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Minor League Baseball Featured Series of the Week: Buies Creek vs. Carolina

By Benjamin Chase

Mar 14, 2017; Mesa, AZ, USA; (EDITORS NOTE: caption correction - Brewers player misidentified in original) Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Isan Diaz (94) singles in the second inning against the Chicago Cubs during a spring training game at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 14, 2017; Mesa, AZ, USA; (EDITORS NOTE: caption correction - Brewers player misidentified in original) Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Isan Diaz (94) singles in the second inning against the Chicago Cubs during a spring training game at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports /
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Buies Creek Astros Offense

The Astros have a very deep system with excellent balance that can be found at each level of their system, but without question their top offensive prospect is outfielder Kyle Tucker, who headlines the Buies Creek offense.

Tucker has opened the season, hitting very well, with a .286/.352/.612 line with three home runs and three stolen bases. His biggest issue on the season so far has been a 3/13 BB/K ratio, something a bit surprising for Tucker, based on his excellent zone judgement he’s displayed previously.

Per MLB Pipeline, the next highest-rated prospect in the Astros system that’s on the roster is shortstop Anibal Sierra, a Cuban import who was just promoted this week after opening the season in the Midwest League. Sierra’s glove is ahead of his bat for sure, though he had a lot of positive reports after putting up a .972 OPS in the Dominican Summer League after time away from the game last season.

Center fielder Jason Martin is rated #27 by MLB Pipeline, and he has shown well so far this season, with a .289/.370/.356 line as the table-setter for the offense.

The Astros do have excellent team speed, with four players who have stolen at least three bases on the season so far. That could be an element that comes into play during this series.

Astros Pitching

On the pitching side, the best-rated prospect on the team, righty Franklin Perez has seemingly taken another step in his development this season, and he looks to be joining the true elite of pitching prospects. He takes the mound to open the series on Thursday for the Astros.

Yoanys Quiala will take the hill Friday. The 23-year-old Cuban righty is in his second full season in the Astros system after having an up-and-down 2016 in the Midwest League. So far, he’s thrown 10 scoreless innings with a 3/13 BB/K ratio to open the year.

The real story for the Astros has been the outstanding pitching of Akeem Bostick, Saturday’s scheduled starter. Bostick was a very raw athlete when he was selected by Texas in the second round out of high school in 2013. The Astros acquired him before the 2015 season, and he’s in his third season at the high-A level.

With guys who are more athlete than pitcher, often it takes a bit for things to “click”, and it looks as if things may have done just that for Bostick in 2017 as he’s come out with a much sharper two-seam fastball, better handle on his change, and a bit of extra zip on his four-seam fastball. That has led to 14 2/3 scoreless innings to open the season with a 4/13 BB/K ratio.

Sunday sees the scheduled start of likely the starter in Buies Creek that has struggled the most this season in Elieser Hernandez. He has been part of the Astros system since signing as an international free agent in 2012. Thus far, Hernandez has struggled to an 8.71 ERA over 10 1/3 innings, walking six batters while hitting two more batsmen and allowing a .349 average to opposing hitters.

The one early season top performer that won’t be part of this series is lefty Alex Winkelman. A 21st round selection in the 2015 draft, Winkelman jumped up four levels in 2016. With Carolina thus far in 2017, he has thrown 14 1/3 scoreless innings, with just one walk and 21 strikeouts.

Now let’s take a look at the Mudcats…

Next: Carolina Mudcats

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