Astros Promote Jarred Cosart to AAA

During pre season, I wrote an article encouraging every Astros fan to “Adopt A Prospect”. The purpose was to follow one of your favorite Astros prospects and track their progression throughout the year. I chose Jarred Cosart who was promoted yesterday to AAA Oklahoma City. Cosart has made only four starts for AA Corpus Christi this year due to a blister issue on his pitching hand. He posted a 2.84 ERA with 13 walks and 18 strikeouts in 19 innings for the Hooks. Okalahoma City’s rotation will be down a starting pitcher when one is promoted to the big league club on Tuesday to replace Kyle Weiland‘s spot in the rotation. Weiland has been on the DL after having surgery for an infection in his right shoulder.

Cosart tweeted the news yesterday that he was being promoted to AAA Oklahoma City after a very brief stint at AA Corpus Christi. As the Astros top prospect, its exciting news to see him promoted a level this early in the season. Acquired in the Hunter Pence trade with the Phillies last summer along with Jonathan Singleton, Josh Zeid and Domingo Santana, Cosart was immediately promoted to AA Corpus Christi where he played well over a half season. He has also pitched well thus far this year but hasn’t pitched a full year at AA yet which leads some to question the move. I was surprised by the move also as while he has pitched well at AA, he hasn’t pitched well enough to have people asking why he isn’t at AAA. His 6.16 BB/9 thus far isn’t good. His strikeouts haven’t improved but his walks have gone up a tad. Those are things that can easily be fixed and hopefully they will as this could turn out to be a make or break year for Cosart. At the beginning of the season, I thought Cosart would spend a full year in the minors splitting it between AA and AAA. I assumed that if he pitched well, he would be promoted to AAA mid to late season. This could turn out to just be a promotion for a few spot starts due to the Weiland situation, but I doubt it. He is in AAA to stay until he is promoted to the big league club. Jonathan Singleton should be next in line for a promotion to AAA.