Oops! All Astros: Chanderson Perez & Franny Cobos

The Houston Astros employed 316 players to take the field this season at some level of the organization.

We’re not just limiting this organizational review to the 45 players that appeared in the majors for Houston in 2022. We’ll also take a look at the other 271 as well. We’ve already looked at 84 of them. Here’s today’s pair.

Chanderson Perez

Chanderson Perez is a six-foot, 195 lb. right-handed relief pitcher from San Cristobal, DR. Born on September 22, 2001, he signed with the Astros through free agency on October 16, 2019. In his first short look as a professional, in 2021 with the DSL Astros, he pitched seven innings with a 2.571 WHIP. He would look better in 2022.

Perez remained in the DSL for this season, joining the DSL Astros Blue squad. He came on in relief about one time per week through the season. On June 23, he earned his first win in a 12-4 victory against the DSL KC Stewart, getting through the final 1 ¹⁄₃ innings without surrendering a run. Near the end of July, he strung together three quality outings, striking out six against just one hit over 5 ¹⁄₃ innings. On August 18, in a 6-4 loss to the DSL Marlins, he struck out a season-high four batters over two innings.

Through the campaign, Perez faced 100 batters, lining up a .286/.370/.369 slashline and a 1.700 WHIP. He was 3-1 with a 6.30 ERA, along with 19 strikeouts versus 10 walks. On the downside, he also uncorked 12 wild pitches. Still just 21, he should start the 2023 season back with DSL.

Franny Cobos

Franny Cobos is a five-foot-nine, 182 lb. right-handed reliever from La Habana, Cuba. Born on February 1, 2001, he signed with Houston for a $125,000 bonus on August 24, 2017.

Prior to the lockdown, Cobos appeared with a few the rookie clubs and a few times with the short-season-A Tri-City Valleycats. He was limited to just one appearance in 2021 with the Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks.

Cobos earned him some frequent flier miles in 2022, starting with the FCL rookie squad and getting a ride to the Low-A Fayetteville Woodpeckers early. He was lights out in a short look there. On April 29, he struck out nine over four perfect relief innings to earn a win in a 2-1 victory against the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers.

After four appearances, Cobos had 18 whiffs in 13 ²⁄₃ innings, an opposing slash line of .109/.196/.130, and a 0.732 WHIP. The Astros moved him up a level in the second week of May to the High-A Asheville Tourists. Less impressive at the higher level, Cobos had a 6.60 ERA and a .291/.394/.473 opposing line in 15 frames over five games.

Nonplussed by his struggles, the Astros pushed Cobos back to the Hooks. On July 16, he collected five strikeouts over two perfect innings in a 12-7 victory against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. In six games back in Double-A, he struck out 16 over 13 innings, but also had a .359/.436/.623 opposing slash and an 8.31 ERA.

Cobos rejoined the Tourists in the beginning of August, where he made his last eight appearances of the season. Oddly, he replicated his 8.31 ERA over 13 innings with Asheville, with 15 whiffs and a .255/.387/.412 line.

Cobos appeared in a total of 23 contests between the three levels in 2022 racking up aggregate figures of .259/.361/.420, a 1.537 WHIP, 62 K’s in 54 ²⁄₃ innings for a 10.2 K/9, and a 6.26 ERA. He surrendered less than a hit per inning, but his 31 walks were a little more than Houston would like. Still, he’s only 21. I think he’ll get another shot with Asheville to open 2023.