I don’t know what the EV was but he put a good swing on it and it didn’t look like a cheap HR. Holy might be a prospect.
That was years ago and he had serious undiagnosed/untreated mental health issues. As far as I know he hasn’t been in any trouble since then. Ultimately - all I know is that he is a very gifted baseball player that could help the Astros at a low cost.
I don’t have any hard feelings for Reed - If anything I have empathy for him. His life has to be hard, and his lack of confidence and anxiety has to haunt him. He just couldn’t handle it, and that doesn’t make him a bad person.
He was gifted top 1/10th of 1% physical gifts and a chance to set his family up financially for generations. It required inhuman commitment, years of hard work, and a not insignificant amount of luck while performing under a spotlight and being graded under a microscope. Baseball was, at some point, a game. When he played, even college ball was more game than job but each level the scales move further from fun to pressure. Its human and even respectable to actively choose to no longer want it and instead live a more fulfilling and easier life. I wish he had chosen before the Astros invested in him and wasted a draft pick but in my eyes he did nothing to warrant negative feelings.
The Astros are just not getting the development gains they needed from their farm system to project a new window opening in the medium term. Their top 2 prospects (Neyens and Alvarez) have met expectations/hopes, but the rest of their 1st/2nd tier position player prospects (namely Janek, Frey, and Sullivan) have not taken steps forward. Their highest ceiling pitching prospects (Ullola, Forcucci, and Tredwell) have also floundered, but have at least been somewhat offset by good indicators from Pecko and Mayer. The Astros have gotten some good returns from the 3rd and 4th tiers. Huezo, Ochoa, Bush, Santa, Hertzler, Holy, Whitaker, Ferreras, Austin, Schiavone, Thomas, Sierra, Encarnacion, Monistere, Potter, Perez, Oakes, Beck, Nezuh, and McPherson have all raised their stock, although none of them have yet made such a big jump that they project as likely core pieces. I guess the reality is that the Astros had a very shallow 1st/2nd tier, so they really needed to have a high hit rate on those guys, and it hasn't happened. All that is to say, that the position the big league team is in points toward a rebuild, and so far the farm system isn't doing much to argue against that.
Astros signed former Cardinals farm hand P Andrew Marrero. He is…and you’re not gonna believe this…a pitcher with strikeout stuff who struggles with walks. Also, High A OF Cesar Hernandez started a rehab assignment in the FCL today.
I'm not one to truly follow the farm system (way too many sports to focus on, though it's something I've thought about doing more of) For those that do, how quickly could Pecko be called up this season? I'm not advocating to rush players, just curious on if there's a plan that's been spoken out by the team about him. Just want Teng back in the bullpen. His ability to eat a large amount of innings could save a lot of arms.
Pecko’s overall stats in AAA this season are really good, but he has yet to go 4 innings in a start and his last outing was 5/15 where he walked 4 in 3.2ip. He is scheduled to pitch tonight. I would say if he is able to string together 3-4 starts where he averages over 5 innings with good k/bb numbers then he would be in line for a callup. Like Alimber Santa, he is Rule 5 eligible this fall and there’s no way he will pass thru that, so he is guaranteed to be added to the 40 man. That makes him likely to be callled up at some point this season. But he will need to be fully stretched out and show he can consistently take on starters innings before the call him up. If I were to guess, I would expect him to be called up in late July or early August assuming he’s not traded.
Holy makes it back-to-back games with a homer tonight. He now has 3 on the season, which is a new career high.
Anthony Huezo hit a three-run homer, his 6th of the year. Fayetteville is trying to claw back from an 11-4 deficit to Fredericksburg.
Ethan Pecko got roughed up in his four innings tonight... 4 IP, 7 H (2-R HR allowed), 6 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
There is really almost no one in the minors that is exciting to see right now. Alvarez and Neyens are having solid years. Nothing eye opening. Huezo is doing solid. Ochoa showing a little promise. Schiavone hitting for power but too many strikeouts. Pecko and Hicks both got roughed up last night. Hertzler is probably the one guy that is exciting right now. I can't think of anyone else that would fit the definition of exciting returns thus far.
Following a random thought of the day. The Astros for the last three years, while drafting rounds 11-10, have tended to make offers at $150K (maximum allowable without applying the draft cap) or above. The idea is that these prospects will forgo college and NIL money and turn pro now instead. The talent level is not elite for these prospects, but they represent a market inefficiency. Here are the Astros draft picks for round 11-20 the last three years. Player names are bolded if they are in the Astros top 30 prospect list. Draft year 2023 has the most top 30 prospects from the above list, since they have been in the system longer, as expected. One can easily see some of the draft 2024 prospects jumping into the top 30 list, especially Jason "Babe Ruth" Schiavone. Paying the maximum for these draft picks shows Crane's willingness to invest in the minor leagues. The long game is to see if this strategy can produce one everyday MLB player per draft. Top 30 prospects from Rounds 11-20 Redux: 5. Bryce Mayer - RHP - AA 13. James Hicks - RHP - AA 14. Jackson Nezuh - RHP - AA 17. Anthony Huezo - OF - A 18. Will Bush - C/1B - AA
Jase Mitchell doubled, walked three times, and scored three times today down at the complex. He’s hitting .133 with a .939 OPS. Ethan Wagner went 3-4 with 4 RBI; all three of his hits drove in at least one run. He had an RBI double, a two-run homer (1), and an RBI single.
It is time for my annual Astros Prospects Review. I review the stats for the roughly first two months ... looking for batters with a OPS > .800 with 50 ABs and for pitchers with a WHIP <= 1.00 with more than 10 IPs. It is not super scientific but WFM. Batters AAA .872 CJ Alexander RF (age 29) .840 James Nelson LF (age 28) AA .918 Max Holy SS (2024 UDFS) .821 Trevor Austin 3B (2024 UDFS) .806 Pascanel Ferreras 2B (2023 round 20) A+ 1.250. Jason Schiavone C .923. Justin Thomas Jr. CF .850 Chase Call RF A- .883 Xavier Neyens 3B .824 Nehomar Ochoa 1B .810 Anthony Huezo CF .805 Nick Monistere 2B Pitchers AAA 0.78 Jayden Murray (9 IPs) 0.89 Alimber Santa 0.95 Peter Lambert 1.00 Roddery Muñoz AA A+ A- 0.87 Javier Perez A little light on the prospects who made the screen this year. Any pitcher who has walk issues will not make the cut. None of the AA and AAA batters are blue chip prospects. Alimber Santa recently got the call from the Astros. Javier Perez could be a diamond in the rough.
