Astros Minor League Player Releases

Another round of Astros minor league players were cut this morning:

LHP Joe Bircher
C Ernesto Genoves
RHP Gera Sanchez
IF Jesse Wierzbicki
IF Brandon Wikoff

I had just updated Bircher's profile for his birthday write-up next week:

Drafted in the 10th round in 2012 out of Bradley University, Bircher started the season with the Quad Cities team and ended it there, but spent a large chunk in between rehabbing in Florida. Over a total of 18 games (14 starts) between Quad Cities and the GCL, he had a 3.81 ERA and a 1.308 WHIP. Bircher thrived in the post-season. In two starts, he was 2-0 with a 0.90 ERA and a 1.100 WHIP.

Genoves was one of only three players left in the organization who had played in the Astros Venezuelan Academy before it was closed, the other two being Jose Altuve and David Martinez. Genoves showed early promise at the plate, but definitely struggled in Tri-City in 2013.

Wikoff was the 5th round pick in 2009. Used mostly as a utility infielder, Wikoff missed the 2013 season due to injuries he received in an automobile accident during Spring Training last year. He will be 26 in April.

Wierzbicki was the 24th round pick in 2011. The 25-year old started the season in Quad Cities and ended it in Lancaster, hitting a combined .259/.357/.384 with 25 doubles, two triples and eight home runs.

Sanchez was signed in 2012 as a non-drafted free agent. He also started the season in Quad Cities and ended it in Lancaster where he put up a 1.69 ERA and a 1.219 WHIP in six bullpen appearances. For the season, he was 4-2 with a 5.22 ERA and a 1.401 WHIP.

Roster Moves

I missed this Baseball America transaction post from over the weekend. Apparently, Kyle Weiland is NOT a figment of our imagination:

Placed on 7-day DL: RHP Murilo Gouvea, RHP Chia-Jen Lo, RHP Kyle Weiland, LHP Sergio Escalona, LHP Kenny Long, C Max Stassi, 3B Andy Simunic, 3B Brandon Wikoff, OF Grant Hogue, OF Telvin Nash

In addition, RHP Edgar Gonzalez was claimed off waivers by the Blue Jays and 2B/LF Ruben Sosa was assigned to Oklahoma City.

Rumors have been floating about Paul Clemens coming to Houston, but nothing official has been announced by the team.

UPDATES:

• RHP Paul Clemens is indeed headed to Seattle to join the team as RHP Josh Fields goes on the DL with forearm tightness.
• RHP Ross Seaton is being sent to Oklahoma City from Corpus Christi.
• RHP Carlos Quevedo is being sent to Corpus Christi from Lancaster.
• RHP Michael Dimock is headed from Extended Spring Training to Quad Cities.
• According to Daniel Makarewicz (who covers the Quad Cities team), RHP Jordan Jankowski is being sent from Quad Cities back to Extended Spring Training.
• LHP Tommy Shirley activated from the temporary inactive list for Lancaster.

Happy Birthday - 4/5

Happy Birthday to ~

SS/2B Brandon Wikoff (25)
Drafted by Houston in the fifth round in 2009 out of the University of Illinois, Wikoff played in only 22 games for Corpus Christi in 2012 in an injury-shortened season. As some of you are probably be aware, Wikoff was in an automobile accident during Spring Training that landed him in the hospital. He is now out of the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery. We all wish Brandon the very best.

One former Astro with a birthday today ~

RHP Brandon Backe (35)
Originally drafted by Tampa Bay in the 18th round in 1998, Backe came to Houston in a December 2003 trade with Tampa for Geoff Blum.  In 108 appearances (79 starts) for Houston from 2004 to 2009, Backe was 30-28 with a 5.16 ERA and a 1.550 WHIP.  But it was his postseason numbers that set Backe apart - in 7 games (6 starts) in 5 postseason series, he was 1-0 with a 2.95 ERA and a 0.982 WHIP.  But most of all, it was this game that will ensure Backe a permanent place in Astros lore.

Get Well Soon!

Astros minor league infielder Brandon Wikoff was involved in a single car accident Sunday evening in Florida. According to this story from CSN, he is in the hospital and is listed in stable condition. I think I can speak for all my readers as I wish Brandon a speedy recovery.

Brandon Wikoff - June 2012

Photo by Jayne Hansen

Astros Minor League Depth - Second Base

Over the next few weeks as we approach Spring Training, I'll be looking at the Astros minor league depth, position by position. Today, we look at the second basemen in the organization who had the best seasons in 2012.

Delino DeShields - April 2012

Photo by Jayne Hansen

The embedded chart shows second basemen in the organization ranked from high to low in terms of OBP. I have noted their current age, the last level at which they played and, if they spent significant time at multiple positions, that information is included as well. I did not include Jimmy Paredes since he has since been moved to the outfield.

Leading the list is none other than Delino DeShields. Not only did DeShields have one of the best OBP in the Astros organization, he also raised his slugging percentage by over 100 points over the prior season while stealing 101 bases. And he just turned 20 in August.

Austin Elkins and Brian Blasik each had strong debut years while 18-year old Juan Santana showed much promise in his first season in the States after putting up an impressive first year with the DSL in 2011. Ruben Sosa spent more time as a DH than as a second baseman in his second season in the organization, but I think that has probably as much to do with finding playing time as anything else. He showed fairly strong on-base skills but little in the way of power.

Jose Martinez didn't fare well in his transition to Oklahoma City for the final 23 games of the season and that brought down his .304/.362/.464 line from his first 107 games at Corpus. He had a successful campaign in the Venezuelan winter league which is a very competitive league, though, so look for him to catch up to the AAA level this season. He is another player whose potential should not be discounted due to his age as injuries, coupled with a family tragedy, sidetracked his career prior to 2012.

Enrique Hernandez, also known as Kiké, had an interesting season. 2012 was his first season to be 100% healthy and to get regular playing time since an ankle injury sidetracked him. The combination agreed with him as he recaptured the promise that he had shown in his 2010 Tri-City season, leading to a late season promotion from Lancaster to Corpus Christi. Kiké will need to balance the aggressiveness he showed in 2012 with the more patient approach he showed at the plate in 2011 when he had a .341 OBP. Hernandez showed that balance this winter as he played in the Puerto Rican winter league, hitting .320/.379/.469 in 39 games.

Two other players to keep an eye on in 2013 are John Hinson (Lexington) and Brandon Wikoff (Corpus Christi) each of whom had injury-shortened seasons in 2012. Hinson was used primarily as a third baseman before his injury, but he played second base in 2011. Wikoff has played wherever needed and profiles as a solid utility infielder.

Monday: First Base
Coming Wednesday: Shortstop

Corpus Christi Hooks - June 2012

Over the last couple of weeks, I've attempted to cull through and organize hundreds of photos I took at the various minor league venues during the 2012 season. Here are a few you may enjoy. I have also uploaded photos to Flickr. You can find my Corpus Christi photos from June 2012 here and from the September 7th playoff game here. Unfortunately, I haven't tagged the photos yet, but hope to do so at some point during the off-season. I'll be posting photos of my August trips to Lancaster and Greeneville tomorrow.

Josh Zeid

Jon Singleton

Jarred Cosart's radar reading (he got to 98 that day)

Jair "Jay" Fernandez

Ross Seaton

Brandon Wikoff

Photos by Jayne Hansen

 All Rights Reserved*

*The players and coaches featured in these photos are hereby granted permission to use these photos for personal uses. All other uses require permission and acknowledgment. 

Roster Moves

Corpus Christi
RHP Henry Villar was placed on the 7-day DL.
RHP Erick Abreu was activated from the 7-day DL.
According to Greg Rajan of the Corpus Christi Caller Times, C Rene Garcia will be assigned to the GCL for a rehab assignment and IF Brandon Wikoff is being shut down for the remainder of the season due to a wrist injury.

Lexington
OF/C Mike Kvasnicka was placed on the 7-day DL.
OF Emilio King was assigned from Tri-City to Lexington.

Greeneville
RHP Brad Propst was assigned from Tri-City to Greeneville.

Roster Moves - 7/12

Corpus Christi
2B Brandon Wikoff was placed on the 7-day DL.
2B Jordan Kreke was assigned from Oklahoma City to Corpus Christi.

Lexington
According to the Tri-City Valley Cats twitter feed, RHP Juri Perez was promoted to Lexington from Tri-City. h/t to @tazees

Roster Moves - 5/27

Oklahoma City
LHP Xavier Cedeno was called up to Houston to fill in for Fernando Abad who went on the DL with a strained right intercoastal.
The move of CF Brandon Barnes from Corpus Christi to Oklahoma City was made official.

Corpus Christi
According to Greg Rajan of the Corpus Christi Caller Times, OF T.J. Steele was released and IF Brandon Wikoff, who started the season on the disabled list, was activated from extended spring training and will be assigned to Corpus Christi.

Happy Birthday - 4/5

SS/2B Brandon Wikoff (24)
Drafted by Houston in the 5th round in 2009 out of the University of Illinois, Wikoff spent all but his final four games of the season playing for Corpus Christi.  In 107 games with the Hooks, he hit .308/.398/.353/.751.  Wikoff also showed some patience at the plate, walking 47 times to 33 strikeouts at Corpus.

One former Astro with a birthday today ~

RHP Brandon Backe (34)
Originally drafted by Tampa Bay in the 18th round in 1998, Backe came to Houston in a December 2003 trade with Tampa for Geoff Blum.  In 108 appearances (79 starts) for Houston from 2004 to 2009, Backe was 30-28 with a 5.16 ERA and a 1.550 WHIP.  But it was his postseason numbers that set Backe apart - in 7 games (6 starts) in 5 postseason series, he was 1-0 with a 2.95 ERA and a 0.982 WHIP.  But most of all, it was this game that will ensure Backe a permanent place in Astros lore.

WTH 25-Man Roster

The 18th player selected to the What the Heck 25-Man Roster was UTIF Brandon Wikoff.  Also receiving votes were Yonathan Mejia, Luca Martone, Josh Magee, Jean Batista and Jio Mier.  (For more information on the WTH 25-Man Roster, go  here.)

Coming Monday - Let's pick our 5th relief pitcher.