Astros Minors: The Corpus Christi Hooks Are Playoff Ready

Offense

J.D. Davis ranks in the top ten in nearly every offensive statistic in the Texas League this year. The young infielder leads the league in doubles and is tied for first in total bases after yet another productive week at the plate driving in 10 runs and mashing a pair of doubles and two home runs. Davis is the first Hooks player to win the Texas League Player of the Week four times in a single season. In Monday’s regular season finale Davis hit a go-ahead grand slam in the 9th inning. Not bad J.D.

Davis has plenty of help this week from Drew Ferguson and Ramon Laureano. This relatively new outfield duo has combined for just 161 at-bats at the Double-A level in 2016 yet have a combined slash line of .324/.411/.568 with 13 doubles, three triples, eight home runs, and 20 RBI in 51 combined games. It’s a luxury to have one player with a .900 or better OPS on your team, but the Hooks have three in Ferguson, Laureano, and catcher Garrett Stubbs.

Related Story: Corpus Christi Player of the Week: Drew Ferguson

The future Astros catcher?

Stubbs had an impressive week of his own going 5 for 13 with a pair of doubles and scoring three runs. Stubbs continues to keep his name at the periphery of the catching conversation that has rumbled in Houston all year.

With Jason Castro a coin flip to return in 2016, Stubbs might find a way to earn himself an invitation to spring training next year. Tyler White is proof that the Astros aren’t afraid to start the season with a fresh face if he’s playing good baseball.

We talked to Ferguson about Stubbs on last night’s Talking Stros.

Time will tell, but the Hooks backstop has a .304 average with a 1.12 strikeout to walk ratio in the minors this season. Castro is hitting .218 with a 2.58 strikeout to walk ratio, and Evan Gattis is hitting .250 with a 3.18 strikeout to walk ratio. They’re playing at completely different levels, but Stubbs has learned at least a look from the Astros.

Next: Defense and Pitching

Pitching and Defense

Two weeks ago Dean Deetz was pitching in Lancaster. In his last game as a Jethawk, the 22-year-old right-hander out of Northeastern Oklahoma A&M received a no-decision while allowing three earned runs in three innings.

Since that start, Deetz has pitched 12 innings for the Hooks with a spotless 0.00 ERA and 17 strikeouts. Opposing Double-A batters are hitting just .175 against him (7 hits in 12 innings)  and have reached via the walk just twice, leaving Deetz with a .750 WHIP.

Trent Thornton, another relatively new addition to the Corpus Christi rotation, pitched well in an eight inning, eight hit victory over Frisco. The fifth round selection of the Astros in 2015, Thornton has carried a 5.91 SO/BB rate and a 3.45 ERA in 39 appearances between Tri-Cities, Lancaster, and Corpus Christi.

Thornton has been efficient and effective since his promotion to AA with the best walk rate (less than one free pass per nine innings) on the team.

Next: The Stros Strike Back with a Win in Arlington

The most dominant relief performance of the week came from Jacob Dorris. Who notched five strikeouts in two innings of work, picking up the save on Wednesday. Dorris was a Texas A&M Corpus Christi product has 16 punch outs in nine and two-thirds innings pitched in Double-A, a rate of 14.9 strikeouts per nine innings. He also holds a .830 WHIP and a 1.86 ERA. Even with the recent promotions, the Hooks have plenty of young, talented arms to carry them through the playoffs.

***Statistics from MiLB.com and Baseball Reference***