Blubaugh has way more promise than Bloss. Dana Brown hasn’t done everything right, but aggressively promoting Bloss to pump up value, while hiding Blubaugh gets a solid attaboy at the very least. Very least.
I really like the way that worked out, but I seriously doubt that's how he planned it. But it's a nice thought. They are here to win games first and foremost. They HAD to bring one up and probably chose the one they felt was least likely to get rocked at the time. Not only did Bloss have the least likely negative outcome but the maturity and makeup to be able to use it as a learning experience rather than fall apart from starting in MLB too early. But those things don't always add up to the best chances for a good MLB future.
A little more reorganizing happened. We already know a few members of the draft class got sent to Fayetteville and Walker Janek went to Asheville, and this movement meant that a few guys got cut. IF Xavier Casserilla signed as an undrafted free agent in 2022 out of the Oklahoma JUCO ranks. He played 60 games for Fayetteville this season, slashing .227/.317/.301 with no homers and 27 RBI. Deury Carrasco signed for $480K out of the Dominican Republic in 2016 and started his career as an infielder. He didn't really hit and couldn't really stay healthy, so he converted to pitching last year. Carrasco was decent as a pitcher but at 24 and a reliever in Single-A, he ran out of time. RHP Ian Foggo signed as an undrafted free agent in 2021 out of Lenoir-Rhyne, a Division II school in North Carolina. Control was a completely foreign concept to him, as seen by his career 8.5 BB/9. Jeron Williams was placed on the IL in Corpus, so that might be the end for him this season. His .204/.266/.352 line in Corpus brought a 300-point drop in OPS from Asheville, but part of that could be attributed to a .232 BABIP. This was still a solid first full season for Williams, as he still sported a very respectable 18.2% strikeout rate (with a 7.4% walk rate). He also struck out just two more times in Corpus Christi than he did in Asheville (27 at CC, 25 in Asheville) in 25 more plate appearances at AA. Chase Jaworsky was transferred from the 7-day IL to the 60-day in Fayetteville, so he's definitely done. Colby Langford is heading to Asheville. He's a LHP who was drafted in the 17th round last year out of Murray State Junior College in Oklahoma.
Casserilla got a bonus that was over $150k, so he intrigued me a little more than the typical UDFA signee. Still, there was really no standout tool/stat in his time in the Astros org. Carrasco could throw high 90s.
Really, really gonna need Jacob Melton to perform like a top prospect because I'm approaching the end of it with Meyers/McCormick.
Jancel Villarroel, who is normally a catcher... is playing center field tonight for Fayetteville as he's trying to develop a little versatility.
Trevor Austin is currently 3-3 with 4 RBI for Fayetteville; he drove in two with a double and two more with a single. Austin signed as an undrafted free agent out of Missouri and is normally a 2B, although he has played LF in the past.
A thing I missed: Jose Fleury had a nice start Friday night for Corpus as he allowed two hits, walked one, and struck out four over five shutout innings.
Not too shabby. Astros window looking good with Arrighetti and Hunter's surge. Dezenzo not sucking either. .
Unfortunately, Mercedes has followed this up by issuing 12 walks in his last three appearances (3+ IP); he just walked the bases loaded.
Brice Matthews was placed on the Corpus IL on Friday. Anthony Huezo is up from the FCL as a warm body.
