Astros Prospect Report: Starters impress, OKC continues playoff push

AAA Oklahoma City RedHawks: 2-1 win over Albuquerque (LAD)

-> Domingo Santana: 1-for-2, 2B, RBI, 2 BB
-> Preston Tucker: 1-for-2, RBI, 2 BB
-> Joe Sclafani: 1-for-3, 2B, R
-> Jonathan Villar: 1-for-3
-> Ronald Torreyes: 1-for-4, 2B
-> Matthew Duffy: 0-for-3, BB
-> Andrew Aplin: 0-for-3, BB
-> Carlos Perez: 0-for-3, BB
-> Ruben Sosa: 0-for-0, R (pinch-runner)

SP Rudy Owens: 7.2 IP, 1 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 9 K
RP Jason Stoffel: 0.1 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 K (win)
RP Patrick Urckfitz: 0.1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 K (hold)
RP Jorge De Leon: 0.2 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 K (save)

Four straight good starts for Owens now; 1.57 ERA, 2.51 BB/9 and 7.22 K/9 in 28.2 IP during that run.

Tucker is surging in the month of August, just in time for OKC's playoff push (they're in first place, by the way; magic number is three). For his part, Tucker has hit .319/.387/.549 during the month, with nine doubles and four jacks. His walk rate is up a bit from July as well.

Santana is even hotter than Tucker; over his last 17 games, he's hit a smoldering .411/.507/.607 with three doubles and two homers. That's a .196 ISO, so the power has been alright, but not special. He's struck out 17 times in those 17 games.

Reliever spotlight: Stoffel owns a 3.16 ERA, 4.02 BB/9 and 9.62 K/9 on the season. Over his last game, his peripherals have been better, especially the walks; 1.69 BB/9 and 11.81 K/9.

AA Corpus Christi Hooks: 5-4 loss to Frisco (TEX)

-> Telvin Nash: 2-for-5, BB, R
-> Teoscar Hernandez: 2-for-5, SB, R
-> Colin Moran: 2-for-6, 2B, R
-> Leonardo Heras: 1-for-3, 2 BB
-> Brandon Meredith: 1-for-4, BB, HR, R, 3 RBI
-> Jonathan Meyer: 1-for-4
-> Tyler Heineman: 0-for-4, BB
-> Delino DeShields: 0-for-5, BB

SP Jordan Jankowski: 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 BB, 9 K
RP Matthew Heidenreich: 0.0 IP, 3 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 0 K
RP Juan Minaya: 1.2 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 2 K (hold)
RP Mitchell Lambson: 2.2 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 2 H, 0 BB, 2 K (blown save, loss)
RP David Rollins: 0.2 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 1 BB, 0 K

Jankowski has put five good starts together; 1.52 ERA, 1.52 BB/9 and 13.69 K/9. That's been good for a 9-to-1 K/BB ratio, some Pedro Martinez-level dominance. I still don't know what I think about his future role, as he's only decent and not really good at generating grounders, and because I don't know much about his stuff and repertoire, but it's hard to argue with his walks and strike outs (2.16 BB/9 and 9.95 K/9 on the season, 104 innings).

Moran's hitting streak has reached seven games. Over his last 10 games he's hitting .326, and in 23 games with Corpus total, he owns a .309/.356/.436 line, with a reasonable 20 strike outs.

Hernandez has 11 hits in the last five games he's played, and he's hitting .300/.309/.513 in 19 games with Corpus overall. He struck out three more times tonight and has 31 whiffs in those 19 games, though.

A+ Lancaster JetHawks: 9-4 loss to High Desert (SEA)

-> Roberto Pena: 2-for-3, 2B, HR, R, 2 RBI
-> Jack Mayfield: 2-for-3, 2 RBI
-> Danry Vasquez: 1-for-3, BB, R
-> Ronnie Mitchell: 1-for-3, BB, R
-> James Ramsay: 1-for-4, BB, 3B
-> Tyler White: 0-for-2, BB, R
-> Rio Ruiz: 0-for-4, BB

SP Vincent Velasquez: 2.1 IP, 6 ER, 7 H, 3 BB, 1 K (loss)
RP Patrick Christensen: 2.1 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, 1 BB, 0 K
RP Tyler Brunnemann: 2.1 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 3 K
RP Gonzalo Sanudo: 1.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 K

James Ramsay up to Lancaster, as you can plainly see. This is so close to the end of the season that it makes me think this might be, in part, to try to help the Lancaster club's offense a little for their playoff run, though I'm sure the remaining regular games and the playoff ones will give them a quick look at him at a higher level, too. He hit .247/.339/.373 overall in Quad-Cities, but he was hitting .322/.368/.483 in 23 games during August just before the promotion. You have wonder if he had been working on things during the down times in June and July and finally put it together this month, enough to earn a promotion.

Desert? Pitcher's graveyard? Start? Relieve? One inning? Multiple innings? These things matter not to The Brunnemann. The Brunnemann simply answers the call, rain or shine, day or night, mountain or desert. 2.25 ERA, 2.25 BB/9 and 11.25 K/9 for The Brunnemann with Lancaster.

A- Quad Cities River Bandits: 11-2 win over Clinton (SEA)

-> Marc Wik: 3-for-4, BB, 2B, SB, 3 R
-> J.D. Davis: 2-for-3, BB, HR, R, 4 RBI
-> Jose Fernandez: 1-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R
-> Brian Holberton: 1-for-4, RBI
-> A.J. Reed: 1-for-5, R
-> Thomas Lindauer: 0-for-2, 2 BB, 2 R
-> Ryan Bottger: 0-for-2, BB, R
-> Chase McDonald: 0-for-3, 2 BB, 2 R
-> Brauly Mejia: 0-for-2, RBI (pinch-hitter)

SP Kevin Comer: 6.0 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 3 H, 2 BB, 10 K (win)
RP Jordan Mills: 2.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 1 BB, 2 K
RP Frederick Tiburcio: 1.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 1 BB, 0 K

Davis has hit five homers in 38 games with Tri-City, which is a solid, if unspectacular, rate, but he's launched four of those five in just his last ten games. During that run, he's hit .211/.250/.526. That's a massive .315 ISO. So yes, there's power. Nine strike outs in those ten games is a reasonable rate though, so I would guess the power average and OBP performance during the run is more fluky that anything.

It has definitely not been an awesome year for Comer, but we've seen some real flashes of potential, and this is the best outing he's had yet. He's pretty good at getting grounders (49%), his strike outs are pretty good (7.55 K/9) and he doesn't walk a ton of guys (3.07 BB/9), but if you look at the numbers, while all above average, nothing in particular stands out. FIP does like him better than his ERA, but not hugely (when it updates, his FIP should be somewhere in the 3.80 range, I'm guessing). That said, he has a nice foundation to continue to build on, and we know there are some talented coaches when it comes to pitching in this organization.

SS Tri-City ValleyCats: 4-2 loss to Vermont (OAK)

-> Kristian Trompiz: 2-for-4, 2B, RBI, R
-> Nick Tanielu: 2-for-5, RBI
-> Derek Fisher: 2-for-5
-> Alfredo Gonzalez: 1-for-2, BB, 2B, R
-> Terrell Joyce: 1-for-3, BB, 2B
-> Jamie Ritchie: 1-for-4, BB, 2B, SB
-> Mott Hyde: 0-for-2, BB
-> Jose Solano: 0-for-3, BB

SP Austin Chrismon: 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 4 K
RP Brandon McNitt: 2.1 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 5 K (loss)
RP Vince Wheeland: 1.2 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 1 K

Fisher had gone hitless the previous three games, so this was a nice bounce back night for him. Overall in 39 games for TC he's hitting .305/.380/.411 with nine XBH, and he's 17-for-21 (81%) in SB attempts.

Another solid start for Chrismon, who looks like he could start next season in QC with a mid-season promotion to Lancaster if all plays well. Once again, good control, a decent number of strike outs, and seven outs on the ground to just one in the air.

RK Greeneville Astros: 7-3 win over Johnson City (STL)

-> Bryan Muniz: 4-for-5, SB, RBI, R
-> Alexander Melendez: 2-for-3, R
-> Jacob Nottingham: 2-for-4, BB, HR, R, 2 RBI
-> Randy Cesar: 2-for-4, HR, RBI, 2 R
-> Hector Roa: 2-for-5, HR, R, 2 RBI
-> Cesar Carrasco: 2-for-5, 2B, R
-> Jeffry Santos: 0-for-5, RBI

SP Agapito Barrios: 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 3 BB, 3 K (win)
RP Jorge Perez: 1.1 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 2 K
RP Gerardo Juarez: 1.2 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 1 K (hold)
RP Eric Peterson: 1.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 1 K

Barrios is one of those guys who I hadn't really heard of prior to this season who has grabbed my attention. He's done so with great control (1.77 BB/9) and the ability to keep the ball on the ground (seven outs on the ground, one on the fly tonight). Not a huge strike out guy, but he does it enough to keep hitters honest. He's turning 21 this November, so he's got plenty of time left, and we could see him in QC on opening day next year.

Muniz got off to a really rough start this season, but he's turned things around recently, hitting .368/.442/.474 over his last ten games. His season numbers still aren't pretty, but I will say that his 16 walks and 21 strike outs in 34 games are both pretty good rates.

Five homers, a triple and 10 doubles on the year for Nottingham. He's been kind of a disappointment for me, but it's always nice to see him flash that raw power.

Today's Scheduled Starters

AAA: Nick Tropeano vs. Chris Rusin
AA: Brady Rodgers vs. Alec Asher
A+: Bria Holmes vs. TBD
A-: Adrian Houser vs. Edwin Diaz
SS: Joseph Musgrove vs. TBD
RK: Devonte German vs. Juan Perez