Astros Minors: Zac Is A ‘Person’ of Interest

By Larry Manch | Jun 5, 2016

Zac Person, Quad Cities River Bandits. Photo by @QCBanditPhotog. /

Astros Class-A Report: Quad Cities River Bandits (May 29-June 4)

Astros minor league pitcher Zac Person has been the most effective member of the River Bandits staff in recent weeks. Over his last ten games, the 23-year-old lefty’s record is 1-1, with a minuscule 0.42 ERA in 21.2 innings. During that span, Person has given up 13 hits, one earned run, and 11 walks, while striking out 25.

The Louisiana native was drafted in 2015 in the ninth round of the Amateur Draft by the Astros out of Louisiana State University. For LSU, he made 62 appearances in 2014-2015 primarily in relief, pitching 59 innings, going 5-1, 3.36 ERA, with 65 K’s. Not just an athlete, Person made the Academic Honor Roll in both years.

After the 2015 draft, Person was assigned to the Tri-City Valley Cats of the Class-A New York-Penn League (Short-Season), where he appeared in 13 games. He had a rough start to his professional career, compiling a 1-4 record, with a 7.33 ERA in 27 innings, with a 1.74 WHIP and allowing opposing hitters a .288 average. Despite the numbers, the Astros saw enough potential to move Person up to Quad Cities this season, and so far, it is paying off.

Related Story: Astros Prospects: Interview with No-Hit Trio McCanna, Garza, and Person.

More from Prospects

Other notes:

INF Kristian Trompiz returned on May 31 to Quad Cities from the Lancaster Jet Hawks (California League, Advanced-A). He was hitting .191 with 14 walks and 53 strikeouts in 45 games this season with Lancaster. The 20-year-old spent all of 2015 with the River Bandits, hitting a respectable .251 in 113 games before moving up to Advanced-A at the start of 2016. Since his return, he is hitting .417 in three games.
On the same day, Aaron Mizell moved up to Lancaster. The versatile 22-year-old has played 2B, left and right field for Quad Cities in his short time there (39 games). He is hitting .325 in his last ten games; overall in 2016 he is at .252 with two home runs, eight doubles, four triples, and 13 RBI. Mizell was a 2015 Round 32 Amateur draft pick for the Astros, hitting .263 with four home runs and 36 RBI in 69 games in his first professional season for Greeneville (Appalachian, Rookie League), and Tri-City (New York-Penn, Short Season, Class-A).
RHP Albert Abreu, Astros #10 prospect, is struggling at Quad Cities. He is 1-6 with a 6.27 ERA in his last ten games/37.1 innings. The good news is he has struck out 58 in that span, but the not so good is he has given up 31 hits, 26 ER, and 23 walks in those games. It might be a good idea to send this young man to Extended Spring Training.
#4 prospect Kyle Tucker worked his way out of a brief slump where, from May 20 through 24, he collected only one hit in five games. He has been back on his game again, batting .324 in his last ten, and is up to .302 as of Saturday’s game (June 4).
Astros #5 prospect Daz Cameron is still in Extended Spring Training. The 19-year-old second-year professional has not yet returned to Quad Cities, but should be placed on an active roster again sometime soon, probably with Tri-City after this week’s Amateur Draft.

Next: Houston Astros: Corpus Christi Player Spotlight – Keegan Yuhl

Quad Cities went 2-5 this week and remain in last place in the Western Division. Next week, (June 5-11), the River Bandits play one more against Burlington, and then finish the home stand with three games with the Beloit Snappers. The next road trip begins with the first two of three in Burlington.

**Statistics provided by MiLB.com and LSU Sports.net. Cover photo courtesy @QCBanditPhotog.**