Cool. Is that the day before the All-Star game?
Hell yes it was!
Loperfido with another big game last night going 3-5 with another long ball.
ETA: also had 2 SBs.
We may look back and be glad it was Gilbert and not Loperfido included in the JV deal.
2 Likes
Do we know what Loperfido’s best position is?
Still figuring out which sites to trust, but found this projection here:
at worst he profiles as a decent LF or a potentially plus 1b due to athleticism (but not a strong arm).
Loperfido is one of my favorite prospects. Very much a Swiss Army knife type of player (like the great Billy Spiers) who can play multiple positions well. Long term, I think he ends up with his feet mostly on the dirt at 2B or 1B. But he’s athletic enough to also be a decent CF.
1 Like
2B/3B Will Wagner has come back strong after two months on the injured list. Already 25 in AA, he started the year hitting .270/.353/.432 before getting hurt in late May. Since returning to the CC lineup August 4 (we’ll ignore his FCL rehab performance, which was also great) he’s hitting .375/.460/.563. He went 5/5 with a homer and a double last night.
Small sample since the return, but it’s nice to see Wagner put himself in the spotlight again after raising his stock so much in the AFL last year.
3 Likes
This is obviously what a young man can expect when he listens to his father.
2 Likes
Blair Henley wins Texas League pitcher of the week for the 2nd time in three weeks. His August numbers are very good:
4 games/20 IP/11 H (1 HR & 1 DBL), 10 BB, 28K, BAA .164
Henley had TJ surgery late in the 2021 season and missed all of 22. His numbers for the year don’t jump out: 3-5 with a 4.63ERA, 93 1/3 IP, 85H, 7 HR, 45 BB, 96 K & 10 WP. However, since the calendar turned to July, he has been a different pitcher:
36 1/3 IP/ 3.22 ERA/ 21 H (1 HR/1 DBL), 19 BB/44K, .168 BAA/ 3 WP
He had an outing on 7/14 that involved 5 of the 13 runs he has allowed in July/Aug and 6 of the 19 walks. Not excusing that but showing outside of that, he has been very impressive.
He is 26 (turns 27 May 2023), I wouldn’t be surprised to see him moved up to AAA for an outing or two before the season ends.
4 Likes
Back in late June, Ryan Gusto (11th Round pick in 2019 out of Florida Southwestern State JC) was promoted to Corpus.
So far, in 42.2 innings of work, he has 45 K and a 2.95 ERA. FB is the stand out pitch while the CB is his best secondary offering. Probably profiles more as a high leverage bullpen arm at this point, but the Astros can never have too many of those and Gusto is certainly someone to keep an eye on regardless.
Some context to keep in mind. He missed all of the 2020 season (Covid) and the 2021 season (TJS) - i.e. this is really his full season of professional baseball - and is still only 24. Oh yeah, Astros offered 4th Round money to sign him, so they clearly saw something they liked.
3 Likes
Jacob Melton promoted to Corpus.
He’s got so much potential, would be nice to see him solve his contact issues. Everything else is there.
1 Like
So true. If his bat can learn to meet the ball more often, watch out. He’s got the tools to be special.