Astros’ Fans, Don’t forget about Teoscar Hernandez!
The wait is finally over, Astros fans!
Alex Bregman has officially been called up to join the Astros in Houston for the series against the Yankees. Bregman’s journey through the minors was just a calendar year, but man did he leave his mark. Preceding his call to the show, Bregman hit an accumulated .306 between AA and AAA with 20 long balls, 61 RBI’s and an OPS north of .980.
It’s hard to live up to the hype of being a #2 overall draft pick, but Bregman did, and he should be an instant boost to this offense that is already one of the most explosive in baseball.
With Bregman finally on the big league club, you might wonder who else is there to be excited about? Well, let me introduce you to Mr. Teoscar Hernandez.
Hernandez was signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2011 and immediately began to blossom in the Astros system. Five years later at the age of 23, it has all come together. What used to be raw talent has turned into polished skills that are evident every single time he takes the field.
2014 was a breakout year for Hernandez, and everything seemed to come together, and he put up great numbers between Single-A and Double-A. He finished the campaign hitting .292 with 21 long balls and 33 stolen bases while only being caught nine times.
The boys at Talking Stros were asked about the future in center field this week.
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After a down 2015 season, Hernandez has bounced back immensely this season. The Hernandez-Bregman duo has haunted Double-A and Triple-A all season long, as Hernandez matched Bregman’s production with monster numbers of his own. In 89 games, he is hitting .311 with nine home runs and 30 stolen bases, including a .333 average in his first 20 games with the Fresno Grizzlies.
Being the most polished five-tool player in the system, Astros fans are going to love him when he makes his appearance. While Hernandez obviously excels on the offensive side of the ball, he is said to have the best outfield arm of all Astros, including the likes of Springer, Gomez, and Rasmus.
Next: Astros: The Alex Bregman and Yulieski Gurriel Plan is Unfolding
Everyone is always looking for the next big thing, and you won’t have to look any further than Fresno, California. Outside of George Springer, the outfield has been a hit or miss on the offensive side of the ball, which is why I believe we may see Teoscar sometime this season. Even if we don’t see him this year, I absolutely expect to see him roaming the outfield come April of 2017.
***Stats from MiLB.com***