Astros Minor League Recap

There's a few things to mention from last night, but really one thing that I want to discus. First, Kody Hinze's bat seems to be coming alive with back to back nights with home runs. He's not really a prospect unless he gets moved to OkC and does similar work, but if he continues to hit, that may happen. Second, you have to like what is going on in Lancaster for position players. Jiovanni Mier has his OBP up .391, and that is absolutely nothing you can complain about. I'd like to see more doubles which we know he can hit, but I'll take the on-base percentage for now. You also have to like that teams continue to test the arms of George Springer and Domingo Santana and very few of them win. Both of these guys picked up outfield assists last night and are making names for themselves out there. The pitching in Lexington had a good game. Folty was decent, but effective and Jason Chowning just needs to be promoted.

Alright, my topic of discussion! It's not anything special, but more of a "what could have been?"

Erik Castro is going on a tear in the Cal League at the tune of .321/.377.625 triple slash line that includes four bombs. It's not Telvin Nash numbers with the power, but it's with a lot less strikeouts (which are also still high). Castro is primarily playing DH and 1B and will be 25 in November. You all just got a lot less excited.

Castro was drafted in 2009 in the 10th round as a 3B which was a switch from his catching days as the battery mate of Stephen Strasburg in college. He hit well that summer but had to undergo surgery in his throwing shoulder for I believe a torn labrum. Castro then missed all of 2010 and made his debut last year in Lancaster in a disappointing fashion. He doesn't seem to have the arm anymore for any position of defensive value like 3B or Catcher which is where his bat would look very nice.

Since he did have the year off, you could excuse his age if he were playing 3B and hope that he could be moving up through the system as a viable option as a regular for a few years, but that's not the case. He has played one game there this season and seven there last season, all while being on the same team as Jonathan Meyer. The fact Meyer was there reduces his time to play there because Meyer is a better defender. So, I'd like to see the Astros be aggressive with Castro and push him to Corpus since there aren't any 3B prospects there to see if he can get back into it and if the arm really is too weak for that position. I'm not saying now, after not even a month of baseball, but closer to June if he is still hitting.

Oklahoma City RedHawks won 11-5

• Henry Sosa-6 2/3 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO, 1 HR, 8/8 GO/AO
• Sergio Perez-1 1/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 3/0 GO/AO
• Xavier Cedeno-1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO, 2/1 GO/AO
• Brian Bixler SS-1-3, 2B, BB, SO
• Fernando Martinez LF-3-5, HR, 2 SO
• Scott Moore 1B-2-5, 2B, 2 SO
• Justin Ruggiano CF-2-4, 2B, CS
• Brad Snyder RF-3-3, HR, BB, SB
• Mike Hessman DH-1-4, HR, 2 SO

Corpus Christi Hooks won 5-4

• Jake Buchanan-6 2/3 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 SO, 7/5 GO/AO
• Kevin Chapman-1 1/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO
• Jason Stoffel-1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO
• Austin Wates LF-3-5, CS
• Jake Goebbert RF-1-4, 2B
• Jonathan Singleton 1B-1-4, 2B, BB (IBB), SO
• Kody Hinze DH-2-5, 2B, HR, SO
• Jose Martinez 2B-1-2, 2 BB
• Jonathan Villar SS-2-4

Lancaster JetHawks lost 5-4

• Jorge De Leon (starter)-2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO, 0/1 GO/AO
• Alex Sogard-3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 3 SO, 2/3 GO/AO
• Brad Dydalewicz-1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO, 2/0 GO/AO
• Pat Urckfitz-1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO
• Jiovanni Mier SS-1-3, 2 BB
• Rafael Valenzuela 1B-2-4, BB
• George Springer CF-1-5, 2B, 2 SO, SB, OF Assist
• Telvin Nash LF-0-5, 3 SO
• Erik Castro DH-1-4, HR, BB, 2 SO
• Domingo Santana RF-1-3, 2B, BB, SO, OF Assist
• Enrique Hernandez 2B-2-3, 3B, HR

Lexington Legends won 5-2

• Mike Foltynewicz-5 2/3 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 SO, 1 HR, 6/1 GO/AO
• Jason Chowning-1 1/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 SO, 1/0 GO/AO-Dude still has a 0.00 ERA
• Dayan Diaz-2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 SO, 5/1 GO/AO
• Zachary Johnson 1B-1-4, 2B, SO
• Matt Duffy 3B-2-3, 2B
• Drew Muren CF-2-4, SO, CS