Houston Astros MiLB Players Of The Month: August
The another month of the minor league season in the books, Let’s take a look at the best performances in the Astros system in August.
*Just a note, these are my picks for the month*
AAA: Fresno Grizzlies
HITTER: Jon Kemmer, OF
- August Stats: 31 G, .280 BA/.338 OBP/.568 SLG, 14 R, 10 2B, 3B, 8 HR, 25 RBI, 4 SB
Kemmer started off the season slow but has really picked it up lately. Including a good month of August, he is hitting .278 with 12 HR, 36 RBI in 47 games. That is good for a .953 OPS. With a potential opening next season in the outfield, this surge has came at a great time.
PITCHER: Cesar Valdez, RHP
- August Stats: 3-0, 1.85 ERA, 34.0 IP, 37 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 2 BB, 35 SO
Valdez was signed as a minor league free agent in the off season and he has been a great addition. He is now 12-1 with a 3.12 ERA and 13 BB/114 K in 138.1 innings this season. He should be a guy who will get a shot somewhere next season.
AA: Corpus Christi Hooks
HITTER: Ramon Laureano, OF
- August Stats: 24 G, .318 BA/.414 OBP/.529 SLG, 15 R, 4 2B, 3B, 4 HR, 9 RBI, 14 BB/20 SO, 6 SB
Laureano has possibly been the breakout prospect of the Astros system this season. After hitting well in Lancaster he earned a promotion to Corpus where he continued his hot hitting. In August, he showed a nice power/speed/patient approach evident by his .944 OPS.
PITCHER: Francis Martes, RHP
- August Stats: 3-1, 2.16 ERA, 33.1 IP, 24 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 5 BB, 37 SO, .190 BAA
This is the second time he was the pitcher of the month for Corpus. Martes flat out dominated hitters in August with a phenomenal 5 BB/37 SO ratio over 33.1 innings. He came into the season as a consensus top 50 prospect in baseball and he has definitely improved that this season.
A+: Lancaster Jethawks
HITTER: Drew Ferguson, OF
- August Stats: 23 G, .398 BA/.442 OBP/.731 SLG, 26 R, 8 2B, 7 HR, 26 RBI, 4 SB
Another great month for Ferguson. The line above was split between A+/AA with the majority of the time coming with Lancaster. Ferguson has put together a very good season showing a nice combination of speed and power.
PITCHER: Jose Hernandez, RHP
- August Stats: 3-1, 3.51 ERA, 25.2 IP, 29 H, 12 R, 10 ER, 5 BB, 24 SO
Hernandez was flat out dominant for Quad Cities before being promoted to Lancaster. He struggled early on but picked it up in August posting a 3.51 ERA. On the season he has a 3.12 ERA with 24 BB/119 K in 118.1 innings.
A: Quad Cities River Bandits
HITTER: Dexture McCall, OF
- August Stats: 25 G, .295 BA/.352 OBP/.411 SLG, 8 R, 6 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 17 RBI, 8 BB/19 SO
Quad Cities offense has struggled but McCall has been the steady piece. Overall on the season he is hitting .286 with 20 2B, 8 HR, 54 RBI. He is a career .282 hitter in 213 minor league games.
PITCHER: Framber Valdez, LHP
- August Stats: 1-3, 3.26 ERA, 30.1 IP, 26 H, 14 R, 11 ER, 9 BB, 29 K, .241 BAA
Valdez is a 22 year old lefty who is having a mini breakout season pitching across three different levels of play. Overall he is 4-4 with a 3.06 ERA and 21 BB/78 K in 67.2 innings.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Evan Grills, LHP (AAA) – 3-2, 2.51 ERA, 32.1 IP, 27 H, 4 BB, 30 K, .221 BAA
Trent Thornton, RHP (AA) – 3-1, 2.25 ERA, 40 IP, 38 H, 5 BB, 35 K
Cy Sneed, RHP (AA) – 2-1, 2.27 ERA, 31.2 IP, 26 H, 4 BB, 24 K, .215 BAA
Trent Woodward, C (A+) – .313 BA/.440 OBP/.463 SLG, 6 2B, 2 HR, 15 RBI, 19 BB/20 SO
Kyle Tucker, OF (A/A+) – .311 BA/.393 OBP/.563 SLG, 8 2B, 3 3B, 4 HR, 18 RBI, 2 SB, 13 BB/18 SO
Myles Straw, OF (A/A+) – .385 BA/.454 OBP/.481 SLG, 5 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 10 RBI, 4 SB
Albert Abreu, RHP (A/A+) – 2.25 ERA, 20.0 IP, 15 H, 11 BB, 21 K, .214 BAA
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**
