Happy Birthday - 12/2

Happy Birthday to ~

SS Miguelangel Sierra (17)
Sierra signed with the Astros during the 2014 international signing period out of Venezuela. He has not yet played his first professional game.

SS Kristian Trompiz (19)
Trompiz was signed by the Astros as an international free agent out of Venezuela in July 2012. In his second professional season, he sstarted the season with the Gulf Coast League club, was promoted to Greeneville in mid-July and finished the season with three games for Tri-City. In a total of 52 games, he hit .285/.360/.400 with 16 doubles and one home run.

SS Thomas Lindauer (23)
Drafted in the 23rd round in 2013 out of the University of Illinois, Lindauer played for the Quad Cities team in 2014. In 92 games, he hit .183/.245/.279.

One former Astro with a birthday today ~

RHP Darryl Kile (died June 18, 2002 at 33)
A 30th round pick by the Astros in 1987, Kile pitched in 209 games (182 starts) for Houston from 1991 to 1997, going 71-65 with a 3.79 ERA and a 1.408 WHIP. In post-season pitching for Houston, he was 0-1 with a 2.57 ERA and a 0.571 WHIP. Kile was an All-Star for the Astros in 1993 and 1997 and is honored with a memorial plaque on the outfield wall at Minute Maid Park.

2014 International Free Agent Signing Period

Today marks the beginning of the International Free Agent signing period. The 30 teams of Major League Baseball scour the globe year-round in search of that next superstar. But, July 2 is the first day that are allowed to sign teenage players from outside the United States and Canada. There will be a few Australians, a couple of Koreans maybe, a Taiwanese kid here and there, and maybe a European as well. But, the vast majority of players signed in this period come from Latin America. Many of these kids are from the Dominican Republic, with Venezuela close behind. A few call Colombia, Nicaragua, Panama, or the Antilles (Aruba, Curaçao) home.

On this first day of the new International Free Agent signing period, the Houston Astros have signed 3 Venezuelans: RHP Franklin Perez, SS Miguel Angel Sierra, and C Brandon Benavente. Perez and Sierra both received a $1 million signing bonus, while Benavente signed for $250,000.

This post will be updated as known signings are announced. There will also be many, many more players signed by the Astros for a significantly lower amount than what these three are getting. Almost all of these signings are unannounced, and the only proof of their existence is most likely in the hands of Oz Ocampo (and company) and the rosters of the Dominican Summer League. Many of them may never make it out of the Dominican Summer League. At the same time, one of them may emerge as a top prospect, and we'll be eagerly anticipating his arrival, much like we've done with George Springer and Jon Singleton. And who knows? Maybe that top prospect will become the MVP, or a Cy Young Award winner, or a perennial All-Star, or even a Hall of Famer.

I would like to wish Oz Ocampo and his staff the best of luck in their continual and tireless pursuit of bringing in quality talent into the Houston Astros pipeline.

¡Bienvenidos a los Astros! 

2014 Houston Astros International Free Agent Class

RHP Franklin Perez, Venezuela ($1,000,000)
SS Miguel Angel Sierra, Venezuela ($1,000,000)
C Brandon Benavente, Venezuela ($250,000)
SS Juan Piñeda, Panama
SS Ozziel Sanchez, Panama
OF Ronny Rafael, Dominican Republic ($1,500,000)
OF Hector Martinez, Dominican Republic
RHP Cristofer Melendez, Dominican Republic
LHP Javier Navas, Venezuela