Meet the 2017 Gulf Coast League Astros

The Gulf Coast League Astros are currently taking on the Cardinals in their first game of their 2017 campaign.

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

Manager: Wladimir Sutil
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

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Friday, June 9, 2017

El Paso 14, Fresno 12

W- Jason Jester (2-0)
L- Dean Deetz (0-2, 4-4 season)

Fresno home runs: A.J. Reed (9, solo in 6th), Tony Kemp (2, 2-run in 9th)

The Grizzlies nearly clawed their way back from a 14-5 deficit. Unfortunately... no cigar.

Reid Brignac hit an RBI single in the 2nd to put Fresno on the board. In the 3rd, Tyler White hit into a fielder's choice and an error on the play allowed two runs to score. White, who advanced to 2nd on the miscue, scored on Preston Tucker's double.

A.J. Reed launched the comeback bid by whacking a homer to lead off the 6th. The elder Tucker added a sac fly, Juan Centeno hit a 2-run single, and Reed hit a 2-run single in his second plate appearance of the inning. Tony Kemp smacked a 2-run homer in the 9th to 2. White and Tucker followed Kemp's blast with singles, but they were both stranded to end the game.

Big Tuck finished 4-5 on the evening. Centeno was 3-5 with a double, his 2-run single, and scored twice. Kemp (2-R HR, 2 R), White (2 R), Reed (solo HR, 3 RBI), and Jon Kemmer (2B, 3 R) all posted 2-hit nights.

Dean Deetz got roughed up in his 3+ innings as he allowed 5 runs (2 inherited runners charged to him) on 5 hits, walked 4, and struck out 2. The Chihuahuas had 8 straight reach base to begin the 4th before the Grizzlies could record an out. Ashur Tolliver was the first man out of the Fresno bullpen but failed to record an out. He got tagged for 6 runs (3 inherited runners charged to him). allowed 3 hits, and walked 2. Tyson Perez went 2 innings, and the 3 runs that were charged to him came on a homer hit by Jabari Blash in the 5th. Perez allowed 3 other hits and walked 1. Brian Holmes stopped the bleeding with 3 scoreless innings, allowing 3 hits and striking out 2.

Trent Thornton faces Matt Magill in game 2 of this series. First pitch is at 7:05 Mountain.

Frisco 3, Corpus Christi 1

W- Yohander Mendez (4-3)
L- Framber Valdez (0-1, 0-4 season)
S- Reed Garrett (5)

CC home runs: None.

The Hooks couldn't get much off of Arlington's top prospect, Yohander Mendez, on Friday night and had to settle for a split in the series.

Framber Valdez went 6 innings in his Corpus debut and allowed 2 runs on 3 hits, walked 4, and struck out 3. The one hit that Sean Stutzman allowed in his 2 innings was a solo homer to Michael O'Neill in the 7th. Stutzman also walked 1 and fanned 3. Riley Ferrell worked around a hit to throw a scoreless 9th, striking out 1.

Jamie Ritchie's RBI single in the 6th was the Hooks' only scoring play. An error on the play allowed Garrett Stubbs to advance to 3rd, but he was stranded there to end the frame.

Corpus heads up I-37 to take on San Antonio. Kyle Smith will start the opener against Brett Kennedy at 7:05.

Buies Creek 7, Wilmington 4

W- Justin Ferrell (6-3)
L- A.J. Puckett (5-5)
S- Andrew Walter (1)

BC home runs: Jake Rogers (4, 10 season; solo in 1st)

The Carolina Stros jumped out to a 5-0 lead, then saw it get whittled down to one run. Fortunately, they managed to score a couple of crucial insurance runs to come away with the win.

Jake Rogers launched a solo homer in the 1st to open the scoring. Buies Creek got 4 in the 4th on a 2-run single from Rodrigo Ayarza and RBI singles from Ryne Birk and Spencer Johnson. Rogers, who finished 3-5 with a stolen base (3, 4 season), scored on a wild pitch in the 8th and capped off the evening with an RBI infield single in the 9th. He now has a 9-game hitting streak. Birk and Randy César also finished with 3 hits on the evening.

Justin Ferrell allowed 2 runs on 5 hits and fanned 2 in 5 innings of work. Carlos Sierra was the first man out of the Buies Creek bullpen and allowed 2 runs on 3 hits, walked 2, and struck out 1. Andrew Walter got the save with 2.1 scoreless innings, allowing a hit, walking 1, and striking out 2.

Hector Perez takes on Cristian Castillo in game 3 of this series. First pitch is at 7:05.

Quad Cities 8, Beloit 3

W- Gabriel Valdez (1-0)
L- Matt Milburn (2-5)
S- Cionel Perez (1)

QC home runs: Chuckie Robinson (6, 2-run in 7th)

The Banditos scored 4 in the 7th to create some separation between them and the Snappers. They're just one game out of a playoff spot with 9 games to go in the first half of the Midwest League season.

Gabriel Valdez pitched 5 innings and allowed 2 runs on 6 hits, walked 3, and struck out 4. Cionel Perez pitched the last 4 innings and allowed an unearned run on an error, a double, and struck out 4.

Carmen Benedetti ripped a 2-run double in the 3rd to put Quad Cities on the board. Wander Franco smacked an RBI double in the 4th, and Jonathan Arauz scored on a wild pitch in the 5th. Arauz drew a 1-out walk in the 7th and eventually scored on an error that allowed Benedetti to reach. Later in the frame, Yordan Alvarez hit a sac fly, and Chuckie Robinson launched a 2-run homer to bring in the last of the Banditos' runs.

Arauz (3 R, BB), Ronnie Dawson (2 2B, R), Osvaldo Duarte (2B, R), and Benedetti (2B, 2 RBI, R) all finished with 2 hits on the evening.

Carlos Sanabria gets the start in game 2. He'll go up against Dalton Sawyer at 7:00.

DSL Astros Blue 9, DSL Red Sox 1

W- Antonio Pujols (1-0)
L- Alejandro Rodriguez (0-1)

Blue home runs: Ronny Rafael (3, 2-run in 3rd)

Team Blue swept the Red Sox in their first encounter. They got out to a 5-1 lead and tacked on 4 more in the 9th for good measure.

Ronny Rafael's 2-run blast in the 3rd opened the scoring. Rhandall Sanchez scored on an error in the 4th. César Cortez tripled and scored on a wild pitch in the 5th, and Kendy Moya had an RBI single in the 6th.

The Blue team parlayed a bases-loaded, 1 out situation into 4 runs in the 9th as Anthony Rodriguez hit an RBI single, Sanchez had a sac fly, and Ronaldo Urdaneta ripped a 2-run triple. Rafael finished 2-5 on the day.

Angel Macaure allowed 2 hits, walked 4, and struck out 4 over 4 scoreless innings. Oscar Severino allowed a run on a groundout, a double, and struck out 1 in the 5th, and Antonio Pujols allowed 4 hits while striking out 4 over 4 scoreless.

The Blue team will face the Marlins at 10:30 AM Eastern.

DSL Dodgers2 3, DSL Astros Orange 1

W- Antonio Hernandez (1-0)
L- Diosward Gonzalez (0-1)
S- Leowis Blanco (1)

Orange home runs: None.

Both teams had 7 hits... the Orange team scored fewer runs. They threatened in the 9th but left the bases loaded to end the game.

Michael Garcia went 2-4 and spoiled the shutout with an RBI single in the 9th. Ramiro Rodriguez also went 2-4.

Diosward Gonzalez went 4 innings and allowed 2 runs on 4 hits (solo homer), walked 2, and struck out 5. Carlos Perdomo pitched the final 5 innings and allowed an unearned run on 3 hits and struck out 3.

Team Orange will take on the Cubs 1 at 10:30 AM Eastern.

Friday's Stars

All photos are from Jayne unless stated otherwise.

Ronny Rafael, OF, DSL Astros Blue: 2-5, 2-R HR (3), 2 R
Angel Macuare, RHP, DSL Astros Blue: 4 IP, 2 H, 4 BB, 4 K
Antonio Pujols, RHP, DSL Astros Blue: W (1-0), 4 IP, 4 H, 4 K

Carlos Perdomo, LHP, DSL Astros Orange: 5 IP, 3 H, unearned run, 3 K

Jake Rogers, C, Buies Creek

3-5, solo HR (4, 10 season), 2 RBI, 3 R, SB (3, 4 season)

.@CionelP pic.twitter.com/sJnkhCRqWI

— QCBanditPhotog (@QCBanditPhotog) May 29, 2017

Photo by Rich Guill

Cionel Perez, LHP, Quad Cities

Save (1), 4 IP, H, unearned run, 4 K

Carmen Benedetti, OF, Quad Cities
2-5, 2B, 2 RBI, R

Andrew Walter, RHP, Buies Creek

Save (1), 2.1 IP, H, BB, 2 K

Brian Holmes, LHP, Fresno

3 IP, 2 H, 3 K

Juan Centeno's photo taken by Bryan Green

A.J. Reed, 1B, Preston Tucker, OF, and Juan Centeno, C, Fresno

Reed: 2-5, solo HR (9), 3 RBI

Tucker: 4-5, 2B, 2 RBI

Centeno: 3-5, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R

Astros Minor League Recaps

Results for Monday, June 5, 2017

Sacramento 7, Fresno 3

W- Kraig Sitton (4-1)
L- Kevin Comer (2-2)

Fresno home runs: None.

Jae-gyun Hwang broke a 3-3 tie in Sacramento's favor with a 6th-inning RBI single off Kevin Comer and sealed the deal with a 2-run homer off of Jordan Jankowski in the 8th.

Both teams scored two in the 1st inning; Fresno's came on a 2-run double from Juan Centeno. Jon Kemmer hit an RBI infield single in the 5th for their only other scoring play on the night. Tony Kemp finished 2-4 with a run scored and a stolen base (10).

Trent Thornton went 5 innings and allowed 3 runs (2 earned) on 8 hits (2-run homer), walked 3, and struck out 4. Kevin Comer pitched the 6th and allowed the RBI single to Hwang. He allowed one other hit (also a single) and issued a walk. All of these events occurred after he got two groundouts to start the inning. Jordan Jankowski pitched a scoreless 7th but was tagged for 3 runs in the 8th. He allowed 2 hits, including Hwang's 2-run shot, walked 3, and struck out 1. Jankowski also uncorked 3 wild pitches in the 8th.

Mike Hauschild will get the start in game 2 of this series and he'll face Dan Slania at 7:05 Pacific.

Corpus Christi was off

Kent Emanuel takes on Ariel Jurado as the Hooks start a 4-game series with Frisco at 7:05.

From Sunday: Myrtle Beach 8, Buies Creek 5 in 10 innings

W- Pedro Araujo (3-0)
L- Ralph Garza Jr. (1-1)
S- Dillon Maples (2)

BC home runs: Dexture McCall (3, solo in 8th)

The Carolina Stros erased a 5-1 deficit when Dex McCall tied the game with his solo blast in the 8th inning... but the Pelicans scored 3 in the first extra frame to regain control.

Both teams scored a run in the 1st inning; Buies Creek's came on a sac fly from Stephen Wrenn. Pat Porter hit a sac fly to score Wrenn in the 6th inning. After Anibal Sierra doubled to lead off the 7th, Straw drove him in with a triple. He'd come around to score on a double from Wrenn. McCall launched a solo homer to tie the game at 5 in the 8th inning.

Straw finished 4-5 on the evening. Wrenn and Randy César both went 3-4, and McCall finished 2-5.

Franklin Perez went 4 innings and allowed 3 runs on 4 hits (solo homer) and struck out 3. Howie Brey struck out 2 in a 1-2-3 5th inning. Hector Perez was next, and the 2 runs he allowed came on a homer hit by Eddy Martinez in the 7th. Perez allowed one other hit, walked 2, and struck out 6. Ralph Garza Jr. was tagged for 3 runs on 3 hits in the 10th. He also walked 2 and struck out 1.


Myrtle Beach 1, Buies Creek 0

W- Mike Rucker (1-0)
L- Brett Adcock (1-3, 2-3 season)
S- Kyle Miller (2)

BC home runs: None.

Buies Creek got shut out in the regularly scheduled contest. Their only two hits were a double from Rodrigo Ayarza and an Anthony Hermelyn single.

Brett Adcock pitched well but was forced to take an L. He allowed a run on 4 hits, walked 2, and fanned 6 in 6 innings of work. Carlos Sierra tagged in for 3 perfect innings, striking out 3.

Buies Creek will look to avoid the sweep as Ryan Hartman looks to rebound from a rough Carolina League debut. He'll face Ryan Kellogg at 7:00 Eastern.

Quad Cities was off

The River Bandits start a 3-game series in Wisconsin at 7:05.

DSL Braves 15, DSL Astros Blue 13

W- Luis De Jesus (1-0)
L- Gustavo Almonte (0-1)
S- Lisandro Santos (1)

Blue home runs: Yeuris Ramirez 2 (2; solo in 4th, 2-run in 5th), César Cortez (1, solo in 5th), Ronny Rafael (1, solo in 6th)

The Braves stunned the Blue team with a 6-run 9th inning. The offense scored in every inning but the first and 9th, when they most likely needed to.

Yeuris Ramirez clubbed two homers, but his first RBI came on a sac fly in the 2nd inning. In the 3rd, Yorbin Ceuta scored on an error that allowed Ronny Rafael to reach. Angel Tejeda ripped an RBI triple to score Rafael, and Rhandall Sanchez brought Tejeda in with an RBI double. Ramirez smacked a solo shot to lead off the bottom of the 4th, and Rafael reached on another error that saw Kendy Moya score. César Cortez launched a homer to lead off the 5th, and Ramirez struck again with a 2-run blast later in the frame.

Rafael led off the bottom of the 6th with a homer and Cortez scored when Ronaldo Urdaneta beat a double play attempt. Rafael added an RBI single to his ledger in the 7th and Urdaneta hit an RBI single in the 8th. Everyone in the lineup had a hit; Urdaneta was the only player who didn't score.

Team Blue's pitchers, on the other hand, struggled. Some things are probably better left unsaid.

The Blue team is at the Dodgers complex where they'll take on the Dodgers 1 at 10:30 AM Eastern.

DSL Indians/Brewers 11, DSL Astros Orange 1

W- Daniel Acosta (1-0)
L- Asael Uribe (0-1)

Orange home runs: None.

The Orange team got on the board first, but the Brewdians went on an 11-0 run the rest of the way.

Deury Carrasco and Michael Garcia both finished 2-4 with a double. Carrasco also stole a base, as did Samir Caraballo, who swiped two. Jose Alvarez scored Team Orange's only run on a Jeury Castillo groundout in the 2nd inning.

Jesus Bernaez allowed a run on 2 hits, walked 4, and struck out 5 in 5 innings of work. The bullpen... didn't fare as well. Like I said, some things are probably better left unsaid.

The Orange team will take on the standalone Indians squad at 10:30 AM Eastern.

Monday's Stars

All photos are from Jayne unless stated otherwise.

Jesus Bernaez, RHP, DSL Astros Orange: 5 IP, 2 H, ER, 4 BB, 5 K

Yeuris Ramirez, IF, DSL Astros Blue: 2-3, 2 HR (2), 4 RBI
Ronny Rafael, OF, DSL Astros Blue: 3-6, 2B, solo HR (1), 2 RBI, 2 R
Rhandall Sanchez, C, DSL Astros Blue: 3-3, 2B, RBI, 2 R, 2 BB

Congrats to Astros 17yo Panama CF Cesar Cortez on being named MVP of the Panama League! @DslAstros #JMV pic.twitter.com/cWWOXSciC7

— Oz Ocampo (@OzOcampoHouston) February 22, 2017

César Cortez, OF, DSL Astros Blue

2-5, solo HR (1), 2 R, SB (2)

.@brett_adcock pic.twitter.com/SUSgP6k6VK

— QCBanditPhotog (@QCBanditPhotog) April 23, 2017

 Brett Adcock's photo taken by Rich Guill

Buies Creek Astros pitchers

L 1-0 vs. Myrtle Beach

9 IP, 4 H, ER, 2 BB, 8 K

Brett Adcock: L (1-3, 2-3 season), 6 IP, 4 H, ER, 2 BB, 5 K

Carlos Sierra: 3 IP, 3 K

Happy Birthday - 10/14

Happy Birthday to ~

RHP Devonte German (20)
Drafted in the 11th round in 2013 out of high school in Reno, Nevada, German spent his 2014 season with the Greeneville Astros. In 13 games (nine starts), he was 1-2 with a 3.94 ERA and a 1.646 WHIP.

OF Ronny Rafael (17)
Signed by Houston out of the Dominican Republic during the July international signing period in 2014, Rafael has not yet started his professional career. He was listed by Baseball America as the number 25 international prospect prior to his signing.

Several former Astros celebrate the day as well ~

RHP Alberto Arias (31)
From the Dominican Republic, Arias was originally signed as a NDFA by Colorado and was picked up by Houston in 2008 as a waiver claim. In 45 appearances for Houston in 2008 and 2009, Arias had a 3.86 ERA and a 1.584 WHIP.

SS/2B Kiko Garcia (61)
Originally drafted by the Orioles in the third round in 1971, Garcia came to Houston in an April 1981 trade with Baltimore. In 82 games for the Astros in 1981 and 1982, Garcia hit .250/.295/.325.

C Carl Nichols (52)
A fourth round pick by Baltimore in 1980, Nichols came to Houston in a March 1989 trade and played for the Astros for three seasons, from 1989 to 1991. In 60 games, he hit .186/.271/.239. After his retirement, he coached at the Urban Youth Academy in Compton, California.

IF Dave Hajek (47)
Signed by Houston as an amateur free agent in 1989, Hajek got a couple of cups of coffee as he played in a total of 13 games for the Astros in 1995 and 1996, hitting .250/.400/.333. In 10 minor league seasons, he hit .301/.344/.408. In 2014, he was the hitting coach for the Rockies AAA team.