Astros Prospect Report: Cameron, Tucker, pitching provide talking points on slow night

AAA Fresno Grizzlies: Off Day

Fresno is currently 67-48, which gives them the second-best winning percentage in all the PCL. They lead their division by 11.5 games, with the nearest division rival (Tacoma) being four game under .500. The other three division leaders' leads range from four to five games. In other words, you can argue that Fresno is the best club in the league right now, and it would take a miracle (or utter disaster, depending on how you look at it) for them to not make the playoffs.

AA Corpus Christi Hooks: Off Day

A 48-22 first half means Corpus has already clinched a playoff spot. They're currently 72-42 overall, for a stunning .632 winning percentage, the best in the league by a mile. 26 games remain on their schedule.

A+ Lancaster JetHawks: Off Day

It's been a down year for Lancaster. If they want to make the playoffs, they'll have to go on a run. Rancho Cucamonga won their division in the first half, but Lancaster, despite a sub-.500 record in the second half, is just 3.5 games out of first place in their division right now, and the same amount out of the Wild Card. High Desert, the Rangers' affiliate, is currently the target. 27 games remain on the schedule, seven of which are against scrub Lake Elsinore. Their final four games of the season are a four-game home series against High Desert.

A- Quad Cities River Bandits: Off Day

Like Corpus, Quad Cities also won their division in the first half, so they're playoff-bound. They haven't fallen off much in the second half, either, as they're in second place and 15 games above .500. Overall, they have the best record in the league at 74-37, which is also the best record in all of affiliated ball.

SS Tri-City ValleyCats: 7-4 loss to Lowell (BOS)

-> Bobby Wernes: 1-for-2, R, 2 BB
-> Dexture McCall: 1-for-2, 2 BB
-> Antonio Nunez: 1-for-4, BB, R
-> Pat Porter: 1-for-4, RBI
-> Hector Roa: 1-for-4
-> Aaron Mizell: 1-for-5, 2B, R, 2 RBI
-> Alexander Melendez: 0-for-2, RBI, 2 SB
-> Brooks Marlow: 0-for-4, BB, R

SP Harold Arauz: 4.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 6 K
RP David Schmidt: 0.2 IP, 2 ER, 1 H, 2 BB, 0 K
RP Adam Whitt: 2.1 IP, 4 R (3 ER), 5 H, 1 BB, 4 K (loss)
RP Juan Santos: 2.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 4 BB, 4 K

It's been a "light switch" year for Arauz so far; in six of his 10 games he has a 2.38 ERA, and he has a 12.15 ERA in his other four. Walks have been a mild issue (3.75 BB/9) overall, but not too bad, and he misses bats (9.50 K/9). He didn't have impressive stuff when he was signed, but that was four years ago and he was only 16, so it's possible, and likely, really, that he's seen improvement in that regard. I just don't know; I've never seen him myself and information on him online is almost non-existent.

McCall hasn't hit as much recently, but he might be working on his approach. On the season in 39 games, he has just 14 walks, but half of those have come in just his last 10 games. His walk rate through his first 25 games was 4.6%, but through his last 14 games it's 16.4%.

RK Greeneville Astros: Doubleheader!

Game One: 5-3 loss to Elizabethton (MIN)

-> Kyle Tucker: 1-for-2, BB, SB
-> Brauly Mejia: 1-for-3, 2B, RBI
-> Osvaldo Duarte: 1-for-3, 2B, R
-> Ford Stainback: 1-for-3, R
-> Daz Cameron: 1-for-4, 3B, RBI
-> Connor Goedert: 1-for-4, R
-> Myles Straw: 0-for-1, SB, RBI, 2 BB, 2 R

SP Jose Hernandez: 4.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 1 K
RP Cristhopher Santamaria: 1.2 IP, 2 ER, 1 H, 3 BB, 2 K
RP Joselo Pinales: 1.1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K

Game Two: 3-2 loss to Elizabethton (MIN)

-> Myles Straw: 3-for-3, RBI, 2 2B
-> Kyle Tucker: 1-for-3, 2B, R
-> Osvaldo Duarte: 1-for-3, RBI
-> Ford Stainback: 1-for-3, R
-> Daz Cameron: 0-for-1, 2 BB
-> Kevin Martir: 0-for-2, BB

SP Yhoan Acosta: 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 H, 1 BB, 5 K
RP Alejandro Solarte: 1.0 IP, 2 ER, 1 H, 2 BB, 1 K (hold, loss)
RP Starlyng Sanchez: 0.2 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 K (save)

Hernandez has been excellent in six games. He owns a 2.11 ERA, 1.69 BB/9 and 10.55 K/9. That's good for a 6.25 K/BB ratio. His WHIP is just 0.94 in his 21.1 innings.

Acosta has been better than the numbers look on the surface thanks to "one bad game." Said game was on July 11, when he coughed up six earned in 1.2 innings, walking four. Take that one day out of the picture, and in his other eight games, he has a 2.94 ERA, 2.94 BB/9 and 9.39 K/9 in 30.2 innings.

Good to see some walks from Cameron. That makes four in nine games, and he finishes the doubleheader sitting at .382/.462/.529 (.991) for Greeneville.

Tucker has also turned things on in recent days, and is on a five-game hitting streak. He's up to .344/.382/.469 with Greeneville. He's also 7-for-9 (77.8%) in stolen base attempts on the season. His strike out rate with Greeneville is just 11.8% so far.

Stainback, who went undrafted out of Rice, is a switch-hitter having a nice year. His line reminds you over Wernes in Tri-City; .303/.394/.358. No power to speak of, but some average and a nice plate discipline. Unlike wernes though, he plays an up-the-middle position, so maybe the lack of power won't be a hinderance as much.

Today's Scheduled Starters

AAA: Dan Straily vs. David Hale
AA: Chris Devenski vs. TBD
A+: TBD vs. Harrison Cooney
A-: Justin Ferrell vs. Thomas Dorminy
SS: Ralph Garza vs. Dioscar Romero
RK: Salvador Montano vs. TBD