2016 Astros Minor League Thread

I am glad that Teoscar Hernandez is having a great rebound year. He was about to fall off the prospect list with his abismal performance last season. But he has improved his prospect ranking for sure.

With Teoscar playing better, I'd expect to see the Astros more willing to move even their best OF prospects in a trade. Any of K Tucker, Fisher, Cameron could be included in a trade for a integral piece. And Teoscar has himself improved his trade value, might not be as high as it was two years ago, but he has improved it.

Good to see a lot of the minor league players performing at the higher levels, and playing well.

 

He really appears to have taken a big step forward. At this rate there is no way he will make it through another Rule 5 draft so he'll have to be added to the 40 man. Between, Springer, Marisnick, Kemp, Tucker, Aplin, and Teoscar (not to mention Fisher who might be ready next year but won't require a roster spot), there is probably 1-2 too many, especially since they'll probably add a free agent corner OF.

 

Damn, that DSL video is depressing...feels like Im watching a freshman high school baseball game.

 

Probably add an outfield bat? I am not so sure about that. They can move pieces around (Bregman, etc.) and configure an outfield. They will spend money but I am not sure they will add the kind of payroll to add a really good outfield bat.

 

Heard anything about the Valencia deal?

It sure would be nice to have him in the lineup in Arlington.

 

Not just that, but the FA crop of OF's next year isn't strong

Unless you want to give HUGE money to a 36 year old Jose Bautista, and I don't see that happening...who is really that much better than what we already have

Ian Desmond is having a nice year, but how much money and how many years do you want to give to him at 32 years old?

Other than that, you have Jay Bruce and Mark Trumbo, both nice players, but more of the same All or Nothing HR bats that we have.

Next years FA crop in general is pretty depressing to be honest, organizations that want to greatly improve their teams next year are gonna need to do it from within more, or by trading assets for players. At least we are in as good of shape as anyone in that area

 

It's rare to see a trade that isn't at least mentioned by someone in the media, and picked up by mlbtraderumors. Their site has mentioned nothing at all about us being in on Valencia, so my guess is that there is nothing to that.

And unless they don't think Bregman can play 3B, or unless they are dead set on holding him back until after next years FA deadline, I can't see them giving up much in the way of assets for him

 

Free agents: Cespedes, Desmond, Reddick, Rasmus, Gomez (gulp), Baustista, Encarnacion, Trumbo

Trade targets: Braun, Bruce, CarGo

There are a slew of other guys on teams that have no chance at the playoffs this year that might come available: Keirmeier, Jennings, Guyer, Pearce, Dickerson, Calhoun, Inciarte, Blackmon, Khris Davis, Peralta, Myers, Kemp

 

Glad you joined this MB Snake. I really enjoyed your stuff over at CFB. I am just a lurker over there. Because I still can not fully grasp the sabermetric thingy and really dont have the time/energy to learn.

Do you have any thoughts on some players that might be available in the upcoming draft?

I will look in the draft thread.

Welcome.

 

Franklin Perez went four scoreless with six strikeouts today. He was a 2014 bonus baby who is excelling thus far for Quad Cities.

 

A lot of the DSLers are 16-17-18 year olds, or at least that is what their birth certificate says

 

Perez's breakout is huge. He, Abreu, Quiala, Elieser Hernandez, and Jose Hernandez represent a very high ceiling group of arms in QC. Anxious to see what Sandoval, Nicely, and Carlos Sierra do when short season ball starts up.

 

I don't know too much about the draft, but I'm hoping they are able to add high ceiling LHP and an elite catching prospect in the early rounds. There is a large group of very good catching prospects that profile to fit in the late 1st to late 3rd round range, so hopefully Houston has done their homework and is able to get a good one. Collins from Miami, Ice from Oregon, and Thaiss from Virginia woukd all be good additions and each would easily be the best catching prospect in the system.

 

Carlos Correa as a 19 year old in A ball: 11% bb, 16% k, 147 wRC+.
Kyle Tucker so far as a 19 year old in A ball: 10% bb, 17% k, 132 wRC+.

 

Small note, Correa was 18

 

It's pretty easy to get excited about Tucker. Great batting eye so far, and it's buoyed by a .306 average, so he isn't a guy that's just walking a lot.

His tools are all solid to plus across the board. He hasn't shown any power, but when you see how visibly gangly he is now, you know he's gonna add strength.

 

In a way, the last part is also nice. It's great to spread your prospects out in terms of timeline if possible while still winning. Given the current team and guys like Bregman (and Reed soon enough) banging at the door (and the lack of room for KT at the moment), it's sort of nice that he requires a little more time while still inspiring confidence.

 

Biggest surprise to me has been his work on the basepaths. Those SB numbers speak to at least plus speed if not plus plus. Not only does that mean he should I continue to be at least an above average baserunner even after he adds bulk/power, but it also makes me think he will be able to stick in CF, which makes him really, really valuable.

 

I am bad at the maths. Even though Correa's numbers were from his age 18 season, they include his entire year, which I would expect if they keep Tucker in QC the entire season his second half will be better than the first as he adjusts and grows.


Either way, I wasn't trying to imply Tucker is as good a prospect as Correa, just that they have similar numbers in their first full season and given that Tucker was about as touted as Correa was heading into their respective drafts (both were consensus Top 5 prospects), I think it's safe to say that Tucker's early returns are very very encouraging. I am a dumbass as I thought Cameron would be the one to excel.