Hernandez re-establishes credentials in rise to top
TORONTO — A productive 2014 that spanned two levels propelled Teoscar Hernandez’s prospect status. A lackluster 2015 dropped him, more or less, from the industry’s radar.
So much so that the Astros took the gamble of leaving Hernandez unprotected from December’s Rule 5 Draft. The outfielder didn’t even garner an initial invitation to major league spring training, but about two weeks before minor league camp received a phone call telling him to be ready to participate.
“I was thinking,” he said on Saturday, “that this is my year.”
A refined approach at the plate helped Hernandez, 23, boost his stock. A winter of playing for Toros del Este in his native Dominican Republic marked a turning point, he said. Ever since, he has chased fewer pitches outside the strike zone. The results are evident.
Hernandez chopped his strikeout percentage from 24.5 percent in 2015 to 16.6 percent this season en route to Friday’s big league debut, in which he homered and reached base three times, though he struck out three times during an 0-for-4 outing in Saturday’s 4-2 loss at Toronto.
He credits winterball teammate Eugenio Velez, a former major leaguer 10 years his elder, for helping him formulate a better plan at the plate. He has drawn more walks and found himself with better pitches to hit.
“I was seeing the results in spring training,” said Hernandez, who signed at 16 for a $20,000 bonus by the previous Astros’ front office and then-director of Latin American scouting Felix Francisco.
“I was in a lot of games with the big league guys. The at-bats that I took were pretty good.”
It carried over when he began his second April in Class AA Corpus Christi. He was promoted to Class AAA Fresno after the Texas League All-Star Game in late June. Six weeks later, he’s a big leaguer and in the lineup of a team contending for the postseason.
Gurriel quiet at the plate
Yulieski Gurriel went 0-for-4 in Class AA on Saturday night, giving him one hit in 14 at-bats over four games with Corpus Christi.
Playing third base and batting third, Gurriel popped out to shortstop in his first plate appearance and drew a walk in his second. In his third, Gurriel grounded into a fielder’s choice but drove in his first RBI in Class AA to tie the game at two. He struck out swinging to kick off the bottom of the seventh inning and grounded out in the ninth.
The Hooks lost the game to the Arkansas Travelers 5-4 after 10 innings.
The Astros’ hope has been for Gurriel to be ready to debut in the majors Tuesday when the team opens a two-game series against the Cardinals at Minute Maid Park. General manager Jeff Luhnow said Friday that Gurriel might play for Corpus Christi again on Sunday.
Once with the Astros, the 32-year-old Gurriel is expected to play primarily third base and designated hitter. The $47.5-million Cuban infielder experienced short stints in both the Gulf Coast League and Class A before continuing his tune-up in Class AA this week.
Fresno contract extended 2 years
The Astros on Saturday announced a two-year extension of their player development contract with Class AAA Fresno that will take their partnership through the 2018 season.
General manager Jeff Luhnow made the announcement at a news conference at Chukchansi Park in Fresno, Calif.
The partnership between the Astros and Fresno began for the 2015 season after the Los Angeles Dodgers purchased a stake in the Oklahoma City RedHawks, the Astros’ previous Class AAA affiliate.
Fresno spent 17 years as an affiliate of the San Francisco Giants before the 2015 season.
Odds and ends
Jose Altuve extended his on-base streak on the road to 43 games. In franchise history only Jeff Bagwell has a longer such streak (51 consecutive road games in 1999). … Altuve has as many walks (50) as strikeouts this season. …
Jake Marisnick, who tweaked his groin in the first game of Thursday’s doubleheader in Minnesota, did not play for a third straight game Saturday. Marisnick could play Sunday but with a day odd Monday the Astros may hold him out until Tuesday night’s series opener against the Cardinals. …
The Astros will face lefthander Jaime Garcia on Tuesday and righthander Carlos Martinez on Wednesday in this week’s two-game Cardinals series. …
Marwin Gonzalez was ejected by home plate umpire Doug Eddings for arguing balls and strikes after a ninth-inning strikeout Saturday.