Astros MiLB Post-Season All-Star Team
The 2016 minor league regular season is in the rear-view mirror. There were some great performances on the Astros farm this season. Let’s take a look at the Astros minor league All-Star team.
C – Garrett Stubbs
Stubbs was drafted out of USC just last season. He was known as a great defender but has really made good strides with the bat. He got off to a nice start in Lancaster but continued his hot hitting in Corpus and actually improved in every category slashing .325/.401/.517 over 31 AA games. He also stole 15 bases and does a great job making contact. He has definitely established himself as the best catching prospect in the Astros system.
2016 Stats: 86 G, .304 BA/.391 OBP/.469 SLG, 22 2B, 10 HR, 54 RBI, 15 SB, 43 BB/48 SO
Honorable Mention: Jamie Ritchie
1B – AJ Reed
After a phenomenal 2015 season, Reed struggled a bit early on. He would pick it up though and eventually earned a promotion to the Astros. After a short stint with Houston he went back to AAA and hit .436 with 4 HR, 14 RBI in 11 games earning another promotion. While he hasn’t got it going with Houston, the talent is definitely there. Overall, Reedhad a very nice season in AAA and still appears to be the first baseman of the future for the Astros.
2016 Stats: 70 G, .291 BA/.358 OBP/.556 SLG, 22 2B, 15 HR, 50 RBI, 32 BB/67 SO
Honorable Mention: Dexture McCall
2B – Danny Worth
Worth was signed by the Astros in the off-season and really put together a very good season in AAA. He hit .347 with 3 HR, 12 RBI in April and .375 with 4 HR, 18 RBI in May. He earned a promotion to Houston and hit just .179 in 39 at bats. He went back to AAA and continued to hit and help Fresno push for a playoff spot. Worth should get a chance with another MLB team at some point.
2016 Stats: 84 G, .330 BA/.431 OBP/.525 SLG, 22 2B, 2 3B, 11 HR, 48 RBI, 5 SB, 54 BB/72 SO
Honorable Mention: Nick Tanielu
3B – JD Davis
Davis had a good season in 2015 but it came in a hitter friendly California League. He answered any questions this season showing his power plays outside of Lancaster. Davis hit 34 2B, 23 HR in 126 games and an OPS of over .800. He struggled out of the gate hitting .172 in April but had a stellar May where he hit .306 with 9 HR, 25 RBI. In 64 games in the second half of the season he hit .291 with an .865 OPS. He should start 2017 in AAA.
2016 Stats: 126 G, .268 BA/.334 OBP/.485 SLG, 34 2B, 23 HR, 81 RBI, 45 BB/143 SO
Honorable Mention: Colin Moran
SS – Alex Bregman
The #2 overall pick from 2015 came out of the gate destroying the ball in 2016. He hit .297 with 14 HR, 46 RBI in 62 AA games before being promoted to AAA. He didn’t slow down in Fresno hitting .333 with 6 HR, 15 RBI in 18 games. The Astros promoted Bregman and after a slow start, he has been one of the better hitters on the big league team. He now has 30 RBI in 41 MLB games.
2016 Stats: 80 G, .306 BA/.406 OBP/.580 SLG, 72 R, 22 2B, 20 HR, 61 RBI, 7 SB, 47 BB/38 SO (AA/AAA)
Honorable Mention: Osvaldo Duarte
OF – Teoscar Hernandez
Hernandez has been one of the higher potential outfielders in the Astros system for a few years now. He had a breakout 2014 season, creating huge expectations for him in 2015. Unfortunately, 2015 was a down year for him but he bounced back in a big way this season. Teoscar improved his walk rate and lowered his strikeout while hitting .307 between AA/AAA earning him a promotion to the Astros.
2016 Stats: 107 G, .307 BA/.377 OBP/.459 SLG, 28 2B, 3 3B, 10 HR, 53 RBI, 34 SB, 45 BB/80 SO
OF – Ramon Laureano
I chose Laureano as one of the breakout prospects for this season and the 2014 16th rounder has done just that. He started the season with Lancaster and put up great numbers hitting .317 with 10 HR, 60 RBI, 33 SB in 80 games. Some believed this to be a Lancaster mirage but he hit even better in AA with a .981 OPS. Laureano might be the breakout prospect of the season and has definitely put his name on some top prospect lists.
2016 Stats: 116 G, .319 BA/.428 OBP/.528 SLG, 28 2B, 7 3B, 15 HR, 73 RBI, 43 SB, 70 BB/119 SO
OF – Jason Martin
Martin was drafted by the Astros in the 8th round of the 2013 draft. After a solid 2015 campaign, I chose him to be a breakout prospect as well. Martin has shown great power this season, though in a hitter friendly league. He also was one of three players to be 20 HR/20 SB guys in all of minor league baseball this season. Next year in Corpus Christi will be a real test for him.
2016 Stats: 110 G, .270 BA/.357 OBP/.533 SLG, 22 2B, 7 3B, 23 HR, 75 RBI, 20 SB, 55 BB/108 SO
OF – Drew Ferguson
Ferguson is looking to be another late round steal for the Astros. Drafted in the 19th round in 2015, Ferguson put together a very good 2016 season. He started the year in Lancaster and hit .313 with 14 HR, 69 RBI in 90 games. In the 10 games prior to his promotion to Corpus Christi, Ferguson hit .488 with 5 HR, 20 RBI. He continued his hot hitting in Corpus slashing .327/.397/.615 in 15 AA games.
2016 Stats: 105 G, .315 BA/.408 OBP/.542 SLG, 29 2B, 3 3B, 17 HR, 76 RBI, 30 SB, 51 BB/95 SO
Honorable Mention: Derek Fisher, Kyle Tucker, Jon Kemmer, Myles Straw
SP – Brady Rodgers
Rodgers was a 3rd round pick out of Arizona State in 2012. After a great showing in rookie ball he had a couple rough season but always had the potential to breakout, and he did just that this season. He posted a 5.14 ERA in April but since has posted a 2.43 ERA with 102 K in 111 innings. He has since been called up to the Astros and has made two relief appearances.
2016 Stats: 12-4, 2.86 ERA, 132.0 IP, 129 H, 42 ER, 23 BB, 116 K, 7.9 K/9, 5.0 K/BB
SP – David Paulino
Paulino was the PTBNL in the trade that sent Veras to Detroit. He missed all of 2014 due to Tommy John Surgery but has made a resurgence since. Last season he 5-3 with a 2.81 ERA over three different levels. He was even better this season pitching in AA and AAA. His dominant performance earned him a callup to the Astros where he just made his MLB debut yesterday.
2016 Stats: 5-4, 2.00 ERA, 90.0 IP, 72 H, 20 ER, 19 BB, 106 K, 10.6 K/9
SP – Joseph Musgrove
Acquired from the Blue Jays in the summer of 2012. The former first round pick bounced around rookie ball for a few years before having a breakout 2013 season where he went 12-1 with a 1.88 ERA over three different levels. He came into the season as a top 100 prospect and dominated the Texas League with a 0.34 ERA over 26.1 innings. He got promoted to Fresno where he pitched well enough to earn a promotion to Houston.
2016 Stats: 7-4, 2.74 ERA, 85.1 IP, 79 H, 26 ER, 10 BB, 87 K, 8.7 K/BB
SP – Rogelio Armenteros
Signed by the Astros out of Cuba, Armenteros has had one of the better seasons in the Astros system. After making his stateside debut last season, he has established himself as a legit pitching prospect. Armenteros finished the season leading the Astros minor league system in strikeouts with 140 K in 127.1 innings.
2016 Stats: 8-6, 3.53 ERA, 127.1 IP, 116 H, 40 ER, 44 BB/140 K, 9.9 K/9
SP – Francis Martes
Martes was an under the radar acquisition in 2014 from Florida. Martes, just like Musgrove, had a breakout 2015 season pitching across three levels at just 19 years old and making it to AA. This season he has pitched the whole year with Corpus and after a slow start, he has dominated the Texas League. At just 20 years old, he has established himself as one of the best pitching prospects in baseball striking out 131 batters in 125.1 innings.
2016 Stats: 9-6, 3.30 ERA, 125.1 IP, 104 H, 46 ER, 47 BB/131 K, 9.4 K/9
Honorable Mention: Trent Thornton, Evan Grills, Mike Hauschild, Cy Sneed, Cesar Valdez
RP – James Hoyt
Hoyt was another acquisition by Luhnow, coming over in the Gattis trade prior to the 2015 season. While an older prospect, he dominated AAA. Hoyt struck out 93 hitters in 55 innings with a 1.64 ERA.
2016 Stats: 4-3, 1.64 ERA, 29 SV, 55.0 IP, 29 H, 10 ER, 19 BB/93 K, 15.2 K/9
RP – Jacob Dorris
Dorris was signed as an undrafted free agent after the 2015 draft. While he isn’t a fireballer by any means, he mixes speed well and has a wipeout slider. This is evident by his 92 K over 62.1 innings.
2016 Stats: 2-0, 3.32 ERA, 62.1 IP, 52 H, 23 ER, 27 BB/92 K, 13.3 K/9
Honorable Mention: Ryan Deemes, Brendan McCurry, Tyler Britton, Nick Hernandez
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**Photo Credit: Kiel Maddox/Fresno Grizzlies**
