Astros Future Player of the Week: Derek Fisher
It is hard to believe that the Minor League Baseball regular season has come to a close. All of the hard work has paid off for so many players not only within the Astros organization, but in all of baseball. Some players are realizing their dreams to make it to the big leagues is right around the corner. Others, it may seem more distant but their love of the game still thrives. Having said that it is with great pleasure that we announce Derek Fisher as the final Astros Future Player of the Week for 2016. It wasn’t an easy decision, but after the back and forth was over Fisher’s play at the Triple-A level couldn’t be overlooked.
Fisher, 23, went an impressive 14-for-28 with four runs, six doubles, a home run, two RBI, and also added three stolen bases this past week for the Fresno Grizzlies. It should be noted that he also walked three times as well. Batting .500 for a week at any point of a season is a feat. Fisher raised his average from .257 to .290 this week while raising his on base percentage from .309 to .347 in that span. It was certainly quite a way to end a season and pushing for one final promotion from the minor leagues to the major leagues.
The Houston Astros selected Fisher in the first round (37th overall) in the 2014 first player draft out of the University of Virginia. He was originally selected a few years earlier by the Texas Rangers (6th Round, 2011) but didn’t sign and became a Cavalier instead. The often difficult choice to choose school over playing professionally certainly paid off.
After signing, Fisher split time between the Gulf Coast Astros (one game) and the Single-A Short Season Tri-City ValleyCats. He certainly made his presence known hitting a combined .310 with 10 of his 48 hits being extra base hits. He added 17 stolen bases to that as well. That natural progression for a minor league player continued as he spent the 2015 season with Quad Cities and Lancaster. He showed the Astros much more adding power to his already impressive repertoire belting 22 home runs combined with both teams.
2016 started with Fisher playing for the Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks. He spent a majority of this season there before being promoted to Triple-A Fresno in early August. His average dropped a little in the Texas League but got back to normal once in Triple-A. The right fielder has competition and could be blocked from the next step in his journey, but it wouldn’t be a stretch to see him in big league spring training and maybe even with the Astros at some point in 2017.
Honorable Mentions
Jason Martin had an outstanding week for the Lancaster JetHawks. The outfielder went 10-for-20 with six runs, three doubles, three home runs, and nine RBI. His performance was one of the reasons this week’s pick was a tough one.
Fisher’s teammate Alejandro Garcia had a nice week for the Grizzlies going 12-for-32 scoring five runs and driving in one.
It is rare that we see a pitcher making the list but Jacob Dorris picked up two saves this week allowing one hit in four innings with eight strike outs for Corpus Christi.
Lancaster’s Kyle Tucker (9-for-22, 7 R, 5 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI) and Aaron Mizell (10-for-17, 5 R, 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 7 RBI) were also both considered for the award for the weeks they both had.
Be sure to subscribe to receive weekly updates on the Astros minor league system. Also be sure to follow on Twitter, @AstrosFuture, and like my Facebook page, facebook.com/AstrosFuture.
**Photo Credit: Kiel Maddox/Fresno Grizzlies**
