A Look at Japhet Amador

Japhet Amador is a new addition to the Houston Astros organization. The 26-year old first baseman may be a little old to be considered a prospect, but he is certainly an intriguing player.

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The Astros signed Amador this summer out of the Mexican League where he had been playing for Diablos Rojos del Mexico since 2010. Amador reported to AAA Oklahoma City and appeared in ten games, coming to the plate 43 times.

It was a small sample size, but it was also the first baseman’s first foray into professional baseball stateside, and he was impressive. Amador hit .302 with two runs scored and two RBI’s.

Amador brings some impressive credentials with him from the Mexican League. Of course there will be some regression as the level of competition increases, but one thing is certain. Amador can hit.

Over the last four seasons, Amador hit for averages of .366, .376, .251, and .368 respectively. In that time, the first baseman tallied 90 home runs and 318 RBI’s. His last year in Mexico was his best season, as Amador was hitting .368 with 36 home runs and 121 RBI’s.

Those are some impressive numbers and he could be a good source of power from the right side. But, we also must maintain some level of skepticism, as he really has not proved much. We also must remember that he is already 26 years old, so the clock is ticking more imminently on Amador than it would for another prospect.

Spots are up for grabs in Houston for 2014, and a strong showing by Amador in the Arizona Fall League could help to bolster his claim for one of those spots.