Astros Minor League Recaps, Week 2: Corpus, Asheville, Fayetteville

Results for Week 2: May 11-16

Let's play two in Frisco!

Just a heads-up, I will not be recapping Week 3's action. I forget that I'm supposed to be on hiatus, so I will take a week off from recaps once a month.

Corpus Christi @ Frisco

Game 1 (Wednesday, May 12): Frisco 3, Corpus Christi 1

W- Jake Latz (1-0)
L- J.P. France (1-1)
S- Noah Bremer (1)

CC home runs: None.

This was the first game of a doubleheader. The Hooks did not win this game.

Corey Julks led off the 6th with a double and he scored Corpus' only run of game one on Marty Costes' single. On the bright side, Enoli Paredes struck out two in a 1-2-3 6th. I think he's just about ready to return.

Game 2 (Wednesday, May 12): Frisco 2, Corpus Christi 1

W- Tyler Phillips (1-0)
L- Jonathan Bermudez (1-1)
S- Scott Engler (1)

CC home runs: J.J. Matijevic (1, solo in 1st)

Corpus got swept in the twinbill. 

J.J. Matijevic's solo shot in the 1st was their one run in this game. Jonathan Bermudez pitched well, but he could only take a loss. Bermudez allowed two runs on four hits and struck out a career-high ten batters. Brandon Lawson worked around a hit to throw a scoreless 6th.

Game 3 (Thursday, May 13): Corpus Christi 4, Frisco 0

W- Hunter Peck (1-0)
L- Alex Speas (0-1)

CC home runs: None.

There was only one half-inning where runs were scored and thankfully, it belonged to the Corpus Christi Hooks.

Frisco pitcher Alex Speas walked the bases loaded to lead off the 8th, and well, that usually doesn't end well. Pedro Leon scored the first run of the night when Corey Julks hit into a fielder's choice in which no outs were recorded. Grae Kessinger went down on the infield fly rule for the second out, but Scott Manea was able to come through with a bases-clearing double. David Hensley went 2-4 and was the only player on either side to finish with a multi-hit game.

Joe Record allowed two hits, walked three, and struck out four over five shutout innings. Enoli Paredes worked around a hit to throw a scoreless 6th, striking out one. Hunter Peck got two innings and he walked one and struck out four during his time on the mound. Nick Hernandez completed the shutout as he worked around a hit to strike out the side in the 9th.

Game 4 (Friday, May 14): Corpus Christi 6, Frisco 5 in 11 innings

W- Willy Collado (1-1)
L- Joe Gatto (0-1)

CC home runs: Pedro Leon (1, 2-run in 6th)

It's been a rough introduction to baseball in the United States for Pedro Leon, but he showed a glimpse of what he can do with the bat when he demolished a Sal Mendez offering for a two-run homer in the 6th inning. Corpus scored three times in the two extra frames and they finally took the lead for good on Ross Adolph's RBI single in the 11th. Marty Costes scored three runs.

Brett Daniels got the start and he allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits, walked two, and struck out eight in 4.2 innings. Willy Collado got the victory; he got both of the extra innings and allowed a two-run homer in the 10th, one other hit, walked two, and fanned two.

Game 5 (Saturday, May 15): Frisco 8, Corpus Christi 2

W- Alex Speas (1-1)
L- Cesar Rosado (0-1)

CC home runs: Chandler Taylor (1, solo in 8th)

Corey Julks finished 3-4 with a triple and Chandler Taylor smacked his first homer of the season. Nick Hernandez struck out two over two hitless innings.

The series finale was postponed due to the rain that's hitting Texas. No makeup date has been set. Corpus Christi will welcome the Arkansas Travelers to Whataburger Field for six starting Tuesday.

Asheville @ Bowling Green

Game 1 (Tuesday, May 11): Bowling Green 5, Asheville 1

W- Evan McKendry (2-0)
L- Jose Bravo (0-1)

Asheville home runs: None.

The Tourists had a chance to get some runs in the 5th when they loaded the bases, but all they got was one run and that was when A.J. Lee grounded into a double play. The offense was rendered useless by former Astros farmhand Peyton Battenfield, who walked one and struck out nine over four scoreless.

Jose Bravo wasn't terrible in his four innings, but the non-existent run support meant that he could only take the loss. He allowed two hits, one of which was a two-run homer, walked one, and struck out five.

Game 2 (Wednesday, May 12): Bowling Green 8, Asheville 7

W- Jacob Lopez (1-0)
L- Devin Conn (0-1)

S- Michael Costanzo (1)

Asheville home runs: Korey Lee (1, solo in 1st), Alex Holderbach (1, 2-run in 5th)

The Tourists got the tying and go-ahead runs on base to lead off the 9th but couldn't get either of them in.

Korey Lee went 3-5 with a solo homer (1), an RBI double, and three runs scored. Scott Schrieber had a couple of doubles, and Alex McKenna and Luis Santana stole two bases apiece.

Felipe Tejada was the third pitcher to appear for Asheville and he was stellar in his 2.2 innings: he did not allow a hit, walked one, and struck out seven.

Game 3 (Thursday, May 13): Asheville 6, Bowling Green 5

W- Jimmy Endersby (1-0)
L- Ezequiel Zabaleta (1-1)
S- Kyle Serrano (1)

Asheville home runs: Luis Santana (3, 2-run in 8th)

Asheville got on the board in this series by staving off a late rally from the Hot Rods.

Jimmy Endersby was stellar in his five innings as he only allowed one hit. It was a two-run homer, but again, that was the only hit he gave up in his five innings. He also walked one and struck out seven. Kyle Serrano got a four-out save and all four outs he recorded came via the strikeout.

Alex McKenna finished 2-5 from the leadoff spot. Luis Guerrero ripped a two-run double in the 6th and Luis Santana clubbed a two-run homer in the 8th.

Game 4 (Friday, May 14): Bowling Green 1, Asheville 0

W- Carlos Garcia (2-0)
L- Tyler Brown (0-1)

S- Christopher Gau (1)

Asheville home runs: None.

The Tourists outhit the Hot Rods 6-3... but the game's only run did not belong to them.

Scott Schreiber went 3-4. R.J. Freure was dominant as he allowed a hit, walked one, and struck out six over five shutout innings. Tyler Brown allowed the lone run on a single, one of two hits he allowed in three innings. He walked two and fanned six.

Game 5 (Saturday, May 15): Bowling Green 7, Asheville 3 in 11 innings

W- Ezequiel Zabaleta (2-1)
L- Yeremi Ceballos (0-1)

Asheville home runs: None.

The Tourists surrendered a walk-off grand slam in the 11th.

Jose Alberto Rivera was the first man out of the Asheville bullpen and he was excellent in his 3.2 innings; he walked one, struck out seven, and did not allow a hit. Devin Conn followed and he also did not allow a hit in 2.2 innings, walking one and striking out five.

Game 6 (Sunday, May 16): Bowling Green 7,  Asheville 0

W- Peyton Battenfield (1-0)
L- Blair Henley (0-2)

S- Evan McKendry (1)

Asheville home runs: None.

A series to forget as the Tourists went 1-5.

The Tourists return home to start a series with the Greenville Drive on Tuesday.

Fayetteville vs. Kannapolis

Game 1 (Tuesday, May 11): Fayetteville 10, Kannapolis 1

W- Mark Moclair (1-0)

L- Jared Kelley (0-1)

Fayetteville home runs: Matt Barefoot (3, solo in 1st)

The Woodpeckers cruised to a win in their home opener. 

Matt Barefoot started off the evening with a solo blast and that sent Fayetteville on their way. After a single in the 3rd inning, Barefoot advanced to second on a wild pitch, then stole third and scored on an errant throw from the catcher. Not only did Barefoot open the scoring, he also finished it in the form of a two-run single in the 8th inning. Joe Perez finished 2-5 with a two-run double.

Alfredi Jimenez got the start and he allowed a hit, walked two, and struck out five over four scoreless. Mark Moclair was the third Fayetteville pitcher to appear and he got the win, although he battled his command throughout his 2.2 innings of work. Moclair allowed Kannapolis's only run when he hit a man with the bases loaded in the 8th; he also allowed a hit, walked five, and struck out five.

Game 2 (Wednesday, May 12): Fayetteville 9, Kannapolis 2

W- Christian Mejias (1-1)
L- Chase Solesky (0-1)

Fayetteville home runs: Zach Daniels (2, 2-run in 1st)

Fayetteville scored three runs in each of the first three innings as they strolled to another victory.

Whit Drennan and Christian Mejias combined to throw six scoreless innings of relief. Drennan was the first man out of the bullpen and he went two innings, walking two and fanning two. Mejias finished the game and he was electric, allowing just three hits and striking out a career-high ten in the final four innings.

Zach Daniels had a monster night as he finished 3-4 with a two-run homer in the 1st and a two-run single in the 3rd. Nerio Rodriguez opened the scoring with an RBI single in the 1st and walked in a run in the 3rd. Nerio went 2-4 and was one of four Fayetteville hitters to finish with two hits. J.C. Correa had a pair of doubles and scored three times, Joe Perez walked three times and scored twice, and Shay Whitcomb had an RBI single in the 2nd.

Game 3 (Thursday, May 13): Fayetteville 7, Kannapolis 6

W- Jaime Melendez (1-0)
L- Rigo Fernandez (0-1)

Fayetteville home runs: None.

The Woodpeckers fell behind 6-0 after the 1st inning. No matter, they found a way to come back and wound up walking off with the win.

The comeback began with a pair of RBI singles from Zach Daniels and Jose Alvarez in the 6th. Matt Barefoot hit a sac fly in the 7th, and it was on in the 9th.

J.C. Correa drew a bases-loaded walk and Justin Dirden followed with an RBI infield single. Daniels got plunked to bring Barefoot in, and Correa scored the winning run when Yeuris Ramirez hit into a fielder's choice that turned into an error. Alvarez had three hits in his season debut.

Peyton Plumlee and Jaime Melendez both threw three innings of shutout ball. Plumlee walked one and struck out four and Melendez fanned seven in a perfect outing.

Game 4 (Friday, May 14): Fayetteville 5, Kannapolis 0

W- Ernesto Jaquez (1-0)
L- Yoelvin Silven (0-1)
S- Angel Macuare (1)

Fayetteville home runs: Kenedy Corona (1, solo in 7th)

History was made in Fayetteville Friday night as Jayson Schroeder, Ernesto Jaquez, and Angel Macuare combined to throw the first no-hitter in Woodpeckers history.

Schroeder walked three and struck out four over the first four innings. Jaquez struck out two in a 1-2-3 5th to bridge the gap to Macuare, who finished by walking one and striking out seven over the final four innings.

The Woodpeckers got four in the 5th on a couple of RBI doubles from Kenedy Corona and Matt Barefoot, an RBI single by Zach Daniels, and a passed ball that allowed Barefoot to score. Corona, who finished 3-3, whacked a solo homer in the 7th.

Game 5 (Saturday, May 15): Kannapolis 1, Fayetteville 0

W- Jeremiah Burke (1-1)
L- Cesar Gomez (0-2)
S- Marcus Evey (1)

Fayetteville home runs: None.

The one run in this game did not belong to the Woodpeckers. 

Jose Alvarez and Matt Barefoot both finished 2-4. Cesar Gomez pitched well in his second start, but no run support condemned him to the loss. He allowed the one run on four hits, walked one, and struck out six.

Game 6 (Sunday, May 16): Fayetteville 12, Kannapolis 2

W- Jonathan Sprinkle (1-0)
L- Jared Kelley (0-2)

Fayetteville home runs: None.

Fayetteville opened the floodgates with five runs in the 2nd. 

J.C. Correa, Matt Barefoot, Ronaldo Urdaneta, and Zach Daniels all drove in two runs. Barefoot and Kenedy Corona both finished with three hits on the day. Corona also stole two bases; the Woodpeckers went 6-6 on stolen bases on Sunday.

Mark Moclair, who got the start, went four innings and allowed a run on two hits, walked one, and struck out six. Jonathan Sprinkle earned his first win as a pro; he allowed an unearned run on a wild pitch, a hit, walked three, and struck out four in two innings.

The Woodpeckers close out May with a road trip. Their first stop is Augusta for six with the GreenJackets starting Tuesday.

Week 2's Stars

All photos are from Jayne unless stated otherwise.

Corpus Christi

Jonathan Bermudez, LHP

Wednesday: L (1-1), 5 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, career-high 10 K in game 2 of doubleheader

Photo by Bryan Green

Joe Record, RHP

Thursday: 5 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 4 K

This is his headshot on MiLB.com.

Hunter Peck, LHP

Thursday: W (1-0), 2 IP, BB, 4 K

Asheville

Felipe Tejada, RHP

Wednesday: 2.2 IP, BB, 7 K

Korey Lee, C

Wednesday: 3-5, 2B, solo HR (1), 3 R

This is his headshot on MiLB.com.

Jimmy Endersby, RHP

Thursday: W (1-0), 5 IP, H (2-R HR), 2 ER, BB, 7 K

R.J. Freure, RHP

Friday: 5 IP, H, BB, 6 K

Jose Alberto Rivera, RHP

Sunday: 3.2 IP, BB, 7 K

Devin Conn, RHP

Sunday: 2.2 IP, BB, 5 K

Fayetteville

All of these pictures, except for Jayson Schroeder's and Angel Macuare's, are their headshots on MiLB.com.

Matt Barefoot, OF

Tuesday: 3-4, solo HR (3), 3 RBI, 2 R, SB

Sunday: 3-5, 2 RBI, R, SB

Alfredi Jimenez, RHP

Tuesday: 4 IP, H, 2 BB, 5 K

Zach Daniels, OF

Wednesday: 3-4, 2-R HR (2), 4 RBI

Christian Mejias, RHP

Wednesday: W (1-1), 4 IP, 3 H, career-high 10 K

Jaime Melendez, RHP

Thursday: W (1-0), 3 IP, 7 K

Kenedy Corona, OF

Friday: 3-3, 2B, solo HR (1), 2 RBI, 2 R

Sunday: 3-5, 3B, RBI, R, 2 SB

Friday's pitchers: No-hitter

Jayson Schroeder: 4 IP, 3 BB, 4 K

Ernesto Jaquez: W (1-0), IP, 2 K

Angel Macuare: Save (1), 4 IP, BB, 7 K

Astros Minor League Recaps, Week 1: Corpus Christi, Asheville, Fayetteville

Results for Week 1: May 4-9

For the first time in two years... Happy Minor League Opening Day!

Obviously, with the sheer volume of games to cover, I'll try to keep it short and sweet for each individual game.

Corpus Christi vs. San Antonio

Game 1 (Tuesday, May 4): San Antonio 8, Corpus Christi 3

W- Reiss Knehr (1-0)

L- Nick Hernandez (0-1)

CC home runs: David Hensley (1, solo in 6th)

Rough night in the field for the Hooks as four errors condemned them to an opening-night defeat.

David Hensley went 2-4 with a solo homer to lead off the 6th inning. Marty Costes drove in Corpus Christi's first two runs of the season with a single in the 2nd. Tough night for Pedro Leon, who went 0-4 with three strikeouts and an error in his US pro debut.

Chad Donato got the start and allowed two unearned runs on two hits, walked one, and fanned four in three innings of work.

Game 2 (Wednesday, May 5): Corpus Christi 4, San Antonio 2

W- J.P. France (1-0)
L- Jerry Keel (0-1)
S- Hunter Peck (1)

CC home runs: Grae Kessinger (1, 2-run in 6th)

An Ole Miss Rebel picked up his old in-state SEC rival and saved him from a loss that would've marred an otherwise stellar start.

Former Mississippi State Bulldog J.P. France struck out a career-high 11 over six strong innings. However, the Missions got to him with a two-run single in the 5th to take the lead, and for a couple of innings, he was in danger of taking a loss. 

Grae Kessinger, however, whacked a two-run homer in the 6th to put Corpus back in front and Corey Julks ripped an RBI double in the 8th to bring in a crucial insurance run. Kessinger was one of four Honey Butter Chicken Biscuits to finish with two hits in this game; Scott Manea, Chandler Taylor, and J.J. Matijevic also had two knocks.

Enoli Paredes began his rehab assignment by working around a walk to throw a scoreless 7th, striking out one. Hunter Peck, an undrafted free agent out of Georgia Gwinnett College, made his professional debut on his 24th birthday and he made it unforgettable by closing out a Corpus Christi victory, allowing one hit, walking one, and striking out five over the final two innings.

Game 3 (Thursday, May 6): Corpus Christi 6, San Antonio 1

W- Jonathan Bermudez (1-0)
L- Caleb Boushley (0-1)

CC home runs: David Hensley 2 (3; 2-run in 1st, 2-run in 3rd), Norel Gonzalez (1, solo in 2nd)

David Hensley went off as he carried Corpus to a Thursday victory.

After the Missions opened the scoring with a run in the top half of the 1st, Hensley responded in the bottom of the inning by launching his first two-run homer of the evening to put the Hooks on the board and in the lead. Norel Gonzalez, a Cuban who signed with the Astros in January, hit his first homer in the United States with two outs in the 2nd inning. Hensley, who went 3-5, clubbed his second two-run homer in the 3rd and he added an RBI single in the 6th for good measure.

Jonathan Bermudez shook off that run in the 1st to turn in a nice outing; he allowed three hits, walked one, and struck out eight in five innings of work. Joe Record, one of the Astros' two minor league Rule 5 selections, walked six and struck out four in three scoreless innings after coming on for Bermudez. Nick Hernandez worked around a walk to throw a scoreless 9th, striking out one.

Game 4 (Friday, May 7): San Antonio 5, Corpus Christi 4 in 11 innings

W- Sam Williams (1-0)
L- Brandon Lawson (0-1)

CC home runs: Grae Kessinger (2, solo in 2nd), Ross Adolph (1, 2-run in 5th)

Corpus Christi couldn't seal the deal in the 9th and the Missions wound up taking Friday's contest in extras.

Grae Kessinger opened the scoring with his solo blast in the 2nd inning and Ross Adolph launched a two-run homer in the 5th. C.J. Stubbs had an RBI single in the 8th.

Brett Daniels turned in six solid innings, allowing two runs on four hits, walking two, and striking out seven. Michael Horrell was the first man out of the Hooks' bullpen and he allowed a run on two hits, walked one, and struck out two in two innings. Nolan Riggs, making his organizational debut, got the 9th but was unable to close it out. He allowed the tying run on three hits and struck out one. Brandon Lawson, who was also making his organizational debut, pitched both extra frames and he allowed the go-ahead RBI single in the 11th. Lawson struck out one in two innings.

Game 5 (Saturday, May 8): San Antonio 6, Corpus Christi 0

W- Mason Fox (1-0)
L- Hunter Brown (0-1)

CC home runs: None.

The Hooks fell behind early and their bats fell silent.

Hunter Brown struggled in his first start of the year as he allowed four runs on six hits, walked two, and struck out five in three innings of work. Enoli Paredes, Nick Hernandez, and Tommy DeJuneas finished out the game with two innings apiece. Enoli's rehab seems to be going fine as he struck out five of the six batters he faced. The lone hit that Hernandez allowed was a solo homer to Jack Suwinski; he walked one and struck out two. DeJuneas allowed an unearned run on two hits, walked two, and fanned two. Corey Julks finished 2-4; Corpus did not have an extra-base hit in this game.

Game 6 (Sunday, May 9): San Antonio 7, Corpus Christi 5

W- Jerry Keel (1-1)
L- Willy Collado (0-1)
S- Jose Quezada (1)

CC home runs: Scott Manea (1, grand slam in 4th)

The Hooks went off for five in the 4th to take a 5-1 lead... but some shambolic defense and the fact that they only scored in one inning sent them to a series loss. Grae Kessinger hit an RBI single to put Corpus on the board and one batter later, Scott Manea brought everyone home by launching a grand slam.

In his second start of the year, Chad Donato allowed a run on five hits and struck out five in four innings.

Corpus will hit the road for the first time this season and they'll start a six-game set in Frisco on Tuesday.

Asheville vs. Brooklyn

Game 1 (Tuesday, May 4): Brooklyn 8, Asheville 2

W- Josh Walker (1-0)

L- Blair Henley (0-1)

Asheville home runs: Scott Schreiber (1, solo in 7th), Colin Barber (1, solo in 8th)

The Tourists had a chance to make it interesting by loading the bases to lead off the bottom of the 9th, but they got zero runs out of that situation. They were also no-hit through five innings by Brooklyn starter Josh Walker.

Well, Scott Schreiber and Colin Barber went deep in an otherwise forgettable night for the Asheville bats.

Jose Bravo was the third pitcher for the Tourists and he walked one while striking out three over three scoreless. Layne Henderson was the fifth and final hurler to appear for Asheville and he got the final out of the 8th and went on to throw a scoreless 9th; he struck out three and kept the two men he inherited from Yeremi Ceballos from scoring.

Game 2 (Wednesday, May 5): Asheville 6, Brooklyn 1

W- Chandler Casey (1-0)

L- Jose Butto (0-1)

Asheville home runs: None.

Asheville entered the win column for the first time in 2021 behind a four-run 4th and some solid pitching by the bullpen after Cole McDonald, who started this game for the Tourists, left with an injury before the 2nd inning.

After McDonald left, Chandler Casey tagged in to throw four scoreless innings, allowing three hits, walking one, and striking out one to get the win. 

Scott Schreiber ripped an RBI triple in the 1st to open the scoring. The Tourists got their four runs in the fourth thanks to four walks, all of which resulted in runs. Wilyer Abreu and Freudis Nova walked to lead off the frame and they successfully pulled off a double steal. Abreu wound up scoring on an A.J. Lee groundout, and then Asheville would load the bases on a pair of walks by Ramiro Rodriguez and Alex McKenna. Enmanuel Valdez came through with a two-run single and McKenna also scored on the throw from the outfield. Rodriguez drove in the game's final run with a single in the 8th.

Game 3 (Thursday, May 6): Asheville 11, Brooklyn 4

W- Matt Ruppenthal (1-0)
L- Oscar Rojas (0-1)

Asheville home runs: Luis Santana 2 (2; 3-run in 1st, 2-run in 3rd)

The Tourists jumped out to an early 8-1 lead to cruise to the win.

Luis Santana went deep twice and unleashed a glorious bat flip after one of them. If you don't like it, that's tough. Trust me, I'm not the person you should be complaining to. Plus, Santana used to be a boxer, so opposing pitchers might think twice before retaliating.

Santana woke up this morning and chose violence..

And we are absolutely here for it. pic.twitter.com/WUs7WXdB0G

— Asheville Tourists (@GoTourists) May 7, 2021

Enmanuel Valdez opened the scoring with an RBI triple and two batters later, Santana clubbed a three-run homer. Santana's other homer was a two-run blast in the 3rd. He finished 3-5 on the night; Ramiro Rodriguez (2 RBI, R) and Alex Holderbach (2B, 2 R) both finished 2-4.

Matt Ruppenthal went five innings allowed two runs on three hits, one of which was a solo homer, walked two, and struck out five. Jimmy Endersby, in his pro debut, pitched the final four innings and allowed two runs on four hits, walked two, and fanned seven.

Game 4 (Friday, May 7): Asheville 13, Brooklyn 7

W- R.J. Freure (1-0)
L- Jaison Vilera (0-1)

Asheville home runs: Alex McKenna (1, solo in 2nd), Freudis Nova (1, 2-run in 3rd)

Asheville scored ten runs in the first four innings and were once again able to cruise to another victory. Brooklyn managed to score one in the 7th and three more in the 8th, but fortunately, the ten-run lead the Tourists built held up in the end.

Alex McKenna led off the bottom of the 1st with a double and scored Asheville's first run on a single from Enmanuel Valdez. The Tourists wound up loading the bases and Santana came through with a two-run single. McKenna smacked a solo homer in the 2nd inning, and Nova whacked a two-run shot in the 3rd. 

The top four of the Asheville order (McKenna, Valdez, Korey Lee, and Scott Schrieber) combined to score nine of the 13 runs. Schreiber didn't have a hit, but he still managed to score three runs.

Tyler Brown made his pro debut and allowed three runs on three hits (2-run homer), walked four, and struck out five in four innings of work. R.J. Freure was the first man out of the Asheville bullpen and he allowed a run on three hits, walked one, struck out six in 2.1 innings, and got credited with the win.

Game 5 (Saturday, May 8): Brooklyn 16, Asheville 12

W- Alec Kisena (1-0)
L- Juan Pablo Lopez (0-1)

Asheville home runs: Colin Barber (2, 2-run in 4th), Alex McKenna (2, grand slam in 8th)

The Cyclones had a field day with Tourists' pitching as McCormick Field lived up to its reputation as Lancaster East. Everyone in the Tourists lineup scored a run.

Felipe Tejada was the only Asheville pitcher who didn't have a run charged to his line, but he inherited a bases-loaded situation from Yeremi Ceballos in the 9th and two of those runners scored. He struck out two in the 9th.

For a time, Colin Barber's two-run shot in the 4th was Asheville's scoring play. Tyler Krabbe had an RBI single in the 7th. The Tourists went off for nine runs in the 8th to cut a 13-3 deficit to one run. 

Enmanuel Valdez doubled to lead off the 8th and came home on a Scott Schreiber single. Korey Lee, who followed up Valdez's double with a single, made his way home when Barber grounded into a force out. A.J. Lee reached on an error after a fielder's choice to load the bases, and another Brooklyn error following a fielder's choice allowed Krabbe to reach and Luis Santana to score. Ramiro Rodriguez walked in Barber and one batter later, Alex McKenna brought everyone in, including himself, with a grand slam. Lee ripped a double in his second plate appearance of the inning and came around to score after two wild pitches.

The sixth and final game of this series was canceled due to a non-COVID-related health concern.

The Tourists will hit the road for six in Bowling Green beginning Tuesday.

Fayetteville @ Carolina

Game 1 (Tuesday, May 4): Carolina 6, Fayetteville 5

W- Abner Uribe (1-0)

L- Misael Tamarez (0-1)

S- Cam Robinson (1)

Fayetteville home runs: Nerio Rodriguez (1, 2-run in 3rd), J.C. Correa (1, solo in 8th)

Fayetteville outhit Carolina 11-5 but lost in the column that matters most. The Woodpeckers were doomed because they went 0-10 with runners in scoring position... and they allowed the Mudcats to score two in the 6th and four in the 7th.

Nerio Rodriguez went 2-5 and hit the first home run of the Astros' minor league season when he went deep in the 3rd to extend Fayetteville's lead to 3-0. J.C. Correa had a nice pro debut as he finished 3-5 with a solo blast in the 8th, his first home run as a professional. Juan Paulino also had two hits on the night.

Cesar Gomez had a fine professional debut as he allowed just one hit while fanning four over five shutout frames. Unfortunately, he received a no-decision for his efforts. Jonathan Sprinkle was the third pitcher to appear for Fayetteville and he walked one while striking out five over 1.2 scoreless, but the two runners he inherited from Misael Tamarez also scored. 

Game 2 (Wednesday, May 5): Carolina 5, Fayetteville 3

W- Joey Matulovich (1-0)
L- Alfredi Jimenez (0-1)
S- Evan Reifert (1)

Fayetteville home runs: Ronaldo Urdaneta (1, solo in 8th)

Once again, a late Mudcats rally sent the Woodpeckers to another loss. 

Mark Moclair started things off by allowing two hits, walking two, and striking out seven in four scoreless innings. Ronaldo Urdaneta launched a solo homer in the 8th and Luke Berryhill ripped an RBI double in the 9th as Fayetteville tried to rally.

Game 3 (Thursday, May 6): Carolina 12, Fayetteville 2

W- T.J. Shook (1-0)
L- Christian Mejias (0-1)

Fayetteville home runs: None.

Matt Barefoot's two-run double in the 4th was Fayetteville's only scoring play in this game. Kevin Holcomb was the first man out of the Woodpeckers bullpen and he walked one while striking out four over two scoreless frames.

Game 4 (Friday, May 7): Fayetteville 8, Carolina 4

W- Whit Drennan (1-0)
L- Justin Bullock (0-1)

Fayetteville home runs: None.

The Woodpeckers doubled up the Mudcats on Friday to get off the schneid. Shay Whitcomb had a huge night as he went 4-5 with a couple of doubles and scored three runs. Justin Dirden ripped a couple of doubles of his own and drove in three. 

Jaime Melendez got the start and he allowed a hit while striking out six over four scoreless. Whit Drennan got the victory and he went three innings, allowing three runs on two hits (2-run homer), walking two, and striking out five. Fabricio Reina got the final two innings and the one hit he allowed was a solo homer to Zavier Warren. Reina struck out three.

Game 5 (Saturday, May 8): Carolina 6, Fayetteville 2

W- Juan Geraldo (1-0)
L- Angel Macuare (0-1)

Fayetteville home runs: Matt Barefoot (1, solo in 2nd), Luke Berryhill (1, solo in 6th)

Once again, timely hitting eluded the Woodpeckers as they went 0-11 with runners in scoring position and left nine men on base.

The two solo shots you see above represent Fayetteville's only scoring plays in this game. Luke Berryhill finished 2-4.

Angel Macuare got the start and he allowed three runs (one earned) on five hits, walked three, and struck out five in 3.2 innings.

Game 6 (Sunday, May 9): Carolina 8, Fayetteville 5

W- Evan Reifert (1-0)
L- Cesar Gomez (0-1)

Fayetteville home runs: Zach Daniels (1, solo in 3rd), Matt Barefoot (2, solo in 3rd), Yeuris Ramirez (1, solo in 6th)

A forgettable first series for the Woodpeckers, to say the least. Well, at least they got hits with runners in scoring position (2-12), but... neither of those hits resulted in runs and they left 11 more on base.

Three solo homers were Fayetteville's three scoring plays in this one. Joe Perez finished 2-4 from the leadoff spot.

The Woodpeckers will open the home portion of their schedule on Tuesday when they start a six-game series with the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers.

Week 1's Stars

All photos are from Jayne unless stated otherwise.

Corpus Christi

David Hensley, IF

Tuesday: 2-4, solo HR (1), 2 R

Thursday: 3-4, 2 HR (3), 5 RBI, 2 R

J.P. France, RHP

Wednesday: W (1-0), 6 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, BB, career-high 11 K

This is his headshot on MiLB.com.

Hunter Peck, LHP

Wednesday: Save (1), 2 IP, H, BB, 5 K in pro debut, which occurred on his birthday

Grae Kessinger, IF

Wednesday: 2-4, 2-R HR (1)

Chad Donato, RHP

Sunday: 4 IP, 5 H, ER, 5 K

Asheville

Jose Bravo, RHP

Tuesday: 3 IP, BB, 3 K

This is his headshot on MiLB.com.

Chandler Casey, RHP

Wednesday: W (1-0), 4 IP, 3 H, BB, K

Luis Santana, IF

Thursday: 3-5, 2B, 2 HR (2), 5 RBI, 3 R

Friday: 2-4, 3 RBI

Alex McKenna, OF

Friday: 2-5, 2B, solo HR (1), 2 R

Saturday: 2-5, Grand Slam (2)

This is his headshot on MiLB.com.

Colin Barber, OF

Saturday: 1-3, 2-R HR (2), 3 RBI, 3 R

Enmanuel Valdez, IF

Friday: 3-5, RBI, 2 R

Fayetteville

All of these pictures, except for Mark Moclair's, are their headshots on MiLB.com.

Nerio Rodriguez, C

Tuesday: 2-5, 2-R HR (1)

J.C. Correa, IF

Tuesday: 3-5, solo HR (1)

Cesar Gomez, RHP

Tuesday: 5 IP, H, 4 K in pro debut

Mark Moclair, RHP

Wednesday: 4 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 7 K

Jaime Melendez, RHP

Friday: 4 IP, H, 6 K

Justin Dirden, OF

Friday: 2-3, 2 2B, 3 RBI, R

Shay Whitcomb, IF

Friday: 4-5, 2 2B, 3 R

Meet the Corpus Christi Hooks

Part two of the Meet the Team series takes us down to South Texas. Let's get to know the 2021 Corpus Christi Hooks!

Photo from Chris Creamer's SportsLogos.Net

The Hooks have been an Astros affiliate since its inception in 2005. 2020 would have been the 15th anniversary of their inaugural season, but again, unless you have been living off the grid, there was no Minor League Baseball season. During the (still) ongoing pandemic, Whataburger Field has served as the Astros' Alternate Site.

Following the MiLB realignment, Corpus was placed in the AA Central League, which is essentially a continuation of the Texas League. (Why didn't they just retain the league names?) This ten-team league consists of the eight teams that comprised the Texas League, with San Antonio and Wichita moving down from what used to be the AAA Pacific Coast League. Wichita makes its return to minor league baseball with the Wind Surge. The last franchise in that city now does business as the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. 

Corpus Christi will play in the South division, which consists of all Texas clubs just like the old Texas League, alongside Amarillo (now a D-Backs affiliate), Frisco (Rangers), Midland (A's), and San Antonio (back with the Padres). The North division is, well, the Texas League's North division (Arkansas, NW Arkansas, Springfield, Tulsa) with Wichita added in.

As Corpus Christi is the birthplace of Whataburger, the Hooks have decided to commemorate the beloved burger chain's Coastal Bend roots. You have probably seen the apparel collection, complete with their twist on the iconic orange W logo. Every Wednesday, they will take the field as the "Corpus Christi Honey Butter Chicken Biscuits," with jerseys that evoke the table tents that you get with every Whataburger order. 

@cchooks

Get your 🔥 merch at cchooks.com/shop ##whataburger ##MLB ##milb ##baseball ##fyp ##astros ##fastfood ##greenscreen

♬ Pumpkins - Clutch

Corpus opens its 2021 season Tuesday as they host the San Antonio Missions.

SOCIAL MEDIA/TEAM-RELATED ACCOUNTS

Official website: cchooks.com

Twitter: @cchooks

Instagram: cchooks

Michael Coffin, radio play-by-play, Director of Media Relations and Broadcasting: @CoffinMJC

COACHING STAFF

2014 Astro Gregorio Petit will finally get his first managerial opportunity. He was originally slated to take over as Hooks manager in 2020 and then you know what happened next.

Manager: Gregorio Petit

Pitching Coach: Graham Johnson

Hitting Coach: Rafael Peña

Athletic Trainer: Nate Stewart

Strength Coach: Mike Myers

ROSTER

Corpus Christi has served as a landing spot for many top Astros prospects to start and this year is no different. Hunter Brown appears to be on the fast track as he's skipping both A levels to begin his first full professional season with the Hooks. The man to watch, however, is Pedro León, the highly-touted Cuban outfielder who will be making his professional debut as an infielder. León has received significant hype in advance, but now it's time for him to deliver.

Italics - player bats/pitches left-handed

Bold - player is a switch-hitter

Pitchers

Jonathan Bermúdez - 23rd round, 2018 draft (Southeastern); played with Quad Cities and Corpus Christi in 2019

Hunter Brown - 5th round, 2019 draft (Wayne State); Tri-City

Willy Collado - International free agent (Dominican Republic), 2016; Corpus/Fayetteville/Quad Cities

Brett Daniels - 17th round, 2018 draft (North Carolina); Corpus/Quad Cities

Tommy DeJuneas - Acquired via trade from Cleveland for James Hoyt, 2018; Corpus/Fayetteville

Chad Donato - 11th round, 2016 draft (West Virginia); Corpus/Fayetteville

J.P. France - 14th round, 2018 draft (Mississippi State); Fayetteville

Nick Hernandez - 8th round, 2016 draft (Houston); Corpus/Fayetteville

Michael Horrell - 30th round, 2019 draft (Campbell); Tri-City

Parker Mushinski - 7th round, 2017 draft (Texas Tech); Fayetteville, with rehab appearances in Tri-City and the Gulf Coast League

Hunter Peck - Undrafted free agent, 2020 (Georgia Gwinnett)

Joe Record - Rule 5 draft selection (minor league phase) from Twins, 2020; Cedar Rapids/Fort Myers (Twins)

César Rosado - International free agent (Dominican Republic), 2014; Fayetteville

Catchers

Scott Manea - Acquired via trade along with Ross Adolph and Luis Santana from Mets for J.D. Davis and Cody Bohanek, 2019; Fayetteville

C.J. Stubbs - 10th round, 2019 draft (Southern Cal); Quad Cities/Tri-City

Infielders

Norel González - International free agent (Cuba), 2021; last played in 2018-19 for Villa Clara (Cuban National Series)

David Hensley - 26th round, 2018 draft (San Diego State); Fayetteville/Quad Cities

Grae Kessinger - 2nd round, 2019 draft (Ole Miss); Quad Cities/Tri-City

Pedro León - International free agent (Cuba), 2021; last played in 2018-19 for Mayabeque (Cuban National Series)

J.J. Matijevic - 2nd round, 2017 draft (Arizona); Corpus/Fayetteville

Michael Wielansky - 18th round, 2018 draft (College of Wooster); Quad Cities

Outfielders

Ross Adolph - Acquired via trade along with Scott Manea and Luis Santana from Mets for J.D. Davis and Cody Bohanek, 2019; Fayetteville/Quad Cities

Marty Costes - 22nd round, 2018 draft (Maryland); Fayetteville/Quad Cities

Corey Julks - 8th round, 2017 draft (Houston); Corpus/Fayetteville

Chandler Taylor - 10th round, 2018 draft (Alabama); Fayetteville

2021 MiLB Schedule Reveal (plus quick refresher on new MiLB structure)

Yes, I'm still here. As long as there's baseball to talk about, Jayne and I will still be here. We hope that we can give you something to take your minds off the chaos that has run riot on society over the last year or so. The 2021 Minor League schedule is now out, but first, I want to put out a quick refresher on the changes that have come to Minor League Baseball.

In case you missed it, Minor League Baseball as we know it has been radically changed forever. The domestic short-season leagues are no longer affiliated with MLB clubs, and its member clubs have dispersed between the old Rookie leagues that have now been repurposed into summer leagues for college players and existing independent leagues that are now considered "MLB Partner Leagues," which means that these independent leagues are technically no longer independent from the Major League Baseball purview. The only "Rookie-level" minor league teams will be based out of the spring training and Dominican complexes.

All 30 MLB teams will have four affiliate clubs. For the Houston Astros, their organization ladder is as follows:

AAA: Sugar Land Skeeters (Triple-A West, East Division) 

AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (Double-A Central, South Division; which is essentially the Texas League with two Pacific Coast League teams joining the league) 

Class A Advanced: Asheville Tourists (High-A East, South Division)

Class A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (Low-A East, Central Division)

And then you have the complex leagues, which won't change.

Now, on to the schedule. All series will be six games in length, with Monday designated as an off-day for everyone for travel and safety purposes. 

AAA Opening Day is scheduled for April 8, with Sugar Land traveling to Reno. They will then head to Sacramento for six games before returning to Sugar Land for their home opener on April 22 against Salt Lake. AAA will have a 142-game season that finishes on September 21.

Double-A and both Class A leagues will have a 120-game season that starts May 4 and ends September 19. Corpus Christi welcomes San Antonio to Whataburger Field to kick off the 2021 season, while Asheville hosts the Brooklyn Cyclones. Fayetteville will begin their 2021 season on the road against the Carolina Mudcats.

Click each team's name to view their schedule.

Sugar Land

Corpus Christi

Asheville

Fayetteville

As the season gets closer, I'll try to put out a "Know the Team" series to get everyone familiar with each affiliate. And of course, all dates are subject to change.

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Tuesday, August 20, and Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Round Rock


Tuesday: L 5-3 @ Memphis

The Redbirds got three in the 3rd and kept the E-Train at bay. Taylor Jones finished 3-5 with an RBI single while Myles Straw, Abraham Toro, and Drew Ferguson all finished 2-4. José Urquidy was tagged with the loss as he allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits, one of which was a solo homer, walked two, and struck out four in five innings.

Wednesday: L 5-4 @ Memphis

Well, that was annoying. Memphis scored four in the 8th to turn the tables in their favor. Ferguson (15) and Toro (17) launched back-to-back solo homers in the 6th and Alex De Goti clubbed a two-run home run in the 7th. For Toro, that was his first Triple-A home run.

Kent Emanuel allowed five runs on eight hits (two-run homer) and struck out three in 7.2 innings.

The Express and Redbirds will wrap up their series at 7:05 as Ryan Hartman takes on Chris Ellis.

Corpus Christi

Tuesday: W 4-3 @ Arkansas

The Hooks only scored in one inning but it turned out to be enough for them to get the victory. All four of their runs on Tuesday came in the 4th: Jonathan Arauz scored when Ronnie Dawson grounded into a force out and then Stephen Wrenn smacked a two-run triple and he wound up scoring himself thanks to an error. Jacob Meyers and Chuckie Robinson had two hits apiece; Robinson also walked twice and stole a base.

Brett Conine won his first Texas League start as he allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits, walked two, and struck out seven in six innings of work. Andre Scrubb allowed a hit and struck out two over the final two innings to earn the save.

Wednesday: L 6-3 @ Arkansas

The Travs seized control of this one with four runs in the 5th inning. Bryan de la Cruz homered and also hit a sac fly; he now has seven home runs on the year. Osvaldo Duarte drove in Corpus Christi's first run with a groundout in the 5th. Enoli Paredes walked one and struck out four in three innings of relief.

Forrest Whitley will start the series finale. First pitch is at 7:10.

Fayetteville

Tuesday: L 5-2 @ Down East

The Wood Ducks broke a 2-2 tie with three in the 8th. Ross Adolph had an RBI single and Chandler Taylor drove in the other Fayetteville run with a groundout. Luis Garcia allowed two runs on three hits, one of which was a solo homer, walked three, and struck out seven in four innings.

Wednesday: W 7-0 @ Down East

Taylor launched a three-run homer, his 11th of the season. The Woodpeckers loaded the bases in the 5th and got three runs out of it as Corey Julks walked in a run and Scott Manea added a two-run single. Adolph tacked on the extra point... I mean, run, with a groundout in the 9th.

Shawn Dubin walked one and struck out five over five no-hit innings and Nivaldo Rodriguez completed the shutout as he allowed two hits, walked two, and struck out five.

Cody Deason goes up against Alex Eubanks in the series finale. First pitch is at 7:00 Eastern.

Quad Cities

Tuesday: W 9-3 vs. Cedar Rapids

The Banditos stormed out to a 9-0 lead and although the Kernels cut into it a little, the cushion proved to be comfortable enough. Austin Dennis drove in a run on a fielder's choice in the 5th and then cleared the bases with a double in the 6th. Zach Biermann went 2-4 with a two-run single in the 5th. Freúdis Nova finished 4-4 and scored twice. Wilyer Abreu had two hits and also scored twice. Dennis and Grae Kessinger stole two bases apiece; Kessinger now has six stolen bases, while Dennis has 21 on the season.

Matt Ruppenthal turned in a fine outing as he allowed three hits, walked two, and struck out five over seven shutout frames.

Wednesday: L 2-0 @ Peoria

Quad Cities was kept off the board to open a new series. José Alberto Rivera and R.J. Freure threw four innings apiece. Rivera allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits, walked one, and struck out seven and Freure allowed a hit, walked one, and fanned six in a scoreless outing.

Valente Bellozo will make his first start for the Banditos at 6:35.

New York-Penn League All-Star Game

The Blue team, of which Tri-City's representatives were a part of, topped the Red team 7-4. Nate Perry homered and was named the game's MVP. Juan Paulino grounded into a force out and also drew a walk, and Peyton Battenfield struck out one in a 1-2-3 7th.

Tri-City returns to action at 7:00 Eastern as they kick off a series with Hudson Valley. Angel Macuare will start game one.

GCL Astros

Tuesday: L 11-2 vs. GCL Mets

The Palm Beach 'Stros scored the first two runs of the game... and then they proceeded to get outscored 11-0 over the last seven innings. Yorbin Ceuta hit an RBI double in the 1st and José Álvarez hit an RBI single in the 2nd. Franny Cobos, the final pitcher to appear for the GCLStros on Tuesday, allowed three hits, walked two, and struck out one over two scoreless innings.

Wednesday: W 15-9 @ GCL Cardinals

The Palm Beach 'Stros scored 15 runs and they didn't need any home runs to do it. Six players in the lineup had two hits; Álvarez drove in four while Franklin Pinto drove in two and scored five runs. Sean Mendoza also had two RBI. Colin Barber went 0-4 but he still managed to score twice.

Francis Martes made his 2019 debut and he allowed an unearned run on two hits and struck out two in the 1st.

DSL Astros

Tuesday: W 4-2 @ DSL Dodgers Bautista

Daniel Bello went five innings and allowed two unearned runs on five hits, walked three, and struck out six. Jeremy Molero walked six in his three innings, but he didn't allow a run and also struck out eight. Yohander Martinez went 2-3 with an RBI single.

Wednesday: W 5-2 @ DSL Marlins

Bryan Martinez allowed five hits and struck out four over five shutout innings. Yohander Martinez turned in another multi-hit game as he went 2-4 with another RBI single. Carlos Hurtado finished 3-5 and also had an RBI single.

Getting to Know Hooks RHP Colin McKee

First drafted by the Astros in the 18th round in 2016 out of Mercyhurst College, RHP Colin McKee has really stepped up both his consistency and his effectiveness out of the bullpen during the current season. In 31 games for the Hooks in 2019, he is 2-2 with seven saves, a 1.92 ERA and a 1.103 WHIP. A couple side trips to Round Rock earlier in the season did not go quite as well, inflating those numbers to a still very respectable 2.65 ERA and 1.266 WHIP over a total of 57.2 innings. But one of the most impressive stats for me is that through 37 appearances, McKee has inherited 38 runners and has stranded all but eight of them.

Colin McKee - August 2019

Photo by Jayne Hansen

Corpus Christi Hooks Pitching Coach Graham Johnson said of McKee, "He's had a really good year. Every year, you can slowly see the delivery becoming more consistent and obviously the energy within his delivery is more consistent. You're just hoping that he continues to build off that and I think when he stays in the things that he's trying to do consistently, I think you see the performance be consistent. He's always been that way in his work and you're just kind of waiting for everything else to catch up with the work he's been doing. He's had a tremendous year and I think it's a tip of the cap to him just continuing to refine the things that we're asking him to refine."

Asked about his improvement this season, McKee feels that his focus on that consistency from outing to outing has really paid off, "I think that was the big step this year as opposed to last year. It was kind of a mixed bag whether I'd come out and be really sharp or take a batter or two to get into the game. This year I've been a lot better starting from pitch one being sharp." He has also been working on attacking hitters with his fastball early, "getting into advantageous counts and then just executing when I get to two strikes with either quality offspeed pitches that are competitive but expanding the strike zone or elevating the fastball and putting guys away with that."

Obviously, that's always easier said than done, but one thing that really helped McKee was his trip to Puerto Rico to play winter ball in late 2018. In 10 appearances, McKee was 1-0 with five saves, a 0.00 ERA and a 0.484 WHIP. The success of his winter campaign went beyond that excellent stat line, though. McKee explained, "I think it really helped. You don't have Track Man there. You don't have Edgertronic. You don't have a coach dissecting what you do on a day-to-day basis. So you have to kind of teach yourself, like what feels good and what you need to do to get yourself ready to perform."

McKee continued, "It's a competitive environment. You've got to be your own coach. You've got to tinker with yourself. You learn a lot about yourself as a pitcher I think when you're down there. And I really liked it. It was beneficial. You've got to learn how to make the adjustments without having somebody else (telling you that) you've got to have your wrist here instead of there or stay behind the ball or load your hips. There's a ton of different mechanical things that a coach can see, but you have to learn how to feel it and that was really beneficial for me."

McKee spoke of his time on the island, "It was a learning experience and to learn that culture was fun. I enjoyed it a lot." But traveling through Puerto Rico for road games was a reminder that not all of the island has recovered from the hurricanes in 2017. "It made you feel for the people down there," said McKee. He wouldn't hesitate to repeat the experience, but not right away. "I'm probably not going to go the first half, give the arm a break. This year my workload's been higher than in years past and I'm kind of feeling it at this point in the year. I'm not injured, but it's August and some bumps and bruises and stuff. So I'm looking forward to giving my body a little bit more of a break. I'm thinking about, maybe for the second half. Puerto Rico, I know their season goes into January so maybe go down for that just to get some work before spring training."

McKee isn't one to make excuses for himself, but he did admit that the MLB ball being used in Round Rock took a little getting used to, "The way I throw my slider/cutter, it's all based on how it comes off my index finger and the feel of it coming off the different balls is definitely different and it's just something I have to adjust to. It kind of took me a while because my slider is my best pitch and not having that as consistent (in Round Rock) as it was (in Corpus), it was kind of difficult to make the adjustment."

McKee enjoyed other aspects of Round Rock a little better, "All the guys up there are awesome. Obviously, there's a ton of vets up there. There are guys who've played in the bigs and stuff. Like some of those (bullpen) guys have been around the block and they know what it takes to get professional hitters out, especially at that level and in the PCL which is an offensive paradise. Just being with them and kind of learning their mindsets and their mentalities was beneficial."

To keep moving forward as a player, McKee knows that he will have to keep building on what he's done this year and try to get his walk rate down, a rate that has sometimes been hampered by intentional walks and "unintentional intentional walks" issued as the game situation might dictate, particularly working around inherited runners. He is also working on a new weapon, "I have the fastball (low to mid-90's) and I have the hard cutter/slider and I've been working on a bigger slurve type pitch. Mixing that in to batters to get them off the timing of the harder fastball and the harder cutter, I think that's going to be a good step in the development. (The slurve) is just a kind of a different timing pitch that I'm not quite as comfortable with yet so I don't throw it nearly as high percentage wise. Like the last two times I've come in with guys on base  and it's kind of a tighter situation so I'm more comfortable throwing the fastball and the slider combo."

McKee is not a stranger to hard work. When I saw him last season in Fayetteville, I was impressed by both his strength and his work ethic (and the fact that he does not skip leg days in the gym!). Johnson told me that McKee has always been a hard worker. McKee, Patrick Sandoval (now with the Angels) and Ronel Blanco were on Johnson's field during his first spring training and he would watch their competition to see who could outwork the others. He would practically have to drag them off the field. "(McKee is) a tremendous worker and that's what you're expecting. You've seen his talent level rise every year and it's because of the work that he puts in," said Johnson. With the kind of work and preparation McKee puts in, it is probably not a coincidence that he hasn't spent time on the IL since his rookie year.

Colin McKee - May 2018

Photo by Jayne Hansen

Off the field, there are no real surprises in the activities that McKee enjoys, from playing video games to golf and deer hunting to watching the NBA, NFL and the NHL (particularly his hometown Penguins) to hanging out with his girlfriend. Right now he's been enjoying playing with his host family's dogs as he mourns the recent loss of his childhood pet of almost 20 years back home. The fact that McKee is a dog person is probably the least surprising thing I learned about him. Personality-wise, McKee is extremely affable. I've never seen him with a frown on his face. He's good natured and humble and really easy to like.

But I was able to find one surprising fact about McKee. "I never really aspired to be a professional baseball player. I went to a Division 2 school and just played baseball to help pay for school. I was studying biology. I wanted to go to med school. And then I just started to throw a little bit harder, got good at baseball and ended up getting picked up and I'm still playing. I was never a prospect out of high school. I was throwing 86-88 at the most. Just kind of grew a little bit at the gym." A teammate of McKee's during his sophomore year (Dan Altavilla of The Mariners) took him under his wing and encouraged him to spend more time in the gym, throw long toss and such. "And then I started taking it a little more seriously after that," said McKee.

Yeah, I didn't see that one coming, Dr. McKee. Thank you for your time, Colin, and best of luck as your career continues.

Getting to Know Enoli Paredes and Cristian Javier

Right-handers Enoli Paredes and Cristian Javier of the Corpus Christi Hooks have a lot in common. They are both from the Dominican Republic. Both were signed for bargain basement prices well after their original eligibility. Both have rapidly ascended the prospect rankings this year. (On MLB Pipeline, Javier went from unrated prior to the season to #10 currently while Paredes rose from a pre-season ranking of #28 to a current ranking of #14.)

Enoli Paredes (Top) and Cristian Javier (Bottom)

August 2019

Photos by Jayne Hansen

And both have had very successful seasons. Through this point in the season, Paredes has a 2.64 ERA and a 0.981 WHIP in 20 appearances (11 starts) between High A Fayetteville and AA Corpus Christi (38 BB:121 K in 88.2 IP). Javier has some eye-popping numbers as well. He has a 1.75 ERA and a 0.984 WHIP in 24 appearances (16 starts) between Fayetteville and Corpus Christi and he leads the Astros minor league affiliates with his 154 strikeouts (55 walks) in 102.2 innings of work.

Corpus Christi Pitching Coach Graham Johnson highlighted some of their differences, "They're both extremely exciting to watch for different reasons. Enoli's just kind of a flamboyant personality. You actually can see it come out in his mechanics and his movements on the mound and even his in-between pitch movements. It's got a little bit of flair to it, a little bit of drama that comes with it. Electric arm, electric body, electric movement, electric stuff. That's kind of the perfect word I would use to describe him. You look at him (Paredes is listed as 5'11" and 168 pounds), and you don't really expect this big time power stuff to be coming at you."

Johnson continued, "Where Javier, it's almost you enjoy watching him more because of results. I don't want to say he always does the same thing, but he's super consistent in his attack in terms of what he's trying to do and it's very successful in terms of that. Both are very, very fun pitchers to watch and (both) go about their business in a very good way."

As Johnson mentioned, Paredes does have a flamboyent personality while Javier is more on the quiet side, but Paredes's personality is infectious and everyone around him gets caught up in that energy, including the quieter Javier. They are both a lot of fun to watch, both on and off the field.