Astros Minors Update is back with news from Lancaster. The defending California League champion JetHawks have struggled to score runs of late, so let’s see what’s going on down on the farm and try to make sense of this ever shuffling the roster.
Lancaster lost another huge talent to promotion last week as A.J. Reed was rightfully advanced to double-A Corpus Christi. Let’s give the big man his final Lancaster curtain call. At the time of his promotion Reed was leading the league in homers, batting average, R.B.I., on-base percentage, slugging, OPS, and walks. He was very much a man among boys and deserved to head to the Astros stacked double-A affiliate with former JetHawk Brett Phillips. There is still plenty of talent at the high-A level, though. Check it out.
Jun 24, 2014; Omaha, NE, USA; Virginia Cavaliers outfielder Derek Fisher (23) drives in the tying run in the top of the sixth inning against the Vanderbilt Commodores during game two of the College World Series Finals at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha. Virginia defeated Vanderbilt 7-2. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports
Derek Fisher has split 2015 to this point between Quad Cities A-ball and Lancaster high-A. His combined numbers for the year are pretty sharp as expected after his promising 2014 debut. He is hitting .271, with a .349 OBP. While being a great hitter who is still developing, his speed is the most intriguing part of his game. He has 20 stolen bases to accompany his 16 homers and 65 R.B.I. in just 82 games. The strikeouts are a little high, but remember that he is still just 21 and has that power/speed/OBP to become anything from a leadoff man to a number 3 hitter. The sky is the limit, although I would expect him to remain in Lancaster for the remainder of 2015.
Next: Nottingham and Davis
Nottingham and Davis
Jacob Nottingham in his River Bandit days – photo credit to Rich Guill (@QCBanditPhotog)
Jacob Nottingham was promoted to Lancaster from the Quad Cities River Bandits about a month ago now. If you want to see a model of consistency, check out these numbers:
Quad Cities: .326 BA, .387 OBP, .543 SLG in 59 games
Lancaster: .324 BA, .368 OBP, .606 SLG in 17 games
The 6’3″ 227-pound righthanded hitter seems primed to be a big run producer, as his 14 home runs suggest. He will likely remain in Lancaster for the rest of 2015 as well with a shot at starting 2016 in double-A.
Third baseman J.D. Davis – photo credit to Rich Guill (@QCBanditPhotog)
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J.D. Davis had a fantastic debut professional season in 2014. In just 73 games, he posted a .293/13/52 with an .878 OPS. However, 2015 has been shown more inconsistent, if not disappointing production. Already having 86 games under his belt in the hitter-friendly California League, the third baseman is hitting .273 with 13 homers and 60 R.B.I. However, the numbers that pop out are the slugging (.443) and strikeouts (114 in 352 ABs). His inconsistency suggests that he has possibly been dealing with a nagging injury, but we may never know for sure. I would expect that he will not join Phillips and Reed in Corpus any time soon.
Next: Martes and Bostick
Martes and Bostick
RHP Francis Martes – photo credit to Rich Guill (@QCBanditPhotog)
On the pitching side, there are some intriguing arms for Astros fans to pay attention to as well. Francis Martes, who was acquired along with Jake Marisnick and Colin Moran in the Jared Cosart trade, is a promising right-hander. He has a 1.04 ERA in 10 games in the California League. Let’s let that sink in a bit. This is a dominant hitter league, and this 19-year-old has a 1.04 ERA!! He also has 45 K’s in 52 innings to go along with his .181 BA against and 0.88 WHIP. It looks like Luhnow really worked his magic again on that deal with the Marlins.
RHP Akeem Bostick – photo credit to Rich Guill (@QCBanditPhotog)
Akeem Bostick, a 6’6″ righty acquired from Texas for Carlos Corporan, is also an interesting arm to watch. Clearly, he’s a big guy, but that doesn’t always translate into good pitching. Taking into account the environment, his numbers are pretty solid. He is currently sporting a 2.57 ERA combined between Quad Cities and Lancaster with a WHIP just north of 1 (1.02). Bostick has added weight to what was a long and lanky frame, and this has added to his fastball. Look for a mid 90’s heater to accompany three solid secondary pitches. Still just 20, he has plenty of time to refine his mechanics and learn how to pitch instead of being a thrower.
Stay tuned to Climbing Tal’s Hill (@astrosCTH) for all of your Astros news. Special thanks to Rich Guill, the photographer for the Quad City River Bandits, for his excellent work.
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