Astros Crawfish Boil: Friday, January 20, 2023

It’s another offseason Friday, and another Boil.

Houston Astros News

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner collects on Astros World Series wager (chron.com)

Astros’ Prospect Pedro Leon Undergoes Sports Hernia Surgery (mlbtraderumors.com)

After ‘surreal’ WS run, Hensley eyes ‘23 spot (mlb.com)

Astros’ Korey Lee on opportunity at catcher, Martín Maldonado’s impact (chron.com)

Assessing the Hall of Fame outlook for two former Houston Astros stars (chron.com)

HOUSTON ASTROS 2023 SPRING TRAINING ROSTER (chron.com)

Bregman Is A Winner In Every Way For Astros (si.com)

Yuli Gurriel Appears to Have Unfollowed Houston Astros on Instagram (si.com)

MLB News

Former MLB All-Star rips ex-wife for ‘f---ing annoying’ lies about him (foxnews.com)

MLB Power Rankings: Who’s No. 1 as season approaches? (ESPN.com)

Your guide to 2023 HOF election results (Tues., MLB Network) (mlb.com)

Royals agree to deal with closer Aroldis Chapman (source) (mlb.com)

Henry Davis is committed to one thing: The grind (mlb.com)

Batting Around: Which MLB team has improved the most this offseason? (cbssports.com)

Oops! All Astros: Kenedy Corona

Kennedy Corona is a five-foot-11, 184 lb. right-handed hitting and throwing outfielder from Maracaibo, VZ. Born on March 21, 2000, Corona signed his first professional deal with the New York Mets on April 6, 2019. Corona split that year between New York’s three lowest leveled affiliates, playing in 63 games and slashing .301/.398/.470 with five home runs and 19 stolen bases in 24 attempts. After that first season, the Mets traded Corona to the Astros with Blake Taylor for Jake Marisnick.

In 57 games with the Low-A Fayetteville Woodpeckers in 2021, Corona slashed out a .244/.306/.343 line with a pair of homers and 22 RBI. He stole another 19 bases in 26 attempts, but only drew 14 walks in 224 plate appearances. After hitting .291 in 30 games for Aguilas del Zulia, he opened the 2022 campaign back with the Woodpeckers.

During the last two weeks of May, Corona put together a 12-game hitting streak, hitting .420 with six homers and 15 RBI. That stretch culminated in a four-hit game on May 31, when he hit three singles and a home run, knocking three in in a 9-0 win over the Fredericksburg Nationals. In 45 games, including nine multi-hit contests, Corona slashed .261/.346/.491 with nine round-trippers and 30 RBI. On June 15, Corona was promoted to the High-A Asheville Tourists.

Soon after joining the Tourists, Corona went on another 10-game hitting streak, going 17-for-37 with four homers and 12 RBI. Sixty-two more games on the field yielded 25 multiple hit games, including three with three hits. On August 28, he hit a double and a home run, totaling four RBI in an 11-2 win against the Winston-Salem Dash.

Corona finished his second half of the year as he had the first, with an even better slashline to show for it. He hit . 290/.373/.498 with another 10 homers, 37 RBI, and 20 more stolen bases.