Bregman gets call from Astros
Academy grad has dominated the minors, now looks for his place in the majors
The Bregman Watch 2016 is officially over.
After weeks of speculation, the Houston Astros announced Sunday they will promote Albuquerque Academy alum Alex Bregman to the majors. The former LSU star shortstop is expected to make his MLB debut today in Houston a little more than a year after the Astros selected him second overall in the 2015 MLB draft.
Since being picked by Houston and signing for a $5.9 million bonus, Bregman has crushed the ball in the minors.
Bregman hit .294 with four home runs, 34 RBIs and 13 stolen bases in 66 combined games with Class A Quad Cities and Class A Advanced Lancaster last season. The 22-yearold Bregman began this season at Double-A Corpus Christi where he hit .297 with 14 home runs and 46 RBIs in 62 games, earning a spot in the Texas League All-Star Game and a promotion to Triple-A Fresno.
Since joining the Grizzlies, Bregman has hit .333 with six home runs and 15 RBIs in 18 games.
His monster season also earned Bregman a spot in the Futures All-Star Game, where he stole the show going 3-for-5 and falling a home run short of the cycle for the U.S. team.
Bregman opened the season as a consensus top-50 prospect but he soared up the lists after the first half. ESPN.com’s Keith Law had Bregman tabbed as the No. 1 prospect in baseball in his midseason rankings and Baseball America had Bregman ranked No. 8 in its midseason list.
The Astros will host the New York Yankees in a three-game
series beginning today.
The main question concerning Bregman’s promotion — aside from when it would happen — has been where he would play. After announcing Bregman’s promotion Sunday, Astros manager A.J. Hinch said he was “not sure” which position he would immediately fill.
Bregman is a natural shortstop but the Astros appear set at that position with Carlos Correa. Second baseman Jose Altuve is one of the best in the game so Bregman won’t be playing there. Bregman played 11 games at third base with Corpus Christi and got his first start at the hot corner in Triple-A on Tuesday. He started Wednesday’s game in left field, the first time he’s played that position in a game as a professional, and played there for five innings before moving to shortstop. He again started in left on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The Astros may shuffle Bregman between left field and third base in order to get his bat in the lineup.
Houston started the year 17-28 but has surged back into contention in the AL West, trailing the Texas Rangers by 2½ games for the division lead. The Astros have six players who have played in 50 games or more and are hitting .232 or worse.
No matter where Bregman plays, Houston is hoping the Albuquerque native can help boost the team into the playoffs and a new Bregman Watch continues into October.