Former Astros Top Prospect Continues Career on Minor-League Deal

Former Astros outfielder, Derek Fisher, continues career on minor-league deal with the Twins.

The Houston Astros traded away outfielder Derek Fisher to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for Cal Stevenson (minors), Joe Biagini and Aaron Sanchez. All players in this trade are no longer with the organization they were dealt to, while Stevenson was packaged for right-hander Austin Pruitt in 2020.

Sanchez and Biagini remained on the roster until the end of the 2020 season, while both hurlers contributed to the combined no-hitter in August of 2019. Fisher didn’t make a huge splash in Toronto, after falling to a face injury in his first few weeks with the Blue Jays.

The 2017 World Series champion only had one postseason plate appearance to his name from the same year, while having a walk and a run, too.

Fisher, a former first-round pick, was traded for Paxton Schultz to the Milwaukee Brewers, before 2021 spring training, and then granted free agency after the season. The 28-year-old couldn’t stay on the 40-man roster, while having only eight at-bats this past season.

Fisher never hit close to the league-average of a .750 OPS in 112 games for the Astros. His lack of consistency at the plate led to him being dealt for pitching depth at the 2019 trade deadline.

Now, Fisher continues his professional career on a minor-league contract with the Minnesota Twins. The left-handed hitter was ranked the 83rd-best prospect before the 2017 season by MLB Pipeline, while also participating in the 2017 Futures Game.

Fisher has a chance to revive his career with an organization that doesn’t have a set outfield core behind Bryon Buxton. Darren Wolfson of ABC 5 in Minneapolis believes Fisher will make it back to the major leagues in 2022, while an invite to spring training is likely in his future.