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Astros Prospect Report: Games of May 7, 2016

Lancaster wreaks havoc, Lance McCullers Jr. pitches brilliantly, and more news from down on the farm

By alwaysagoodwin
"I'm the catcher now."
"I'm the catcher now."
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

El Paso Chihuahuas 6, Fresno Grizzlies 4

Player Pos AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG*
Tony Kemp 2B 3 2 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0.297
Danny Worth SS 3 1 1 0 0 1 2 1 0 0.366
Colin Moran 3B 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.297
A.J. Reed DH 4 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.235
Max Stassi C 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.182
Jon Singleton 1B 4 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 0.222
Eury Perez LF 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.309
Jon Kemmer RF 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.206
Andrew Aplin CF 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.162
Player IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA*
Lance McCullers 5 2 0 0 2 7 0 0
Juan Minaya (H, 2) 1.1 4 2 2 0 0 0 3.46
Kevin Chapman (BS, 2)(L, 1-2) 1 4 3 3 0 0 0 9.26
Jandel Gustave 0.1 2 1 1 0 1 0 2.7
Edwar Cabrera 0.1 0 0 0 1 0 0 6.55

Fresno's offense last night was powered solely by home runs. Danny Worth, Tony Kemp (!) and Jon Singleton each went deep for the Grizzlies, the latter two solo shots. Otherwise, there were only three hits to be had, as only two above the minimum went to the plate after the third inning. Lance McCullers was the bright spot, allowing four baserunners and no runs while whiffing seven in five innings. The combination of Juan Minaya and Kevin Chapman, however, accounted for eight baserunners and five runs in 2.1 innings.

Danny Worth, he of the two-run shot, is on fire. The 30-year-old journeyman is slashing .367/.454/.578 on the season and an unreal .444/.600/.833 in May, including seven walks and five extra-base hits in only six games. While he doesn't have much worth as a prospect, he does have the possibility off contributing the major-league roster if the need arises.

Outside of this game (during which he once again allowed an earned run) Jandel Gustave has been nearly perfect, allowing earned runs only once before this season--in his very first outing of the year, during which he allowed his only walk of the year. He has also struck out at least one batter in all games save one. This unprecedented control (his BB/9 has never been below 3.30) is hopefully here to stay.

Corpus Christi Hooks 2, San Antonio Missions 0

Player Pos AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
James Ramsay RF 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.208
Alex Bregman SS 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0.333
Derek Fisher CF 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.2
Evan Gattis C 3 1 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 0.389
Alfredo Gonzalez C 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.082
Chase McDonald DH 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.247
Conrad Gregor 1B 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.121
Jack Mayfield 3B 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.218
Danry Vasquez LF 3 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.188
Chan Jong Moon 2B 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.115
Player IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Keegan Yuhl (W, 1-1) 5 3 0 0 1 3 0 3.25
Joe Musgrove (H, 1) 3 2 0 0 0 4 0 0.34
Brendan McCurry (S, 3) 1 0 0 0 0 3 0 4.02

An Evan Gattis homerun and Joe Musgrove with a dominating performance (albeit for 3 innings)? Is this Houston yet? Although Musgrove hasn't yet been called up, this could soon be a reality. Gattis, who played catcher, supposedly framed well and also threw out a baserunner. Keegan Yuhl, Joe Musgrove, and Brendan McCurry shut down the lowly Missions, walking just one batter and striking out ten. Gattis' two-run shot in the fourth was the difference (it scored Alex Bregman, who drew two walks in the game).

Keegan Yuhl, a 35th-round draftee in 2014 (pick #1036), has been inconsistent in 2016, but much of ERA is inflated by a start in which he gave up five runs in 4.2 innings--and still managed to strike out six. His K/9 is a robust 9.53 on the season, and judging by his history, he should keep improving while at Corpus.

The question must be asked: why is Joe Musgrove still in Corpus Christi? Last year, he started out at Lancaster, boasted a 12.9 K/9 and 0.3 BB/9 and quickly outgrew it; he then went to Corpus and kept the walk rate low, but a 1.4 HR/9 and 6.6 K/9 contributed to a 4.25 FIP. Now the K/9 is back with the best of them, as it is 10.03 and his BB/9 1.16. He's walked three batters on the season and given up one earned run. If his past promotion is any indication, we should see Musgrove in a Grizzlies jersey sooner rather than later.

Lancaster Jethawks 19, Visalia Rawhide 5

Player Pos AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
Bobby Boyd DH 5 3 3 1 0 0 1 1 1 0.282
Jason Martin CF 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.234
Ramon Laureano RF 5 2 1 1 0 0 2 1 1 0.275
Nick Tanielu 2B 6 2 5 0 0 0 2 0 0 0.35
Drew Ferguson LF 5 3 2 0 0 0 3 1 0 0.27
Garrett Stubbs C 5 2 2 1 0 1 4 1 1 0.25
Jamie Ritchie 1B 3 2 2 1 0 0 2 3 1 0.247
Kristian Trompiz SS 5 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 4 0.157
Luis Reynoso 3B 4 3 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0.185
Player IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Evan Grills (W, 3-1) 5 3 4 4 2 6 1 3.47
Yeyfry Del Rosario 2.2 1 1 1 0 4 0 8.1
Angel Heredia 1.1 0 0 0 0 1 0 5.25

Just your average game for these Jethawks. Just one home run, a big inning allowed to the other team...wait, is that 19 runs against the best team in the Cal League and seven runs against a rehabbing Major League pitcher (Josh Collmenter)? Everyone got on base in this absolute massacre of the poor Rawhide pitching staff, with Nick Tanielu going 5-for-6 and Garrett Stubbs hitting his first-ever homer, a three-run bomb. Jamie Ritchie also stood out, getting on base five times due to his three walks.

Quad Cities 6, Lansing Lugnuts 2

Player Pos AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG*
Johnny Sewald LF 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 1 0.221
Antonio Nunez SS 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0.191
Kyle Tucker CF 4 1 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.282
Anthony Hermelyn C 3 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0.316
Brooks Marlow 2B 5 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.284
Dexture McCall 1B 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.253
Aaron Mizell RF 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.241
Christian Correa DH 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.193
Bobby Wernes 3B 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.143
Player IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA*
Justin Ferrell (W, 1-1) 5 4 2 2 3 7 0 4.66
Albert Abreu (S, 1) 4 2 0 0 2 7 0 3.7

A big four-run first inning led the River Bandits to victory against Lansing. In a surprising scenario, only two pitchers were necessary, as Justin Ferrell pitched well enough and Albert Abreu, sleeper prospect, was lights out, allowing four baserunners in four innings while striking out seven and holding a GO/AO ratio of 3-0. Abreu, who is only twenty, does have a problem with walks (twelve in 24.1 innings this year) but is also striking out batters like nobody's business, with 38 Ks on the year. In his six games, he has struck out fewer than six batters only once (in a two-inning outing). With a fastball that can touch 99 at times, he has the potential to be a top-of-the-line starter for the Astros.

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