There was quite a bit of movement between Greeneville, Tri-City, and the GCL clubs; I presume a few of the guys on the GCL roster like Frankeny Fernandez, Javier Navas, and Juan Piñeda started off where they were so they could get in a few games before getting regular at-bats or pitching work in West Palm Beach.
The GCL Astros play at the Spring Training complex at the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. They'll play in the GCL East division with the Nationals, Cardinals, Marlins, and Mets.
Let's meet the 2017 GCL Astros!
COACHING STAFF
Longtime Astros farmhand Wladimir Sutil will manage a team for the first time in his coaching career after starting off as a coach with Greeneville.
Jose Rada is another former Cardinal minor leaguer who will be coaching in the Astros' minor league system. Rada pitched in the Cardinals' system from 2006-11, reaching Double-A in his final season.
Wladimir Sutil - July 2014
Photo by Jayne Hansen
Pitching Coach: Jose Rada
Hitting Coach: Luis Mateo
Athletic Trainer: Christian Bermudez
Strength & Conditioning: Rachel Balkovec
Bold - player bats/throws left-handed
Italics - player is a switch-hitter
PITCHERS
Yhoan Acosta - International free agent (DR), 2013; GCL
Johsson Arias - International free agent (DR), 2015; appeared for Greeneville on Saturday
Jose Bravo - International free agent (Mexico), 2016; DSL Orange/Blue, currently on DL
Jheyson Caraballo - International free agent (Venezuela), 2015; appeared for Greeneville on Friday
Juan Corniel - International free agent (DR), 2015; DSL Blue
Chad Donato - 11th round, 2016 draft (West Virginia); making pro debut (recovering from Tommy John surgery after he was drafted)
Juan Pablo Lopez - International free agent (Mexico), 2016; making pro debut
Saul Martinez - International free agent (DR), 2014; GCL
Javier Navas - International free agent (Venezuela), 2014; appeared for Greeneville on Saturday
Chauncey Nuñez - Undrafted free agent, 2017 (Doral Academy, Miami); making pro debut
Devin Raftery - Undrafted free agent, 2016 (Nova Southeastern); Greeneville/Tri-City
Kristopher "Kit" Scheetz - Undrafted free agent, 2017 (Virginia Tech); making pro debut
Maikel Sepulveda - International free agent (DR), 2015; DSL Orange/Blue
Francisco Villegas - International free agent (Mexico), 2015; appeared for Greeneville on Thursday
CATCHERS
Ihan Bernal - International free agent (Panama) signed in 2014 for $155,000; last played with GCL Astros in 2015
Bernardo Heras - International free agent (Mexico), 2015: DSL Orange/GCL
Orlando Marquez - International free agent (Venezuela), 2014; DSL Blue/GCL (opened 2017 season on Greeneville's roster but did not appear in a game)
Jonathan Matute - International free agent (Venezuela) signed in 2013 for $215,000; appeared in 3 games with DSL Blue team prior to being assigned to GCL
INFIELDERS
Alfredo Angarita - International free agent (Venezuela), 2015; began 2017 season with DSL Blue team
Jose Benjamin - International free agent (DR), 2014; appeared in 2 games with Greeneville prior to being assigned to the GCL
Juan Piñeda - International free agent (Panama) signed in 2014 for $100,000; appeared in 3 games with Greeneville prior to being assigned to GCL
Ozziel Sanchez-Galan - International free agent (Panama), 2014; DSL Blue
Richard Slenker - 28th round, 2017 draft (Yale); making pro debut
Enmanuel Valdez - International free agent (DR) signed in 2015 for $450,000; appeared in 3 games with Greeneville prior to being assigned to GCL
OUTFIELDERS
Cesar Cortez - International free agent (Panama) signed in 2015 for $100,000; appeared in 12 games for DSL Blue team prior to being assigned to GCL
Carlos Machado - International free agent (Venezuela), 2014; appeared in 2 games with Greeneville prior to being assigned to GCL
Hector Martinez - International free agent (DR) signed for $300,000 in 2014; appeared in 9 games with DSL Orange team prior to being assigned to GCL
Nestor Muriel - 6th round, 2015 draft (Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy, PR); GCL
Ronny Rafael - International free agent (DR) signed for $1.5 million in 2014; appeared in 12 games with DSL Blue team prior to being assigned to GCL
Vicente Sanchez - International free agent (DR) signed for $62,500 in 2014; appeared in 1 game with Tri-City prior to being assigned to GCL
Juan Pablo Lopez signed last year out of Mexico as a 17 Yr old LHP. I was surprised to see him first in the GCL instead of the DSL. Is Lopez showing up in the GCL a sign of the Astros evaluating him as too advanced for the DSL?
ReplyDeleteOr since most of his bonus goes to a Mexican team, he has so little left that he doesn't have to worry about US taxes. And the Astros might as well just put him into the GCL?
In my experience, the Astros tend to put the younger Latin players where they think they belong. I wouldn't read anymore into it than that.
DeleteSo... #1 Juan Pablo Lopez belongs where there is more advanced batters to test him than the DSL provides.
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