Showing 25 HR power and 50 SB speed at age 20 has to be a pretty good sign. That damn 33% k rate. Here’s how I’d rate the talent level of each level in Houston’s system: AAA: Below average AA: Below average A+: Below average A: Excellent FCL: Above average DSL: Excellent
Jagger Beck (19) since May 1: 27 ip, 38 k, 11 bb, 18 h, 6 er Since 2006, only 6 Astros teenagers have thrown >30 ip in A ball with a xFIP <3.50: Franklin Perez Jordan Lyles Forrest Whitley Francis Martes Lance McCullers Jr. Jagger Beck
Beck might be a kid teams are gonna ask about as we get close to the deadline. I doubt that the Astros will be in a position to buy on July 31, however.
If the Astros deal any prospects from below AA this season it will solidify my opinion that the front office is completely incompetent.
Interesting stat from early DSL numbers, there are 4 guys with k rates <10% (De La Cruz, Valbrune, Sandoval, Martinez). In the last 20 years the only 17 year olds in the Astros system to post a k rate <10% and an ISO >.098 are Jose Altuve and Kevin Alvarez. Carlos Sandoval is currently meeting that mark this season. I really liked Jack Valbrune’s physique and swing from the short clips I’ve seen of him before he signed. Seems like a pretty high ceiling hitter.
It is kinda sobering that the hit rate for those pitchers is less than 50%. That's minor league baseball though.
Albert Fermín drove in 3 for the second straight day for the DSL Orange team. He finished 3-4 with an RBI single, a two-run double, scored three runs, and stole two bases today.
Alejandro Nunez (10) and Nehomar Ochoa (3 with Asheville, 8 season) have homered for Asheville tonight. Nunez hasn't really been an offensive threat, but he's been passable, especially now that he's starting to hit for some power. He's had a little over 620 plate appearances with Asheville and seeing him get to that power a little more regularly has definitely improved his utility profile.
Nick Potter with another strong outing for Fayetteville: 5 IP, 2 H, BB, 4 K Potter has allowed one run in his last four starts (16.1 IP).
Collin Price has two two-run blasts (12) in his first appearance for Sugar Land since being optioned back.
Can he now throw the ball to 2B at more than 60 mph? Guy's got a nerf arm from what little I saw with the Stros.
I hate this. They are on a path to have 2-3 minor league teams per org. This sucks. Not just because minor league baseball is awesome but because it reduces the number of players who get an opportunity to turn pro, which I firmly believe is really bad for the game. MLB is also proposing an international draft, which I am in favor of.
Here's the BA article on it: https://www.baseballamerica.com/sto...aul-including-end-of-high-school-eligibility/ MLB’s proposal also assures these changes will not impact the number of affiliated teams in the MiLB Professional Development License (PDL) system. MLB stated that the number of affiliated MiLB teams would remain at 120, and that MLB would not be seeking reductions in the 2030 PDL negotiations with MiLB club owners. So there's that at least. Not sure what to think of the other proposals yet. Cribbed from elsewhere, here's the basics: Draft shortened to 12 rounds High schoolers no longer draft eligible College players eligible following sophomore year Hard slot values for draft picks UDFA bonuses limited to $10,000 (vs. $125k currently) Total draft spending capped at $200M (vs. $401M in 2025) All draft picks tradeable (with limited restrictions) International draft following similar structure, but players eligible at 18 Some good stuff in here re: the international draft: http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/49107139/sources-mlb-proposes-international-draft-part-cba-talks and the domestic one: https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-domestic-and-international-draft-proposals
Top 10 Minor League Pitchers in Houston's system so far this season: Jagger Beck (A): 31.1% k, 9.6% bb, 0.23 HR/9 Javier Perez (A): 29.6% k, 4% bb, .93 HR/9 Kellan Oakes (A/A+): 41k and 9bb in 35.1ip for Fayetteville; 22k and 3 bb in 18ip in May Juan Fraide (FCL/A): 22k 3bb in FCL and in 3 A ball starts has 15k in 13 ip Bryce Mayer (AA): 59k in 38.1ip; taken a step back in June so far Nick Potter (A): 14k 5bb 0.68 era in 3 June starts Cole Hertzler (A+/AA): 64k in 43ip in High A and had a great 1st start in AA Alimber Santa (AAA/MLB): 24:7 k/bb ratio in AAA and then posted a 0.71 ERA in MLB over 12ip Francisco Frias (A+): In 7.1 ip in June he has 12k and a 2.45 ERA Julio Rodriguez (AA): 35k in 24.1ip, stellar May (16k, 3bb, 13ip); 33% k rate in AA.
Pablo Martinez did indeed get added to the FCL Astros roster. The infielders on the roster have gotten remarkably consistent playing time, with Areinamo, Arroyos, and Rojas being 3 of the top 4 player in PAs, with the C/1B tandem of Luis de Leon and Jase Mitchell making up the rest of the top 5. It'll be interesting to see if someone is promoted or if they give those guys more off days to get Pablo some playing time. They did move Reylin Perez up, but he hadn't played any infield on the complex this year. Meanwhile Yensi de la Cruz went 2-4 with another XBH to keep his OBP above .500 in the DSL. He did strike out once to lower his BB/K ratio to 4. Today the FCL squad ran out an OF of Luis Quesada, Luis Rives, and Roiner Quintana, each of whom is about 21. Rives got a big bonus 3 years ago and hasn't made it to full season ball yet. The other two have spent a lot of time on the complex, but weren't notable at the time of signing. Ethan Wagner hasn't played this month, and they have a trio of OFers that have combined for 15 PAs on the season in Farley, Lebron, and Sanchez. Earlier in the season they did have Kenni Gomez and rehab assignments from Jeron Williams and Cesar Hernandez taking OF reps. It probably doesn't matter that much which complex they get reps on, but I remain a little surprised that Yensi and Anthony Milan repeated the DSL this year.
Grayson Saunier to Fayetteville. Alexi Quiroz to Asheville (I’m assuming as a temp fill in), Trey McLoughlin to AAA. Astros allegedly also signing IF Brandon Nigh out of Indy ball and assigning him to Fayetteville.
