Happy Birthday - 8/16

Happy Birthday to ~

Astros 1st round draft pick Brady Aiken. Wait. What? Never mind.

2B Delino DeShields (22)
The Astros first round draft pick from 2010 has spent this season with the Corpus Christi team, hitting .235/.343/.340 with 11 doubles, one triple, eight home runs, 46 RBI and 47 stolen bases in 98 games. According to Baseball-Reference, DeShields is over three years younger than the league average.

2B Juan Santana (20)
Santana was signed by the Astros as an NDFA from the Dominican Republic at the end of 2010 and is currently playing in Tri-City following his mid-July promotion from Greeneville. Between the two venues, he is hitting .327/.353/.442 with 12 doubles, two home runs and 24 RBI in 41 games.

Two former Astros celebrate the day as well ~

RHP Xavier Hernandez (49)
Originally drafted by Toronto in the fourth round in 1986, Hernandez came to Houston via the Rule 5 draft in December 1989. Hernandez played for the Astros from 1990 to 1993 and again in 1996. In 273 games, he was 22-19 with a 3.40 ERA and a 1.234 WHIP.

OF Roger Cedeno (40)
Cedeno came to Houston in a December 1999 trade with the Mets and spent one season in the Astros organization before being traded to Detroit. In 74 games with the Astros, he hit .282/.383/.398. His best season was in 1999 when he hit .313/.396/.408 for the Mets with 66 stolen bases.

Happy Birthday - 8/16

RHP Justin Hess (23)
Hess is one of our newer Astros, having only signed with Houston as a non-drafted free agent at the end of July. He has only made one appearance for the GCL team since then. For more on the college career of the former George Southern Eagle, go here.

2B Delino DeShields (21)
The Astros first round draft pick from 2010 has had a very good season with Lancaster, despite scuffling with injuries early on in the year. In 97 games, he has hit .309/.392/.448 with 23 doubles, ten triples, four home runs and 44 stolen bases.

2B Juan Santana (19)
Santana was signed by the Astros as an NDFA from the Dominican Republic at the end of 2010 and is currently playing in his first season in Greeneville, having graduated from playing in the GCL last season. In 47 games, he has compiled a .241/.292/.335 batting line.

Former Astros with birthdays today ~

RHP Xavier Hernandez (48)
Originally drafted by Toronto in the fourth round in 1986, Hernandez came to Houston via the Rule 5 draft in December 1989. Hernandez played for the Astros from 1990 to 1993 and again in 1996. In 273 games, he was 22-19 with a 3.40 ERA and a 1.234 WHIP.

OF Roger Cedeno (39)
Cedeno came to Houston in a December 1999 trade with the Mets and spent one season in the Astros organization before being traded to Detroit. In 74 games with the Astros, he hit .282/.383/.398. His best season was in 1999 when he hit .313/.396/.408 for the Mets with 66 stolen bases.

Happy Birthday - 8/16

LHP Jeremiah Meiners (24)
Drafted in the 40th Round of the 2010 draft out of Francis Marion University (SC), Meiners is 3-2 in 14 appearances, including 1 save, for Tri-City with a 2.60 ERA and a 1.084 WHIP. Lefties are only hitting .167 against him.

2B Delino DeShields Jr (20)
The Astros first round draft pick from 2010 has had a break out season with Lexington leading to his recent promotion to Hi-A Lancaster. In his time in Lexington, he hit .298/.401/.439 with 22 doubles, five triples, 10 home runs and 83 stolen bases. Since his promotion to Lancaster, he is hitting .348/.348/.348 with two steals in five games for a total of 85. He is rapidly approaching the all-time Astros minor league record of 87 steals set by Lou Frazier in 1988.

SS Juan Santana (18)
Santana was signed by the Astros as an NDFA from the Dominican Republic at the end of 2010 and is currently playing in his first season in the GCL after playing in the DSL last season.  In 48 games, he has compiled a .252/.301/.319 batting line. In August, he is hitting .275/.341/.375.

Former Astros with birthdays today ~

RHP Xavier Hernandez (47)
Originally drafted by Toronto in the fourth round in 1986, Hernandez came to Houston via the Rule 5 draft in December 1989. Hernandez played for the Astros from 1990 to 1993 and again in 1996. In 273 games, he was 22-19 with a 3.40 ERA and a 1.234 WHIP.

OF Roger Cedeno (38)
Cedeno came to Houston in a December 1999 trade with the Mets and spent one season in the Astros organization before being traded to Detroit. In 74 games with the Astros, he hit .282/.383/.398. His best season was in 1999 when he hit .313/.396/.408 for the Mets with 66 stolen bases.