%20%20--%3E%0A%3Csvg%20version%3D%221.1%22%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20xmlns%3Axlink%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F1999%2Fxlink%22%20x%3D%220px%22%20y%3D%220px%22%0A%09%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201055.1%20200%22%20style%3D%22enable-background%3Anew%200%200%201055.1%20200%3B%22%20xml%3Aspace%3D%22preserve%22%3E%0A%3Cstyle%20type%3D%22text%2Fcss%22%3E%0A%09.st0%7Bfill%3A%23231F20%3B%7D%0A%09.st1%7Bfill%3A%230E203C%3B%7D%0A%09.st2%7Bfill%3A%23EC4324%3B%7D%0A%09.st3%7Bfill%3A%23FFFFFF%3B%7D%0A%3C%2Fstyle%3E%0A%3Cg%20id%3D%22Template%22%3E%0A%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3Cg%20id%3D%22Layer_2%22%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st3%22%20d%3D%22M58.3%2C200.3h82.4c12.4%2C0%2C21.7-1.5%2C28-4.5c20.2-9.6%2C30.2-26.1%2C30.2-49.3c0-3.2-0.2-9.3-0.6-18.3h-65.1v14.9%0A%09%09c-0.9%2C3.9-3.4%2C5.8-7.5%2C5.8H73.2c-5%2C0-7.5-2.5-7.5-7.5V59.2c0-5%2C2.5-7.5%2C7.5-7.5h52.5c5%2C0%2C7.5%2C2.1%2C7.5%2C6.4v10.8h65.7V55.7%0A%09%09c0-16.3-3.8-28.3-11.4-36.1c-8.8-12.9-24.7-19.3-47.4-19.3H58.9C47%2C0.3%2C38%2C1.7%2C32%2C4.3c-21.3%2C9-32%2C26.1-32%2C51.4v88%0A%09%09c0%2C16.5%2C3.6%2C28.7%2C10.9%2C36.6C20.1%2C193.7%2C35.9%2C200.3%2C58.3%2C200.3z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22st3%22%20points%3D%22596.6%2C64%20596.6%2C0.8%20400.1%2C0.8%20400.1%2C64%20442.7%2C64%20442.7%2C51.3%20466.1%2C51.3%20466.1%2C148.1%20442.1%2C148.1%20%0A%09%09442.1%2C199.9%20554.8%2C199.9%20554.8%2C148.1%20531.5%2C148.1%20531.5%2C51.4%20554.8%2C51.4%20554.8%2C64%20%09%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22st3%22%20points%3D%22942.4%2C148.5%20942.4%2C200.2%201055.1%2C200.2%201055.1%2C148.5%201031.8%2C148.5%201031.8%2C51.2%201055.1%2C51.2%201055.1%2C0.8%20%0A%09%09943.1%2C0.8%20943.1%2C51.3%20966.3%2C51.3%20966.3%2C80%20888.9%2C80%20888.9%2C51.3%20912.6%2C51.3%20912.6%2C0.5%20800.1%2C0.8%20800.1%2C51.4%20823.5%2C51.4%20823.5%2C148.6%20%0A%09%09800.1%2C148.6%20800.1%2C200.1%20912.6%2C200.1%20912.6%2C148.6%20888.9%2C148.6%20888.9%2C116.4%20966.3%2C116.4%20966.3%2C148.5%20%09%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22st2%22%20points%3D%22315.5%2C83.9%20299.6%2C34.9%20283.7%2C83.9%20232.2%2C83.9%20273.9%2C114.1%20258%2C163.1%20299.6%2C132.8%20341.3%2C163.1%20%0A%09%09325.4%2C114.1%20367%2C83.9%20%09%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22st2%22%20points%3D%22715.6%2C83.9%20699.7%2C34.9%20683.8%2C83.9%20632.3%2C83.9%20674%2C114.1%20658%2C163.1%20699.7%2C132.8%20741.3%2C163.1%20%0A%09%09725.4%2C114.1%20767.1%2C83.9%20%09%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A)
Astros Minor League Report: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not for Double-A Christi Hooks
May 23, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers (43) pitches in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
It’s been a while since I wrote my last post on the Astros Double-A affiliate, the Corpus Christ Hooks. A whole five weeks ago, in fact. Needless to say, a lot of moving and shaking has occurred within the Astros organization since that point, especially in the farm system.
Seriously though, when I wrote my last Who’s Hot and Who’s Not for the Hooks, I wrote about a young 21-year-old right-handed pitcher that not many seemed to care about named Lance McCullers.
In that piece, I said, “McCullers’s start looks like a guy who is hungry to pitch in the major leagues. If he keeps pitching the way he is now, it won’t be long before he takes the mound for the Astros.” – I love it when I’m right. I also said that I expected Mark Appel to make the majors first though, but hey, no one is perfect.
The other three players that I mentioned, Colin Moran, Tony Kemp, and Teoscar Hernandez, are still playing for Corpus Christi. This time, I’m going to focus on three new players that Astros fans will be interested to hear about. Some of the players you may know already, but there are some less familiar faces that are off to really great starts in Corpus Christi. So, here we go.
Next: Who's Hot Part 1
Feb 26, 2015; Kissimmee, FL, USA; Houston Astros pitcher Vince Velasquez poses for a picture during photo day at Osceola County Stadium Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Who’s Hot: Vincent Velasquez
Velasquez, rated by MLB Pipeline as the Astros fourth best prospect joined the Corpus Christi Hooks on May 8th after starting the season with a groin injury. Although Velasquez has had injury issues throughout his minor league career, he is off to a very hot start in Corpus Christi since he recovered.
In five games started, he has a 3-0 record with a 1.37 ERA, 37 strikeouts, a 0.91 WHIP, and only four runs allowed through 26 1/3 innings pitched.
Velasquez is actually pitching nearly to perfection right now with the Hooks. A few days ago, he took a no-hitter into the seventh inning when he surrendered a solo home run. In that outing, he threw 61 strikes out of 98 pitches and struck out nine hitters.
This red hot start for Velasquez is really a good sign for him as he had a rough go of it in the Arizona Fall League, where he posted a 6.59 ERA across four starts. He really hasn’t had a point in his professional career where he’s pitching like the way that he’s pitching now. It seems like he’s beginning to get a grasp on the game similarly to what we saw from Lance McCullers when he had a dominant month of April in Corpus Christi.
Velasquez’s fastball – which can reach up to 100 mph – has been mowing down Double-A hitters and it seems as if it’s just about ready to be tested with the Astros in Minute Maid Park. If he continues to pitch like this, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in an Astros uniform before the end of July.
Next: Who's Not Part 1
Feb 26, 2015; Kissimmee, FL, USA; Houston Astros pitcher Mark Appel poses for a picture during photo day at Osceola County Stadium Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Who’s Not: Mark Appel
Unlike the rest of the Astros top pitching prospects, Mark Appel hasn’t had a great career in the minors so far. He has struggled in Lancaster as well as Corpus Christi, and has yet to show that same dominating stuff on a consistent basis that caused the Astros to take him with the #1 overall pick in the MLB Draft.
So far in Corpus Christi this season, Appel has a 5.2o ERA and a 3-1 record in 10 games started with 18 walks allowed (most by any Hooks pitcher), a 1.62 WHIP, and 32 strikeouts compared to 55 hits allowed. He has sort of taken the opposite road from Velasquez, as Appel actually pitched very well in the Arizona Fall League before getting roughed up a bit in Double-A this season.
I don’t think that there’s much stock to put into that fact, but it’s worth noting.
The bottom line is that I think I can fairly say that Mark Appel has been the biggest disappointment for the Corpus Christi Hooks so far this season. When he was drafted, many scouts and analysts thought that he could be an MLB pitcher by 2015.
If he keeps pitching the way he’s pitching now, there’s really no good reason for Jeff Luhnow to even promote him to Triple-A. I will gave Appel his due and say that he has been changing up his delivery a bit and had a nice rebound start earlier this week, where he gave up only one unearned run through five innings and three strikeouts.
However, I don’t see a place for him with the Astros with guys like Dallas Keuchel, Lance McCullers, and Vincent Velasquez tearing it up right now.
If he wants to be the ace for the future in Houston, Mark Appel needs to realize that there’s plenty of competition for him to beat out in the Astros organization and step up his game very soon.
Next: Who's Hot Part 2
Feb 26, 2015; Kissimmee, FL, USA; Houston Astros outfielder
Andrew Aplinposes for a picture during photo day at Osceola County Stadium Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Who’s Hot: Andrew Aplin
Yes, I know that the main reason Andrew Aplin is even playing for the Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks right now is because he was having a bad season in Triple-A Fresno. But, that doesn’t mean I can’t put him on the list of Hooks who have been tearing it up lately, because he has been absolutely raking the baseball.
In 18 games played, Aplin has a .375 batting average with three triples, nine stolen bases, 12 walks, and only five strikeouts. Those stats, to me, say that Aplin is really concentrating on seeing the ball well in Corpus Christi and taking his demotion very seriously. He is running well on the basepaths, and giving himself as good of a shot as he can to get back to Triple-A and try to prove himself again.
He’s not necessarily hitting for very much power (no home runs), but he’s making a huge impact in Double-A and making his teammates better.
As far as the depth chart goes, Andrew Aplin might have to wait a little while longer before getting promoted again. LJ Hoes, Domingo Santana, and Alex Presley are all hitting the ball very well in Triple-A right now, and I don’t see any Astros outfielder getting demoted anytime soon.
Sadly, I think the key for Andrew Aplin might be a trade.
If he continues to hit the ball well, he might get an opportunity to start fresh in another organization where there’s not as much outfielder depth or someone else in front of him will get traded and he’ll get the opportunity to move up within the Astros organization.
Only time will tell with Aplin, but all he can do is keep hitting and playing hard.
Next: Are the Houston Astros After Cole Hamels?