Astros Future Player of the Week: Drew Ferguson
The season is slowly dwindling, but the performances of players is not. That was evident yet again this week when a bevy of Astros prospects were considered for this honor. After a late week call up to Double-A Corpus Christi, Drew Ferguson has been named the Astros Future Player of the week.
For the week of August 14th to the 21st, Ferguson was not only a top hitter within the Astros organization, but was one of the hottest hitters in the minor leagues. At both Single-A Advanced and Double-A levels, Ferguson went a combined 10-for-23 (.435) with seven runs scored, a double, three home runs, and 10 RBI.
Ferguson, 24, was the Astros 19th round pick of the 2015 MLB draft out of Belmont University in Nashville. He has progressed nicely within the system starting out last season in the New York-Penn League with the Tri-City ValleyCats, and earning a promotion to Quad Cities of the Midwest league. He hit .297 in his first professional season at both levels.
2016 started out with a stint in Single-A Advanced Lancaster where he would just hit all season. The Astros took notice and late last week Ferguson earned himself yet another promotion, this time to Double-A Corpus Christi. He is 1-for-8 so far, but it will only be a matter of time before he does what he has been doing so far throughout is professional career. He now has a career MiLB line of 153 G, .304 BA/.389 OBP/.482 SLG, 41 2B, 18 HR, 96 RBI, 39 SB.
Honorable Mentions
Colin Moran had a stand out week with the Fresno Grizzlies going 12-for-25 (.480) with a home run and five driven in. Could another call to the bigs be in the cards for Moran? Hard to deny him if he keeps going at this pace.
Former Astros Future Player of the Week Ramon Laureano has been doing a great job at his new level too. Laureano was 11-for-26 (.423) this week with three home runs (which gives him 15 on the season in two levels of competition.
Myles Straw who was recently promoted to Single-A Advanced Lancaster, continues to hit even at the new level. For the week Straw went 10-for-28 with two home runs and five RBI.
Albert Abreu earned a promotion this week as well to Lancaster. He pitched a combined seven innings earning a save (in Quad Cities) and a win (in Lancaster). He allowed just four hits while walk two and striking out eight.
Jorge Alcala from the Greeneville Astros had a win in his five innings of work where he didn’t allow a hit and struck out seven.
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**Photo Credit: Ross Way Phorography**