Thursday, October 30, 2014

An Update on the 2009 Astros Draft Class

Over the last few weeks, we've been looking back at some of the Astros draft classes to see where things stand. Today we'll look at 2009, the second class from the Ed Wade/Bobby Heck era. Let's look at the numbers:

51 players drafted
36 players signed (only one out of the top 26 picks did not sign)
5 players still in the Astros system
21 players still active in organized baseball in 2014*

26 position players drafted/19 signed/3 still in the system
10 from high school/6 signed/3 still in the system
4 from junior college/2 signed/0 still in the system
12 from college/11 signed/0 still in the system

25 pitchers drafted/17 signed/2 still in the system
9 from high school/3 signed/1 still in the system
1 from junior college/1 signed/0 still in the system
15 from college/13 signed/1 still in the system

*Of the 21 players who were still active in baseball in 2014, nine are players who did not sign with Houston, but later signed with other teams, five were released (Wikoff, Hyatt, Castro, Williams and Martinez), two were traded (Hernandez and Goebbert), and five are left in the system from the original draft (Mier, Nash, Meyer, Keuchel and Rivera).

Here is a little on each of them. Active Astros players are in bold. The position shown is the position at which the player was drafted, and I have also indicated in parentheses whether they were drafted out of high school (HS), junior college (JC) or college (C).

1. SS Jiovanni Mier (HS)

Mier split his 2014 season between AA Corpus Christi (.216/.281/.302 in 79 games) and AAA Oklahoma City (.250/.348/.310 in 42 games).

2. RHP Tanner Bushue (HS) - Retired in 2013

Bushue retired at the end of the 2013 season after pitching in the Astros system for five seasons. He had a career ERA of 4.99 and a WHIP of 1.391.

3. OF Telvin Nash (HS)

Nash spent his 2014 season with the Hooks, hitting .227/.330/.484 with four doubles, 22 home runs and 49 RBI in 84 games. He was used primarily at first base and as a designated hitter.

3s. 3B Jonathan Meyer (HS)

Meyer started the season at Oklahoma City and finished it at Corpus Christi, hitting a combined .215/.274/.280 with 13 doubles, two triples, four home runs and 51 RBI.

4. RHP B.J. Hyatt (JC) - Released in 2013

Hyatt played in only eight games (19.1 innings) in 2009 (8.84 ERA and 2.172 WHIP) before spending the next three seasons on the DL. He was released in June 2013 and went on to play independent ball in 2013 and 2014 with a 4.75 ERA and a 1.673 WHIP.

5. SS Brandon Wikoff (C) - Released in 2014

Wikoff played in the system from 2009 through 2013 and was released in March of 2014. In his final two seasons, he missed a lot of time due to injuries, including injuries suffered in a car accident during Spring Training in 2013. After his release, he played independent ball in 2014. He has a lifetime batting line of .270/.346/.300.

6. SS Enrique "Kiké" Hernandez (HS) - Traded in 2014

Hernandez segued into a second baseman and later a utility player prior to making his MLB debut for the Astros on July 1, 2014. He was traded later that month, along with Jarred Cosart and Austin Wates, for Jake Marisnick, Francis Martes, Colin Moran and a 2015 compensatory pick. He has a minor league career batting line of .273/.328/.402 in 512 games and a major league career line of .248/.321/.421 in 42 games.

7. LHP Dallas Keuchel (C)

Keuchel is in his third season in the majors, having made his debut on June 17, 2012. He came into his own in 2014, going 12-9 with a 2.93 ERA, a 1.175 WHIP, five complete games and is a finalist for a Gold Glove.

8. RHP Brandt Walker (C) - Released in 2012

Walker pitched in the system in 2009 and 2010 and then spent 2011 on the DL before being released in March 2012. He has a lifetime ERA of 7.14 and a WHIP of 1.882.

9. SS Ben Orloff (C) - Retired in 2013

Orloff put up a .283/.363/.329 batting line in 355 games over five seasons before voluntarily retiring in June 2013 to become an assistant coach for his alma mater, U.C. Irvine.

10. 3B Erik Castro (C) - Released in 2014

Castro played in the Houston system from 2009 until his release in June 2014 (missing the 2010 season to injury) and then played independent ball until he was picked up by the Braves organization in mid-August. In a total of 459 games over five seasons played, he has a line of .271/.362/.456, playing the bulk of his games at first base.

11. C Bubby Williams (JC) - Released in 2012

Williams played three seasons in the Astros system before his release in March 2012 and three additional seasons (so far) in independent ball with a .223/.248/.351 career line.

12. RHP Geoff Thomas (HS) - Did not sign

Thomas went on to play for the University of Southern Mississippi. It does not appear that he ever played professionally.

13. OF Jake Goebbert (C) - Traded in 2013

Goebbert played in the Astros system until his April 2013 trade to Oakland for Travis Blackley and was subsequently traded to San Diego in May 2014, for whom he made his major league debut on June 20, 2014. In 51 MLB games, he has hit .218/.313/.317. In six minor league seasons, he hit .281/.367/.452.

14. LHP David Berner (C) - Released in 2011

Berner pitched in 90 games over three seasons for the Houston organization with a 5.13 ERA and a 1.644 WHIP.

15. OF Ryan Humphrey (JC) - Released in 2011

Humphrey played two seasons in the system, hitting .215/.278/.276, and was released in March 2011.

16. 1B Ronald Sanchez (HS) - Released in 2011

Sanchez was released in November 2011 after playing three seasons, hitting .174/.268/.203.

17. RHP Justin Harper (C) - Released in 2010

Harper was released after the 2010 season, and was picked up by the Angels (very) briefly in 2011. After one season in independent ball in 2012, he ended with a career 5.08 ERA and 1.656 WHIP.

18. RHP J.B. (James) MacDonald (C) - Released in 2011

MacDonald played one year in 2009, sat out on the restricted list in 2010 and was released in February 2011. He had a 2.53 ERA, a 1.344 WHIP and 8 saves in 23 games.

19. OF Brian Kemp (C) - Released in 2011

Kemp played in the system in 2009 and 2010 with a .244/.347/.285 batting line prior to his January 2011 release.

20. OF J.D. Martinez (C) - Released in 2014

Martinez made his major league debut for Houston on July 30, 2011, just a little over two years after he was drafted. After playing for Houston in three seasons (.251/.300/.387), he was released in March of 2014 and signed by the Tigers two days later. In 123 regular season games for Detroit in 2014, Martinez hit .315/.358/.553. Sigh.

21. 2B Barry Butera (C) - Released/retired after the 2010 season

Baseball America doesn't have the date of his release or retirement, but Butera did not play again after the 2010 season. In 127 games over two seasons, he hit .246/.312/.322.

22. RHP Mark Jones (HS) - Released in 2011

Jones was released after three seasons in the system in which he had a 4.79 ERA and a 1.777 WHIP.

23. RHP Robby Donovan (C) - Released in 2012

Donvan was released in March 2012 after playing in three season with the organization. He played an additional season in independent ball in 2012 and finished his career with a 4.63 ERA and a 1.470 WHIP.

24. LHP Mike Modica (C) - Released in 2011

Modica pitched in the system for two seasons and had a 4.18 ERA and a 1.546 WHIP.

25. 1B Nick Stanley (C) - Released in 2010

Stanley played for two seasons with a .214/.294/.312 batting line.

26. 1B Matt Pare (HS) - Did not sign

Pare signed with the Giants as a non-drafted free agent in June 2013 as a catcher. In two seasons, he has hit .218/.333/.308, although he has only played in a total of 29 games.

27. 3B Aaron Bray (C) - Released in 2010

Bray played in the organization for two seasons, predominantly at first base, hitting .256/.344/.317.

28. RHP Eric Anderson (HS) - Did not sign

Anderson played at the University of Missouri from 2010 through 2014 (missing the better part of a year after undergoing TJ surgery) and then pitched in independent ball in 2014. In 23 appearances, he had a 2.65 ERA and a 1.118 WHIP, walking 9 and striking out 40 in 34 innings.

29. OF Garen Wright (HS) - Released in 2012

Wright played in the organization for three seasons and then was released after sitting out the 2012 season. In 99 games, he hit .222/.304/.277.

30. RHP Brandon Petite (HS) - Did not sign

It appears that Petite played one season for Texas Tech in 2010, but never played professionally.

31. LHP Travis Smink (C) - Released in 2011

Smink pitched in the Astros system for three seasons with a 4.57 ERA and a 1.371 WHIP.

32. RHP Greg Peavey (C) - Did not sign

Peavey was drafted out of Oregon State in the 6th round in 2010 by the Mets and has played in that system from 2011 through 2014 with a 4.48 ERA and a 1.326 WHIP.

33. RHP Brenden Stines (C) - Released in 2011

Stines was released in March 2011 after pitching in the system for two seasons with a 4.25 ERA and a 1.611 WHIP.

34. RHP Scott Migl (C) - Released in 2010

Migl only pitched for the organization for one season in 2009 and then one season in independent ball in 2010. He had a career 5.85 ERA and 1.902 WHIP.

35. OF Grant Hogue (C) - Retired in 2013

Hogue played in the system for four seasons, but struggled with injuries that final season. In a total of 322 games, he hit .289/.361/.357.

36. SS Tyler Saladino (JC) - Did not sign

Saladino was drafted by the White Sox in 2010 out of Oral Roberts University and has played in that organization from 2010 through 2014, hitting .262/.353/.398 (.310/.367/.483 in 82 games for their AAA club in 2014).

37. RHP Raul Rivera (HS)

Rivera missed 2011 on the DL, but otherwise has played in the Astros system from 2009 through 2014. He spent the majority of his 2014 season pitching for Tri-City with a late promotion to Quad Cities. In 22 games in 2014, he had a 2.97 ERA and a 1.266 WHIP. He will be 24 in February.

Raul Rivera - July 2014
Photo by Jayne Hansen

38. OF Sean Barksdale (C) - Released in 2010

Barksdale was released in March 2010 after playing only one season in the system, hitting .175/.234/.301.

39. RHP Rory Young (HS) - Did not sign

It appears that Young played for five different colleges (an injury after four games in 2012 earned him a medical redshirt). It doesn't appear that he has played professionally.

40. RHP Dan Sarisky (C) - Released in 2010

Sarisky pitched in the organization for two seasons with a 4.15 ERA and a 1.648 WHIP.

41. C Carlos Escobar (HS) - Did not sign

Escobar was drafted by the Cubs in the 15th round in 2012 out of the University of Nevada-Reno and played in their system for three years, hitting .229/.316/.358, prior to his release in March 2014.

42. OF Ivory Thomas (HS) - Did not sign

Drafted by the Twins in the 34th round in 2013, Thomas played in two seasons for that organization, hitting .198/.414/.275. He was released in June 2014.

43. RHP Anthony Tzamtzis (HS) - Did not sign

Tzamtzis was drafted out of North Carolina State in the 32nd round in 2013 by the Rays. In his first two seasons, he has a 5.23 ERA and a 1.645 WHIP.

44. RHP Mike Schurz (C) - Released in 2010

Schurz pitched for two seasons in the Astros system and one additional season in 2011 in independent ball and ended his career with a 5.37 ERA and a 1.612 WHIP.

45. 2B Adrian Morales (JC) - Did not sign

Morales was drafted by the Royals in the 49th round in 2011 out of the University of South Carolina. Playing predominantly at third base over three seasons and hitting .223/.335/.308, he was released in June 2013.

46. SS Justin Gonzalez (HS) - Did not sign

Gonzalez was drafted by the Dodgers in the 27th round in 2012 and did not sign and was drafted once more in the 9th round in 2014 out of Florida State University by the D'Backs. In his first 40 professional games, he hit .198/.314/.382.

47. RHP Matt Branham (C) - Did not sign

Branham was drafted by the Padres in the 27th round in 2010 out of the University of South Carolina Upstate. In five seasons with that organization, he has a 4.02 ERA and a 1.331 WHIP.

48. LHP Paco Rodriguez (HS) - Did not sign

Rodriguez was drafted by the Dodgers in the second round in 2012 out of the University of Florida and made his major league debut later that year on September 9th (at the ripe old age of 21). He has currently pitched in 106 games for the Dodgers over three seasons with a 2.51 ERA and a 0.960 WHIP. He moved back and forth from AAA to the majors several times in the 2014 season.

49. 1B Matt Smith (C) - Did not sign

Smith was signed by the Marlins as a non-drafted free agent in November 2011 and was released in August 2013 after hitting .271/.344/.471.

50. LHP Spencer Hylander (C) - Released in 2010

Hylander only pitched in the organization for one season with a 3.23 ERA and a 1.154 WHIP and pitched an additional season in independent ball in 2010, ending his career with a 5.40 ERA and a 1.417 WHIP.

Previous draft reviews:

2007 Draft
2008 Draft
2012 Draft

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