Take Me Down to Space City & then the City of Fountains
Reviewing the Astros & Royals
Houston Astros (106-56, 1st in AL West, 2022 World Series champions)
Triple-A Sugar Land Space Cowboys, 73-75, 4th in PCL West
Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks, 63-74, 5th overall in Texas League South
High-A Asheville Tourists, 62-69, 4th overall in South Atlantic League South
Single-A Fayetteville Woodpeckers, 55-75, 5th overall in Carolina League South
Top 5 Prospects (per Prospects Live 11.23.2022)
1. Hunter Brown, RHP, Sugar Land, 9-4, 2.55 ERA, 106 IP, 1.08 WHIP
2. Drew Gilbert, OF, 2022 MLB Draft - Rd.1 - Pick 28, University of Tennessee
3. Yainer Diaz, C, Sugar Land, 445 AB, .306/.356/.542, currently playing for Leones del Escogido in LIDOM
4. Pedro Leon, OF, Sugar Land, 413 AB, .228/.365/.431, currently playing for Cangrejeros de Santurce in Puerto Rico winter league
5. Jacob Melton, OF, Fayetteville, 88 AB, .261/.353/.466 between Rookie and High-A
Personal Prospect Pick
RHP Alex Santos, Fayetteville, would be the player that I’m interested seeing more of in 2023. Santos has that starting pitcher build standing in at 6ft 4in with some physical projection remaining. He has a high spin fastball with an above average to plus curveball and within a four pitch mix (FB, CB, SL, CU). He’ll need to rein in command issues and lower the number of HR per fly ball, his HR/FB% is very high, to reach that potential. He’s only 20 years of age so there is plenty of time for the pieces to click together.
Canadian Content 🍁
NONE
Kansas City Royals (65-97, 27 GB, 5th in AL Central)
Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers, 71-78, 7th in International League East
Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals, 58-79, 5th overall in Texas League North
High-A Quad Cities River Bandits, 54-78, 6th overall in Midwest League West
Single-A Columbia Fireflies, 52-79, 6th overall in Carolina League South
Top 5 Prospects (per MLB Pipeline, 11.23.2022)
Gavin Cross, OF, 2022 MLB Draft - Rd. 1 - Pick 9, Virginia Tech
Ben Kudrna, RHP, Columbia, 2-5, 3.48 ERA, 72.1 IP, 1.35 WHIP
Cayden Wallace, 3B, 2022 MLB Draft - Rd.2 - Pick 49, University of Arkansas
Nick Loftin, OF, Omaha, 516 AB, .254/.333/.403 across Double & Triple-A
Maikel Garcia, SS, Omaha, 487 AB, .285/.359/.427 across Double and Triple-A
Personal Prospect Pick
Carter Jensen is a player that I’m interested in this season and likely for many more seasons after 2023. The left handed hitting, 19 year old catcher spent the season in Columbia with the Fireflies. Over 485 PA Jensen had a .356 wOBA, .745 OPS, .155 ISO, 21.2 K% and a 17.1 BB%. He’s athletically built with some pop, especially pull side, in the bat. Carter regularly makes quality contact and has an advanced approach in spite of his young age. He has the tools to stay behind the plate long term, even though a move to a corner OF spot may be in the cards at some point down the road. KC is in no rush with Carter so he’ll have plenty of opportunity to develop. I’m very much interested in getting looks at all the younger prospects now in the KC system. Maybe all of Jensen, Cross, Kudrna & Wallace at once with Columbia? That could be fun. We’ll see after spring training.
Canadian Content 🍁
RHP Eric Cerantola, Oakville ON, Mississippi St: Quad Cities, Columbia (1-3, 5.34 ERA, 30.1 IP, 1.62 WHIP)
Random Retired MLB Hoser Eh 🍁
More fun over at Baseball Reference -
From an ERA+ perspective, Joe’s best years were his first two in the majors (1937 - 166 ERA+, 1938 - 145 ERA+)
Most innings pitched in a season = 217.1 IP in 1939
Joe did not play in 1943, 1944 and 1945 due to his military service
Well that’s about it for this time around. Thanks for stopping by and I be talking with ya in a while. Until then…Keep It 80 Grade