Astros Prospect Report: Phillips plays five hit stud, deals full house

AAA Oklahoma City RedHawks: 5-4 loss to El Paso (SDP)

-> Max Stassi: 2-for-4, solo HR
-> L.J. Hoes: 1-for-3, BB, 2 R
-> Preston Tucker: 1-for-4, 2B, RBI
-> Ronald Torreyes: 1-for-4, SB
-> Matthew Duffy: 1-for-4, R
-> Domingo Santana: 1-for-4
-> Joe Sclafani: 1-for-4
-> Jonathan Villar: 0-for-4, 2 RBI

SP Rudy Owens: 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 6 K
RP Patrick Urckfitz: 0.2 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 K
RP Anthony Bass: 1.1 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 3 H, 0 BB, 2 K (loss)
RP Jorge De Leon: 1.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 K

A third-straight strong outing for Owens; during his last three games, he's allowed four earned runs, six walks and 14 strike outs in 21 innings (1.71 ERA, 2.57 BB/9 and 6.00 K/9). That said, he's also been on the mound while eight un-earned runs have crossed the plate; while we generally don't count those against a pitcher, the fact remains that you're going to have to pitch around some trouble and errors some times.

Well well well, don't look now, but Stassi is starting to come alive again. He's played 12 games in August, and has hit .348/.388/.543 with two homers and three doubles during them. His K-rate and BAbip suggests that isn't entirely sustainable, but it's the first time he's looked like a real hitting prospect since back in April.

Last week at this time, Tucker hit a homer and I commented about how he seemed to finally be adjusting to AAA. This week was a pretty good follow up to that prediction for him; he hit .333/.419/.370 playing all seven days this week, but three doubles were the only power he showed. He struck out 12 times in the seven games, though, not a great trend.

AA Corpus Christi Hooks: 10-8 loss to Midland (OAK)

-> Carlos Perdomo: 3-for-3, BB, R
-> Leo Heras: 3-for-5, R, 2 RBI
-> Colin Moran: 2-for-4, 2B, RBI
-> Tony Kemp: 2-for-4, BB, SB, R
-> Rene Garcia: 2-for-5, RBI, 3 R
-> Brandon Meredith: 1-for-4, BB, solo HR
-> Conrad Gregor: 1-for-4, BB, R
-> Delino DeShields: 1-for-5, 2 RBI

SP Colton Cain: 0.0 IP, 6 ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 0 K (loss)
RP Juan Minaya: 3.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 2 K
RP Travis Ballew: 1.0 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 K
RP Brady Rodgers: 3.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 4 K
RP Tyson Perez: 1.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 K

Moran has at least one hit in 14 of his 18 games with Corpus. During his 18 games, he's hitting .304/.359/.449. The SLG is of note, as it shows a significant increase in power now that he's out of the very pitcher-friendly Florida State League. In fact, his ISO there was .099, while it's .195 in AA so far, and his wRC+ is over 120.

Heras has put together a solid month of August so far; .264/.381/.434, with four doubles, a triple and a long ball. He's walked 10 times and struck out just seven in 16 games as well, by far his best ratio for a month yet.

A+ Lancaster JetHawks: 9-3 win over Inland Empire (LAA)

-> Brett Phillips: 5-for-5, SB, R, 3 2B, 3 RBI
-> Jack Mayfield: 3-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R
-> Roberto Pena: 2-for-4, BB, 2B, 3 R
-> Jon Kemmer: 2-for-5, HR, R, 3 RBI
-> Ronnie Mitchell: 1-for-5, 2B, R
-> Danry Vasquez: 1-for-5
-> Tyler White: 0-for-2, RBI, R, 2 BB
-> Rio Ruiz: 0-for-3, 2 BB
-> Austin Elkins: 0-for-5, BB

SP Evan Grills: 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, 3 BB, 4 K (win)
RP Tyler Brunnemann: 3.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 1 BB, 6 K (save)

Dang Brett, it's not that easy, is it? Doubles full of singles on one of the biggest nights of his career yet. Obviously, I don't need to say much about this game for him, and how impressive it was. He's struck out twice in his last six games, and he's hitting .380/.444/.634 in 18 games with Lancaster. Park be damned, this is an impressive run (and they were on the road today, too). Just 11 strike outs in the 18 games, too; in no way, shape or form does he look over-matched, or like the only reason he's having success is because of the hitting environment. I'm believing more and more that there is real, considerable talent and upside here.

Speaking of the hitting environment...what hitting environment? California League? The desert? Pff. The Brunnemann scoffs at such nonsense. 2.79 ERA, 2.79 BB/9 and 11.17 K/9 for The Brunnemann since being promoted to this "hitters league."

A- Quad Cities River Bandits: 9-6 loss to Beloit (OAK)

-> Chase McDonald: 2-for-3, BB, 2B, HR, R, 3 RBI
-> Jose Fernandez: 2-for-5, HR, R, 3 RBI
-> Brian Holberton: 1-for-3, BB, 2B, R
-> Dayne Parker: 1-for-3, BB, 2B, R
-> J.D. Davis: 1-for-4, 2 R
-> James Ramsay: 1-for-5
-> A.J. Reed: 0-for-3, BB

SP Kevin Comer: 3.1 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 5 K (loss)
RP Jordan Mills: 0.2 IP, 2 ER, 1 H, 2 BB, 0 K
RP Adrian Houser: 4.0 IP, 3 R (1 ER), 4 H, 2 BB, 4 K

Solid work from Houser. You'd like to see him have shut down one or two more of those unearned runs, but I'll take it. His command still seems to wobble now and again, but five ground outs, four strike outs and no fly outs in five innings? Yes please. His GBO result percentage is exactly 23% tonight. That means that almost one out of every four batters that steps to the plate against him ends up grounding out. Another 19.6% of them strike out. He's allowed just five homers in 102.2 innings of work all season. I know he's starting to get a little old, I know he's from the old regime, I know people are tired of waiting...I like this guy. 3.09 ERA, 2.53 BB/9 and 7.31 K/9 over his last seven games.

McDonald continues to strike out too much (22 over his last 15 games), but the power is still there (.585 SLG, .264 ISO during that same stretch).

Davis has hit .317/.371/.467 with nine doubles, three homers, nine walks and 31 strike outs in 33 games with QC.

SS Tri-City ValleyCats: 7-0 loss to Brooklyn (NYM)

-> Jamie Ritchie: 1-for-2, 2B, 3 BB
-> Alfredo Gonzalez: 1-for-2, BB
-> Derek Fisher: 1-for-3, BB
-> Jason Martin: 1-for-4, BB, 2B
-> Ricky Gingras: 0-for-2, 2 BB
-> Mott Hyde: 0-for-3, BB

SP Austin Chrismon: 2.1 IP, 7 ER, 8 H, 0 BB, 4 K (loss)
RP Aaron Vaughn: 1.2 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 2 K
RP Brandon McNitt: 2.1 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 K
RP Derick Velazquez: 1.2 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 2 K

Ritchie now has 23 walks and just 18 strike outs in 37 games. I think that'll work. Wow. He's hitting .358/.482/.514 with 10 2B, two triples and a homer. With a .156 ISO in a fairly good hitting environment, I wouldn't expect much power from him in the future, but the plate discipline looks awesome. If he's a good catcher too, he could be a pretty solid prospect.

Fisher has only hit .231/.302/.436 in ten games since returning from his injury, but that's good for a meaty .205 ISO, thanks to a pair of homers (the first two of his pro career) and a couple of doubles as well. He's only struck out nine times in those 10 games, so I wouldn't be surprised to see his AVG and OBP come up soon as he continues to get back into things (though there's only 10 games left on the schedule).

Martin has hit an impressive .273/.347/.455 with three doubles, a triple, a homer, five walks and nine strike outs in his first 11 games with Tri-City.

RK Greeneville Astros: Suspended (Rain)

Greeneville had just finished batting in the top of the first when rain forced the game to stop. It's 0-0, and they'll finish it up tonight before their regular game.

DSL Astros Blue: Off Day?

DSL Astros Orange: Off Day?

Neither DSL team appears to have played yesterday. Off day for both? Did the DSL season end? Did the website just not update? I have no idea.

Today's Scheduled Starters

AAA: Nick Tropeano vs. Donn Roach
AA: Mike Hauschild vs. Justin Hancock
A+: Kyle Westwood vs. Austin Wood
A-: Andrew Thurman vs. Lou Trivino
SS: Joseph Musgrove vs. TBD
RK: Devonte German vs. Brent Honeywell

FYI, that match up at the Rookie level is for the second, regularly-scheduled game, of course.