Astros make MLB history with staff promotion

Astros make MLB history by promoting Hazael Wessin.

This past weekend, the Houston Astros made Major League Baseball history by promoting the first Dominican-born conditioning coach — Hazael Wessin.

After eight seasons in the minor leagues, Wessin has been promoted to the major-league staff as an assistant strength and conditioning coach.

Wessin has worked as a Latin America coordinator, and as a strength coach in the Dominican Summer League, Class-A, Class-A Advanced and Triple-A for Houston. His promotion comes a month after the Astros lost athletic trainer Lee Meyers to the Miami Marlins.

With eight minor-league seasons behind him, Wessin had nothing but gratitude in his announcement on Instagram.

"“Thanks to all the people who believed in me when not a lot of people did,” Wessin said via Instagram. “Carlos Alfonso, Geremias Guzman, Brendan Verner, Bill Firkus and Rachel Balkovec. I’ll always be thankful to each one of you. Thanks to all my former players at the Minor League Level because of you guys I’m the coach I’m today.”"

Many former and present Astros prospects and players were excited for Wessin’s next step, including Robel Garcia, Freudis Nova, Alex De Goti, Garrett Stubbs, Enoli Paredes, Jose Siri and Cristian Javier.

Wessin worked with all these players, mostly at the Triple-A level this past season. He also followed the team during the postseason, as players and staff members of minor-league clubs joined the Astros in October.

These players were the first to congratulate Wessin on social media, while current staff at different minor-league levels reached out as well.

"“Nothing but hard work, discipline, attitude and trust in yourself are key for getting your dream to become real,” DSL Astros strength and conditioning coach Geremias Guzman said to Wessin via Instagram."