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Come out to Minute Maid Park Tuesday to see the future.
Houston will host its first-ever Futures Game on Tuesday night at MMP as the Corpus Christi Hooks travel up Highway 59 to play the San Antonio Missions in the comfy confines of the Astros home park.
The event is sort of a signature one for the Astros, who are trying to make it an event (though they did NOT promote Carlos Correa for those purposes). Tickets to the game are $10 for general admission seating and parking at all Astros-controlled lots is free. The game begins at 6:10 p.m. and gates open at 4 p.m.
From the press release:
“We’re extremely excited about the talent in our system, and our knowledgeable fans are as well,” said Astros General Manager Jeff Luhnow. “The Astros Futures Game gives the fans in Houston the chance to see some of our young prospects, and gives our players the experience of playing in a Major League ballpark.”
Corpus Christi players walked around the field Tuesday while hitting in the cages a few hours before the game. They took batting practice at 3:30 p.m. and met with local media. San Antonio players did not have a huge contingent from San Diego clamoring for them, so they settled for taking some sweeping panoramic shots of MMP before disappearing in the clubhouse to get dressed for the game.
Mike Hauschild is scheduled to start for the Hooks. Though the Hooks use a modified tandem starting system, Hauschild does not have a tandem pitching partner and can be expected to pitch as long as his arm holds up tonight. The former 33rd round pick out of Dayton is 1-1 on the season with a 2.67 ERA.
According to the press notes, this game is the first time in the team's decade of existence that the Hooks have played a home game away from Whataburger Field.
Obviously, the names to know for the Hooks are guys like outfielders Preston Tucker and Andrew Aplin, starting pitchers like Brady Rodgers and Aaron West (who's hurt), catcher Tyler Heineman and infielder Nolan Fontana. But, on the Missions side, there's a pretty interesting prospect to see. Catcher Austin Hedges is arguably the best catching prospect in the minors and should be behind the plate for San Antonio tonight.