clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Houston Astros Minor League Recap: 6/25/13

George Springer bids a fond adieu to the Texas League and the Astros farm goes 7-2

By Anthony Boyer
Bob Levey

Omaha Dreamin'

Congratulations to the UCLA Bruins, who bested Mississippi State to win their first-ever College World Series. Which is crazy, when you really think about it, with the number of great teams that program has turned out. Eric Filia-Snyder, a guy I talked up for weeks after seeing UCLA in their season-opening series against Minnesota this year, had 5 RBI in the clinching game. As a side note, a good friend of mine graduated from UCLA yesterday, while the Bruins were off winning the national championship.

Rasmussen Around

The #20 prospect in the Los Angeles Dodgers' system, Rob Rasmussen, used to be called John Ely. Or something. As most of you no doubt remember, Rasmussen was traded for Ely in December. A few months later, Ely was headed for Tommy John surgery. I missed this story when it happened, but Rasmussen himself went out and had himself his first bench-clearing brawl to celebrate. And he learned some important life lessons, like that sitting around and not keeping your arm warm while people fight is detrimental to your effectiveness as a pitcher. That's Rob Ball, ladies and gentlemen.

Weekly Dose of Coke

In a week shortened by the All-Star Game, M.P. Cokinos went 6-for-11 with two doubles, a home run, four walks, five RBI, and seven runs scored to pace Lancaster as they swept the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes - and Minor League Baseball rewarded him by naming him the Cal League Offensive Player of the Week. Cokinos turned 23 this week, as well.

M.V. Peace Out

George Springer was recently promoted to Oklahoma City - but he wasn't about to say goodbye to the Texas League without giving them something to remember him by. That something was a pair of home runs en route to winning MVP of the Texas League All-Star Game as he led the South to a 6-0 victory. Oh yeah, and he stole a base, too. Way to rub it in, George.

What Happened Was...

Oklahoma City RedHawks (AAA) - Game 1: The RedHawks went and had themselves another doubleheader - the second of three this week. In game one, Jarred Cosart went the distance, scattering six hits and allowing just one walk over the seven-inning game. The downside: The Hawks' offense just couldn't get started, despite drawing 6 walks themselves. Jonathan Singleton and Robbie Grossman each had a single, but that was it for the good guys as Oklahoma City dropped the first game, 2-0.

  • CF Robbie Grossman - 1/3, BB
  • 1B Jonathan Singleton - 1/2, BB, K
  • LF Che-Hsuan Lin - 0/1, 2 BB
  • RHP Jarred Cosart - 7.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
In Game 2, the Oklahoma City bats woke up, exploding for three runs in the first inning, with a Jonathan Villar triple, doubles by Jimmy Paredes and Brandon Laird, and a wild pitch. They put up another in the second inning and held on through a rough three-run fifth by the Omaha Storm Chasers (KCR) to win, 6-5.

Oklahoma City: 41-37, 3rd (3.0 GB) - Pacific Coast League American Southern
  • CF Robbie Grossman - 1/3, BB (Deja vu!)
  • SS Jonathan Villar - 2/3, 3B, R
  • RF Jimmy Paredes - 1/3, 2B, R, RBI
  • DH Brandon Laird - 1/2, 2B, R, RBI, BB
  • 1B Jonathan Singleton - 0/2, BB, 2 K
  • 3B Jose Martinez - 1/2, 2 RBI, 2 E
  • RHP Bobby Doran - 4.2 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
  • LHP Alex Sogard - 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
  • RHP Jason Stoffel - 1.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
  • RHP Josh Zeid - 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
Corpus Christi Hooks - As mentioned, yesterday was the Texas League All-Star Game, and George Springer went out and annihilated it. Other familiar faces included former Astros farmhand Jacob Goebbert, who went 0-for-3 with 2 strikeouts. How did the Hooks representatives fare?
  • CF George Springer - 2/3, 2 HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB, SB
  • C Rene Garcia - 0/2, R
  • RHP Jake Buchanan - 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
  • RHP Michael Foltynewicz - 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
Lancaster Jethawks (A+) - After sweeping the Quakes, Lancaster headed to Bakersfield to take on Ken Griffey, Sr.'s Blaze squad (CIN). After a Delino DeShields groundout to open the game, Nolan Fontana doubled to center and Andrew Aplin drew a walk. Consecutive RBI singles followed by MP Cokinos, Preston Tucker, and Matt Duffy. Tyler Heineman reached on a fielder's choice before Carlos Perdomo singled home another run to put Lancaster up 4-0. It would prove to be all they needed, though they tacked on three more in the seventh - thanks in part to a home run by Tucker - and four in the ninth to win the game, 11-2.

Lancaster: 5-0, 1st - California League South
  • 2B Delino DeShields - 2/6, R, 3 K
  • DH (!) Nolan Fontana - 1/3, 2B, 2 R, 2 BB
  • CF Andrew Aplin - 1/3, 3 R, 2 BB, K, SB
  • 1B MP Cokinos - 3/4, R, 2 RBI, BB, CS
  • RF Preston Tucker - 2/5, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI, K
  • SS Carlos Perdomo - 2/5, 3 RBI
  • LF Chris Epps - 0/4, BB, 3 K
  • LHP Luis Cruz - 5.0 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
  • LHP Blair Walters - 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
  • RHP Jonas Dufek - 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Quad Cities River Bandits (A) - Vincent Velasquez. 4-1 River Bandits over the Peoria Chiefs (STL).

Quad Cities: 5-0, t-1st - Midwest League Western
  • RF Teoscar Hernandez - 2/4, BB, 2 K
  • SS Carlos Correa - 0/1, R
  • C Roberto Pena - 2/4, RBI, K
  • 2B/SS Catfish Elkins - 2/4, 3B, R, 2 K
  • RHP Vincent Velasquez - 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K
  • RHP Juan Minaya - 4.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
Tri-City ValleyCats (A-) - Dan Gulbransen, Ernesto Genoves, and Ronnie Mitchell combined to out-hit the entire Connecticut Tigers (DET) lineup as Tri-City put up four runs on the scoreboard not once, but twice - in the fourth and fifth innings - and the ValleyCats held on to win the game, 8-6.

Tri-City: 7-2, 1st - New York-Penn League Stedler
  • 2B Tony Kemp - 1/3, RBI, BB, CS
  • CF James Ramsay - 0/4, BB, K
  • 1B Conrad Gregor - 1/4, R, BB, K
  • DH Dan Gulbransen - 3/5, 2 2B, 2 R, RBI
  • C Ernesto Genoves - 2/4, 2B, 2 R, K
  • LF Jon Kemmer - 0/4, RBI, K
  • RF Ronnie Mitchell - 2/4, 3B, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI
  • 3B Ryan Dineen - 1/4, R, RBI, 3 K
  • SS Chan Moon - 1/4, K
  • RHP Kyle Westwood - 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
  • RHP Andrew Walter - 1.1 IP, 4 H, 5 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, HBP
  • LHP Albert Minnis - 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
  • RHP Chia-Jen Lo - 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Greeneville Astros (Rk) - Look, Greeneville is the red-headed stepchild of the Houston Astros farm system. You know it. I know it. They, on the other hand, probably don't know it. Especially not Juan Santana, Ricky Gringas, and Edwin Gomez, each of whom had multi-hit days for Greeneville against the Elizabethton Twins (MIN). But you know who else had multi-hit days? Over half of the Twins lineup, as Elizabethton overcame Edison Frias Greeneville, 8-4.

Greeneville: 1-5, 5th (4.0 GB) - Appalachian League West
  • SS Juan Santana - 2/5, RBI
  • 1B Bobby Borchering - 0/4, BB, 2 K
  • RF Ariel Ovando - 0/4, 2 K
  • C Ricky Gringas - 2/4, 2B, R
  • LF Edwin Gomez - 2/4, 3B, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI
  • RHP Enderson Franco - 4.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
  • RHP Edison Frias - 3.2 IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, WP
  • Ryan Connolly - 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

GCL Astros (Rk) - Jason Martin had a nice little breakout game, belting a triple, drawing a walk, stealing a base in his fourth straight game to open his professional career, and scoring two runs. For those unfamiliar with Martin, here's a link to some video I shot of him earlier this year. Still three months shy of his eighteenth birthday, I expect Martin to become an electric player this year in the GCL. Jacob Nottingham got his first professional hit in this one, as well, as the Astros ran away with a 6-1 victory over the GCL Tigers (DET).

Astros: 3-1, 1st - Gulf Coast League Northeast
  • CF Jason Martin - 1/4, 3B, 2 R, BB, K, SB, outfield assist
  • LF Javaris Reynolds - 1/4, 2 R, RBI, 2 K, SB
  • 3B Tyler White - 3/4, R, 2 RBI
  • C Brett Booth - 2/3, 3 RBI, E, PB
  • SS Luis Reynoso - 1/4, RBI
  • DH Jacob Nottingham - 1/3, BB, 2 K
  • 1B Mesac Laguna - 1/4, 2B, 2 K
  • RF Ydarqui Marte - 0/1
  • RF Luis De La Rosa - 0/3, K
  • 2B Alex Gonzalez - 1/4, 2B, R
  • RHP Troy Scribner - 4.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K
  • RHP Samil De Los Santos - 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, WP
  • RHP Jorge Perez - 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, WP, BK
  • RHP Javier Lozano - 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
DSL Astros (Rk) - It's a Dominican Double Header! First, the Astros and the DSL Dodgers (LAD) picked up a game that was rained out on June 10th. The Astros led 4-0 after three innings and tacked on an insurance run in the top of the 8th. It would prove to be a valuable one as the Dodgers roared back for four runs of their own in the bottom of the frame, but the Astros held on to win, 5-4.
  • CF Luis Payano - 0/4, R, BB, K, SB
  • 3B Randy Cesar - 2/3, 2 R, 2 BB
  • 1B Hector Roa - 1/2, HR, R, 3 RBI
  • LF Jarico Reynoso - 0/3, R, BB, K, 2 SB
  • LHP Edwin Villaroel - 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
  • RHP Rayderson Chevalier - 4.0 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
  • RHP Yonquelys Martinez - 0.0 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
  • LHP Javier Saucedo - 0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, K
  • RHP Victor Mesa - 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
In Game Two, the Dodgers went up first with a run in the bottom of the third, but, five unanswered from the Astros gave them the edge, 5-1.

DSL Astros: 13-8, 2nd (3.0 GB) - Dominican Summer League Boca Chica Northwest
  • CF Luis Reynoso - 0/2, R, 2 BB, 2 K, E
  • 3B Arturo Michelena - 2/4, 3B, R, RBI
  • RF Brauly Mejia - 2/3, 2B, R, RBI, K
  • C Brian Pena - 3/4, 2B, 2 RBI
  • RHP Elieser Hernandez - 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
  • RHP Juan Delis - 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

More From The Crawfish Boxes