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Astros Arizona Fall League Players Announced; DeShields Moving Back To Outfield

Eight Astros prospects are being sent to the Arizona Fall League. One of them is Delino DeShields who will be making the transition back to the outfield.

By Timothy De Block
J. Meric

This afternoon we got word from Brian McTaggart that eight Astros minor league players would be heading to the Arizona Fall Leauge to play for the Peoria Javelinas. For those unfamiliar with the Arizona Fall League, it's one of the many Winter League's that teams send players to (typically minor leaguers) further refine their skills or give them an opportunity to collect more time on the field that was lost due to injury. Teams have a limited number of slots they can use to send players and not all players sent will play every day. a few will participate on what's called the taxi squad. Those players only play Wednesdays and Saturdays unless another player is injured and then they have an opportunity to step in for an injured player. The league starts in early October and finishes in mid-November

The Javelinas will include prospect from the Astros, Mariners, Padres, Phillies and Royals. The Astros prospects being sent to Arizona are:

  • RHP Jonas Dufek
  • RHP Matt Heidenreich
  • RHP Andre Robinson
  • LHP Alex Sogard
  • 1B Japhet Amador
  • INF Nolan Fontana
  • 3B Jonathan Meyer*
  • OF Delino DeShields

*Meyer will be participating on the taxi squad.

What's the benefit to sending players to the Arizona Fall League? It gives teams a chance to evaluate players against tougher competition as rosters are filled out with higher profile and typically guys from the higher levels of the minors.

The guys I'll be keeping my eye on are Amador, Fontana and DeShields.

Which brings us to the other bit of news from Tuesday afternoon. The Astros have decided to move DeShields back to the outfield and he will begin that transition in the Arizona Fall League.

Good move.

With Altuve locked up for the next several years and Tony Kemp in the system it only made sense to move DeShields who has a history there back to the outfield. We've also gotten less than favorable reports on his defense at second base so moving him likely increases his chances to make the majors.

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