Astros Farm Report: 12/20

I don't know about you, but I am relishing the fact that there is blessedly little news coming on the Astros front this week. Hopefully, everyone is using this time to enjoy the holiday season and time with family and friends.

One minor (league) piece of news that came out this week is that the Astros signed Rachel Balkovec to be their Latin America Strength and Conditioning Coordinator. According to her twitter bio, she is the first female Strength and Conditioning Coach in professional baseball. To see how she got there, check out this great MLB.com article.

Also, in case you missed it, I had a chance to talk with Fresno Grizzles Closer James Hoyt about the long and circuitous journey that has him on the cusp of a major league call-up.

The only recent transaction I've seen is that OF Alex Presley signed a minor league deal with the Brewers with an invitation to Spring Training. The ongoing transaction list is here.

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming ...

WISHING A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO

12-21: RHP Asher Wojciechowski (27)
12-23: RHP Scott Weathersby (24)

TWEET OF THE WEEK

Don't goto the mall in Puerto Rico the Saturday before Christmas ever in your lifetime #PlazasAmericas

— Travis Ballew (@ImBallewDabaDi) December 19, 2015

FALL/WINTER LEAGUE STATS

Here is how the Astros players participating in fall and winter leagues have fared to date (through Saturday, the 19th, unless otherwise noted):

ARIZONA FALL LEAGUE - FALL LEAGUE ENDED 11/21
3B J.D. Davis - .279/.329/.456 in 17 games
OF Derek Fisher - .254/.397/.424 in 17 games
IF Chan-Jong Moon - .093/.241/.116 in 13 games
1B A.J. Reed - .231/.326/.385 in 11 games
LHP Chris Cotton - 1.17 ERA/0.783 WHIP in 8 games (7.2IP)
LHP Brian Holmes - 1.13 ERA/1.250 WHIP in 6 games (16.0IP)
LHP Albert Minnis - 2.31 ERA/1.200 WHIP in 9 games (11.2IP)
RHP Keegan Yuhl - 7.88 ERA/1.625 WHIP in 8 games (8.0IP)

New Astro Brendan McCurry, obtained in the Jed Lowrie trade, went 0-1 with a 4.73 ERA and a 1.125 WHIP in 11 games (13.1 IP) in the Arizona Fall League.

DOMINICAN WINTER LEAGUE
OF Andrew Aplin - .300/.313/.467 in 8 games
C Tyler Heineman - .190/.288/.224 in 19 games - no longer playing
OF Teoscar Hernandez - .250/.275/.250 in 16 games
1B/DH Tyler White - .294/.421/.497 in 43 games
RHP Jake Buchanan - 2.01 ERA/0.830 WHIP in 7 games (31.1IP) - no longer playing
LHP Reymin Guduan - 4.22 ERA/1.875 WHIP in 13 games (10.2IP) - last played 12/3
RHP Jandel Gustave - 2.87 ERA/1.277 WHIP in 14 games (15.2IP) - last played 11/28
RHP Angel Heredia - 13.50 ERA/2.500 WHIP in 2 games (2.0IP) - not currently playing
RHP Jordan Jankowski - 16.20 ERA and 2.400 WHIP in 2 games (1.2IP) - moved to Puerto Rican Winter League
RHP Juan Minaya - 12.79 ERA/2.842 WHIP in 6 games (6.1IP) - not currently playing

Last night's game isn't included in the cumulative stats, but Andrew Aplin capped off his excellent week, going 7-for-15 with three doubles and two walks. White had a slow week, going 2-for-11 with a walk, but he drove in three. Teoscar Hernandez got virtually no playing time last week.

VENEZUELAN WINTER LEAGUE
IF Arturo Michelena - .083/.083/.083 in 8 games (only 12 at-bats; has been playing in the Liga Paralela)
IF Kristian Trompiz - 2 games as pinch runner; no at-bats (has been playing in the Liga Paralela)
OF Danry Vasquez - .278/.325/.400 in 48 games
RHP Chris Devenski - 5.21 ERA/1.579 in 5 games (19.0IP) - no longer playing
RHP James Hoyt - 1.86 ERA/1.035 WHIP in 19 games (19.1IP) - no longer playing

Danry Vasquez is the only Astros player currently playing in Venezuela (other than the Liga Paralela). He went 1-for-9 with a walk in three games last week.

MEXICAN PACIFIC LEAGUE
OF Leo Heras - .266/.377/.460 in 37 games
RHP Octavio Acosta - 1.98 ERA and 1.463 WHIP in 8 games (13.2IP) - last played 12/11
RHP Enrique Chavez - 9.00 ERA/3.000 WHIP in 1 game (1.0IP) - not currently playing
RHP Jose Hernandez - 1.39 ERA/1.021 WHIP in 8 games (32.1IP) - last played 11/29
RHP Juan Robles - 4.02 ERA/1.277 WHIP in 10 games (15.2IP) - last played 11/25
RHP Gonzalo Sanudo - 3.55 ERA/1.263 WHIP in 14 games (12.2IP)

Leo Heras was 4-for-22 with three walks and a solo home run for the week. The only other active Astro for the week was Gonzalo Sanudo who allowed no hits and one walk in his two appearances.

AUSTRALIAN BASEBALL LEAGUE (thru Sunday)
C Jake Bowey - .103/.186./.103 in 12 games
IF Jared Cruz - .091/.091/.091 in 7 games - not currently playing
1B Connor MacDonald - .156/.264/.267 in 19 games - last played 11/29
IF/OF Marc Wik - .321/.460/.394 in 34 games
RHP Kevin Comer - 16.88 ERA/4.499 WHIP in 4 games (2.2IP) - not currently playing

Bowey went 1-for-3 with a walk in his first game action in a while. Wik was 5-for-11 with five walks in his last four games. He did not, however, get a hit in his All-Star game appearance on Wednesday.

PUERTO RICAN WINTER LEAGUE
OF Edwin Medina - .278/.364/.333 in 20 games (18AB)
OF Alexander Melendez - .000/.000/.000 in 5 games (2AB) - not currently playing
C Roberto Pena - .180/.241/.240 in 18 games
C Max Stassi - .280/.333/.520 in 8 games - no longer playing
RHP Travis Ballew - 2.57 ERA/1.381 WHIP in 18 games (21.0IP)
RHP Jordan Jankowski - 0.00 ERA and 0.545 WHIP in 4 games (3.2IP)

Ballew allowed no hits, no runs and two walks in his two appearances last week while Jankowski allowed one hit, no runs and no walks in his two outings. Pena has changed teams and apparently changed his luck as well. Since moving to Santurce, he has hit 3-for-8 with a double in two games.