Astros Prospect Report: The Captain, Maverick stay hot; Quad-Cities thrashes Wisconsin

AAA Fresno Grizzlies: 6-5 win over Tacoma (SEA)

-> Nolan Fontana: 2-for-3, SB, R, 2 BB
-> Domingo Santana: 2-for-4, BB, 2 HR, 2 R, 4 RBI
-> Jon Singleton: 1-for-3, 2 BB
-> Ronald Torreyes: 1-for-3, R
-> Andrew Aplin: 1-for-4, BB, SB, R
-> Matt Duffy: 1-for-4
-> Max Stassi: 1-for-5, solo HR
-> Preston Tucker: 0-for-3, BB

SP Asher Wojciechowski: 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 7 H, 2 BB, 4 K
RP Jordan Jankowski: 1.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 1 K (win)
RP Tommy Shirley: 1.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 1 K (hold)
RP James Hoyt: 1.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 0 BB, 2 K (save)

Nice day for Santana. He had collected just two hits in his previous five games, so this broke him out of a little mini-slump. He also hasn't struck out in his last two games. It's interesting watching him day-by-day; for example, he has six strike outs in his last six games, but they've all come in two of the games, with four of the games being strike out-free. Just needs some more consistency perhaps. He has seven homers on the year now.

Singleton didn't strike out in this game, and has just one strike out in his last three now. That gives him 21 in 22 games, a pretty reasonable figure. He's a bit like A.J. Reed right now; the average isn't there, but he's still contributing with a solid OPS (.807).

Fontana had managed just six hits in his previous 12 games, so this was a nice night for him. He had still been walking, of course (seven times), during that slump, so the OBP remained solid. The OBP sits at .386 on the season. Youkilis who? This guy is the real God of Walks.

Just a reminder; on occasion in this tandem rotation setup, they'll have a guy go just one or two innings, instead of four or five, just to give him a little extra rest. Shirley's first outing was also just one inning. Just in case anyone was worried they were converting him to the bullpen or something, don't be. Unless this happens several more times in a row, I guess. It would certainly be odd for them to do it now, considering that he owns a sterling 2.55 ERA and 5.0 K/BB ratio.

AA Corpus Christi Hooks: 6-3 loss to Frisco (TEX)

-> Carlos Correa: 3-for-4, BB, 2B, R, 2 SB
-> Conrad Gregor: 1-for-2, 2 BB
-> Tyler White: 1-for-3, BB, solo HR
-> Brandon Meredith: 1-for-3, SB, 2 BB
-> Leonardo Heras: 1-for-3
-> Roberto Pena: 1-for-4
-> Telvin Nash: 1-for-5, HR, R, RBI
-> Chan Moon: 0-for-4, BB

SP Kyle Westwood: 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 3 K (loss)
RP Aaron West: 4.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 2 K

Sweet Mary and Joseph. Okay, so that's 10-for-10 in steal attempts on the season so far. Throw in 18 extra-base hits and the .371/.451/.697 slash line. 12 of Correa's 22 games this season have been multi-hit games. I'll say the same thing I said in my last recap; I don't know what to say anymore.

Gregor is on a nice run, going 12-for-35 in his last ten games with seven walks to boot. On the season he's sitting at .296/.381/.394 with five doubles, a triple and 11 walks (and a pair of steals, too). Still looking for the long ball, though.

Tyler White is a guy absolutely no one paid attention to when he was drafted (33rd round, 2013) but he's done nothing but perform so far. He brings walks and pop to the table, but the power hasn't been huge outside of Lancaster, so that will be the thing to watch; how legit is his power tool? If he can show 20+ HR ability against AA competition, his stock rises dramatically, because the plate discipline appears to be there; he currently has 14 walks and just seven strike outs in 11 games, and his previous seasons indicate that that may not be a mirage. He's primarily a third baseman, so Moran's injury will be a chance for him to get consistent time there and show his stuff.

Mediocre outings for both pitchers, though West has been solid overall as he continues to come back from a lot of injury-sabotaged time. Do want to point out Westwood's 7-1 GB out to FB out ratio though.

A+ Lancaster JetHawks: 7-1 loss to Modesto (COL)

-> Brett Phillips: 2-for-4
-> Jose Fernandez: 1-for-2, BB
-> J.D. Davis: 1-for-4, solo HR
-> Danry Vasquez: 1-for-4, SB
-> A.J. Reed: 1-for-4
-> James Ramsay: 0-for-2, BB

SP Troy Scribner: 2.1 IP, 5 R (0 ER), 1 H, 1 BB, 3 K (loss)
RP Chris Cotton: 2.2 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 2 K
RP Ambiorix De Leon: 2.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 0 BB, 2 K
RP Albert Minnis: 1.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K

What a shame. Scribner sat down seven in a row to start the game, then two errors and a HBP, followed by a single, and the wheels just come off. Based on the sequence of events in the recap, I wouldn't hang much of the blame at all on Scribner. Things mostly out of his control came apart, and they yanked him to protect him. That's my guess. Just a fun note; his K/9 is now 12.3.

Phillips has hit .457/.493/.757 over his last 16 games. Who does he think he is, Jose Altuve!? He owns an 1.011 OPS with 14 XBH in 23 games. Only a reasonable 16 punch outs, too. Walks are the only area you could pick at, with just three, but yeah, that's what you'd be doing; picking nits.

Chase McDonald is in a slump; three hits in his last seven games, the last four of which have been hitless. His overall line of .299/.358/.558 is obviously still strong, but his OPS has plummeted .205 in the last week.

Third bomb on the year for Davis in 20 games. Like McDonald, he's cooled off, too, as expected, though he did it without a real protracted slump. He's sitting at .316/.374/.519 now.

A- Quad Cities River Bandits: 10-1 win over Wisconsin (MIL)

-> Mott Hyde: 2-for-4, BB, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R
-> Nick Tanielu: 2-for-4, BB, R, 2 RBI
-> Jamie Ritchie: 2-for-5, BB, 3B, RBI, 2 R
-> Kristian Trompiz: 2-for-5, 3B, R, 2 RBI
-> Bobby Boyd: 2-for-6, 2B, 3B, RBI, 2 R
-> Derek Fisher: 2-for-6, 2B, 2 R
-> Alfredo Gonzalez: 1-for-4, BB, 2 RBI
-> Alex Hernandez: 0-for-4, BB

SP Joe Musgrove: 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 5 H, 0 BB, 3 K (win)
RP Bryan Radziewski: 4.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 4 K (save)

Well, Mr. Hyde appears again. His numbers are excellent, in spite of having no homers. He hasn't struck out in six straight games. Shameless plug; we may be having some more about him coming your way this week.

Fisher has at least one hit in each of the four games he's played since returning from injury. This was the first multi-hit game since coming back. He's hitting .308/.384/.615 so far, with five bombs and going 3-for-4 in steal tries.

Yeah, the Midwest League doesn't seem to have an answer for Joe Musgrove. More shutout innings. More grounders (nine outs on the ground, just one on the fly). He has one walk all season. One. Compared to 23 strike outs. I mean...what can you say? 0.70 is the ERA. I'd be stunned if he doesn't get sent to Lancaster at some point this month.

Radziewski looks like a loser by comparison. He's been great, though; 2.05 ERA, 2.1 BB/9 and 10.2 K/9 in 22 innings of work. Groundball rate is 47.1%, too. It's little wonder that QC owns a dominant 18-6 record; that pitching staff has been incredible.

Speaking of the pitching staff, I notice Austin Chrismon was no longer listed on their roster. On his profile page it says he's been assigned to a new team, which I assume means he's been promoted. He hasn't shown up on Lancaster or Corpus' roster yet, though, and I can't imagine they'd demote him to extended Spring Training or something since he's been pretty good. If anyone knows or learns something, be sure to comment.

Today's Scheduled Starters

AAA: Jake Buchanan vs. TBD
AA: Mark Appel vs. Jake Thompson
A+: TBD (Blaine Sims?) vs. Joel Seddon
A-: TBD (Mengden maybe?) vs. Markus Solbach