Corpus scored 8 in the 9th to beat Frisco 11-6. Bryce Willits reached on an error that resulted in a run, and then Wes Clarke walked in the tying run. Orlando Martinez hit the go-ahead two-run single, then Zach Cole smacked a two-run triple. Cole scored on a Trevor Austin single, and Austin scored the Hooks' final run of the night on a Pascanel Ferreras double. Ferreras finished 3-5 and also hit a solo homer, his 6th of the year. The triple was Cole's first run-producing hit since July 5, when he finished a four-game stretch in which he homered five times. He had been in a 3-24 slump over the last couple of weeks.
Colin Barber has reached 100 pa in AAA and the results are pretty positive. He’s posted an excellent 15% bb rate with a totally manageable 23% k rate. He’s reached a max EV of 111mph and has a 37% hard hit rate, which points to a good amount of power potential. The next 8 weeks will be crucial for him; a breakout would put him in position for a potential Rule 5 risk.
J.P. France starting a rehab assignment in West Palm Beach, but honestly... he's falling fast in the pecking order.
Barber is capable of playing all three OF spots but is probably best suited to a corner, mainly because he's played on teams that have better defenders in CF as he's progressed through the system.
From what I’ve seen I think he’s only viable in CF and RF as a backup. His arm is well below average and his instincts/routes aren’t great. He’s a good LF because he’s got good speed to cover ground and his arm and routes aren’t as glaring there. To me the real question is how much power he will get to.
Santiago Martinez went 4-4 with a double, an RBI single, and scored twice in the DSL Blue team's 12-5 win over the Padres' Brown team. Martinez, a 17-year-old infielder from Venezuela who signed at the start of the current IFA period, is now slashing .325/.461/.377 with 11 RBI in 25 games. Omar Damián allowed a hit, walked three, and struck out three in three scoreless.
J.P. France went 1.1 innings and allowed two hits, walked one, and struck out two in his first rehab appearance in the FCL. Jesus Carrera allowed three hits, walked one, and struck out six in 3.1 innings to get the win. Carrera, a 20-year-old from Mexico, now has a 0.98 ERA and has struck out 33 against just 3 walks in 18.1 innings.
Anthony Millan hit a two-run double that accounted for the Orange team's only runs of the day in their 7-2 loss to the Red Sox's Blue team. Millan is now slashing .293/.426/.446 with two home runs and 23 RBI through 30 games.
Anthony Huezo hit his 6th home run of the year down in the FCL. Ethan Wagner (4) and Wilton Lara (6 in FCL, 7 season) also homered in the FCL team's 8-1 win over the Mets. Ryan Verdugo, the Astros' 12th-round pick last year from Cal State Bakersfield, allowed a hit, hit a batter, and struck out one over two scoreless innings in his pro debut.
Martinez went 3-4 with an RBI single in the DSL Blue team's 6-2 win over the Padres' Brown team. He's now hitting .346/.477/.395 on the season. Alexi Quiroz, a Venezuelan catcher who signed at the start of last year's IFA period, hit his first pro homer.
Anderson Arenaimo went 2-4 with a double, a stolen base (12), and scored a run in the DSL Orange team's 14-6 loss to the Red Sox's Blue team. Arenaimo is 12-12 on stolen base attempts this season,
Quiroz is my favorite Astros DSL catcher since Miguel Palma. Hoping he gets to come to Florida this fall.
