Position player roster set for opener
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The Astros set their position player group for the opening day roster on Saturday after reassigning outfielder Lewis Brinson, catcher Michael Papierski and infielder Franklin Barreto to minor league camp.
All three players will start the minor league season in Class AAA Sugar Land, which plays its first game Tuesday in Sacramento. None of the three players had a legitimate chance to break camp with the major league team even with expanded 28man rosters in April.
Saturday’s moves all but ensure the Astros will carry a 15-man pitching staff — including a 10-man bullpen — in April.
Houston signed Brinson to a minor league deal prior to spring training in an effort to create a center field competition. He impressed manager Dusty Baker, but not near enough for the Astros to put him on their 40-man roster. That Brinson is out of minor league options only hurt his case further.
Chas McCormick and Jose Siri now figure to split the center field reps throughout April in starter Jake Meyers’ absence. Both men do have minor league options, giving the club a far more flexible major league roster.
Barreto will provide middle infield depth at Class AAA while Papierski will function as the team’s third catcher in case of injury to Martín Maldonado or Jason Castro.
Houston’s 13-man position player group on opening day figures to be:
1B: Yuli Gurriel
2B: Jose Altuve
SS: Jeremy Peña
3B: Alex Bregman
OF: Michael Brantley OF: Kyle Tucker
OF: Yordan Alvarez
OF: Chas McCormick OF: Jose Siri
UTIL: Aledmys Díaz UTIL: Niko Goodrum
C: Jason Castro
C: Martín Maldonado
Thunderstorms cancel game
Heavy thunderstorms forced the cancellation of Saturday’s Grapefruit League game between the Cardinals and Astros at Ballpark of the Palm Beaches.
The Astros planned for the possibility earlier in the day, moving scheduled starter Framber Valdez to a minor league game on the back fields Saturday afternoon. Valdez threw five innings and approximately 75 pitches, according to the Astros.
Valdez, Jake Odorizzi and Cristian Javier all threw in games on the minor league back fields on Saturday. Brandon Bielak was scheduled to start the Grapefruit League game that night in Valdez’s place.
After an initial, 30minute delay due to storms, Bielak got out to the mound and Cardinals leadoff man Tommy Edman stepped into the batter’s box. Another downpour began, and the teams left the field before Bielak could throw the game’s first pitch.
A lineup that included Jose Altuve, Kyle Tucker, Yordan Alvarez and Alex Bregman became trapped in the third-base dugout as conditions deteriorated.
Unlike Minute Maid Park and other major league parks, the Astros’ spring training facility does not have a clubhouse that is connected to their dugout. Players and coaches must jog about 200 yards down the third-base line to reach the clubhouse.
Visibility became nonexistent and thunder roared throughout the ballpark as heavy rains inundated the field. Video captured by AT&T Sportsnet sideline reporter Julia Morales showed water flowing into a flooded dugout as Astros players made a beeline to the clubhouse.
The Astros are scheduled to play Washington on Sunday at Ballpark of the Palm Beaches with Justin Verlander on the mound.
Ocampo returns to front office
Oz Ocampo, an integral member of the Astros’ front office under former general manager Jeff Luhnow, has returned to the organization in its international scouting department as a cross-checker.
Ocampo left the Astros after the 2019 season for a job in the Pittsburgh Pirates front office. At the time of his departure, Ocampo was a special assistant to Luhnow.
Ocampo led the Astros’ international scouting department from 2012-17 before his promotion to Luhnow’s special assistant. He also served as the team’s interpreter in 2018 and 2019.
Ocampo was instrumental in finding and signing many of the Astros’ international free agent success stories. Pitchers Valdez, José Urquidy, Luis Garcia and Cristian Javier — all primed for major roles on Houston’s 2022 pitching staff — were signed during Ocampo’s tenure.
Ocampo advocated for Alvarez, too, before Alvarez signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2016. Luhnow acquired Alvarez from the Dodgers later that year on the advice of Ocampo and longtime scout Charlie Gonzalez.
Ocampo left the Pirates earlier this year after two years as the team’s special assistant of player personnel.