Astros announce prospects of the month for May

The Astros named Hunter Brown and Quincy Hamilton their top prospects for the month of May.

The Houston Astros announced their Minor League Players of the Month for May on Friday with Hunter Brown being crowned the Pitcher of the Month and outfielder Quincy Hamilton taking the title of Player of the Month.

With Triple-A Sugar Land, Brown — who won a Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week in May — posted a 1.21 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP over 22.1 innings pitched with 30 punch outs and a .179 opposing batting average.

For Hamilton, the 2022 fifth-round pick made the jump from Single-A Fayetteville to High-A Asheville in May, where he continued his dominant stretch at the plate. The lefty slashed to a .381 batting average and a 1.099 OPS, while launching four home runs, scoring 18 times and accounting for 11 RBI.

On the year, Hamilton has 12 stolen bases on 13 chances, while having stolen two bases in three separate games this season. The 23-year-old is already off to a hot stretch on the base paths in June with four swiped bases through three starts.

Two other Astros’ prospects take home awards in May.

Double-A infielder Enmanuel Valdez earned Texas League Player of the Month for May, posting a .367 batting average with 10 home runs and 26 RBI. The 23-year-old is slashing to the tune of a 1.103 OPS this season with the Corpus Christi Hooks — undoubtedly the best hitter in the club’s lineup.

Right-handed pitcher Cesar Gomez took home South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Week honors for May 23-29 for High-A Asheville, becoming the second Tourist to be named to the award this season.

Gomez worked six-scoreless innings in his lone start for the week, yielding only two hits and no walks to a career-high nine strikeouts. Not one batter from Greensboro reached second base against Gomez.