wlad Sutil - Diamondbacks
 J.R. Towles - Twins

Still unsigned free agents:

Douglas Arguello
Sammy Gervacio
Brad James
Jhonny Medrano
Neil Sellers
Polin Trinidad

Of those left unsigned, Gervacio is the most surprising.  He pitched in 11 games (6 2/3 IP) in the Dominican Winter League.  His ERA was 6.43 in a very small sample size. He gave up eight of his 10 hits and all five runs in three outings (3 1/3 IP). He had no strike outs in those outings.  In the other eight (3 1/3 IP), he gave up only two hits and struck out seven. I wouldn't be surprised if he shows up in camp somewhere.

Former Appy Astros Who Are Now Minor League Free Agents

Baseball America released their list of the minor league free agents on Friday.  There are a great number of former G-Stros who are on the list.   Here are the ones whose careers are at a crossroads. Included are the year(s) they played in Greeneville and the organization they played in last season.

Sammy Gervacio (05 - Houston)
Brad James (05,06 - Houston)
JR Towles (04 - Houston)
Koby Clemens (05 - Houston)
Jhonny Medrano (10 - Houston)
Wlad Sutil (04 - Houston)
Victor Garate (05-  Florida)
Neil Sellers (04 - Florida)
Jordan Parraz (04 - NY Yankees)
Polin Trinidad (05,06 - Texas)
Jimmy Barthmaier (04 - Washington)

Most of the ones on the list have had their shots at the AA level or higher.  However Medrano has only been as high as Lexington (Low A).  He was on the initial roster for the 2008 G-Stros and was bringing a fair amount of buzz with him. He blew his knee out at the first practice of the season in Greeneville.  He missed all of 2008 and never fully regained his prospect status. 

Some of these players will sign with an affiliated team to fill out the upper levels rosters.  Some will choose to play in a foreign country.  Some will play indy ball.  Some of these players will hang their spikes up and walk away silently into the night. We will try to keep you informed on what happens to these players.