Houston Astros: What does Hinch do with Derek Fisher next year?

Derek Fisher blasted a home run in his first major league game. But he didn’t do much else for the Houston Astros. Will he remain on the club in 2018 or be demoted?

Jon Singleton. A.J. Reed. Mark Appel. Not every highly-touted prospect for the Houston Astros pan out well, as some submerged into a pool of mediocrity and failed to remain relevant.

The only well-known club they become a part of includes a slew of other notorious busts.

Manager A.J. Hinch and Houston fans hope Derek Fisher doesn’t eventually fall into that category.

The preview the outfielder provided for the Astros in 2017 wasn’t promising. And an excess amount of talented outfielders – and players in general – could leave Fisher on the bench or in Fresno.

Fisher played just 53 games in his multiple trips to Houston. His numbers were less-than-impressive, as he hit a measly .212 in 146 plate appearances.

When George Springer nursed an injury in the middle of the year, Fisher saw playing time on a daily basis. But he was more successful when he got at-bats in spurts, a few weeks at a time.

During his first five-game stint in June, he clocked two home runs, drew three walks and swiped a bag in just 18 at-bats. When he returned to the club in late July, he continued to shine, notching eight hits in 23 at-bats during the month.

But his hot hitting didn’t translate into August or the following months.

Fisher sported a paltry .171 average throughout the final two months of the season and accrued just five extra-base hits. For a team loaded with talent, those numbers won’t cut it for a majority of the season.

Still, Fisher has an opportunity to make his case to the Houston Astros in the upcoming year. 

Carlos Beltran and Cameron Maybin won’t be returning this upcoming season, giving the 24-year-old an opportunity to slide into two roles. He can be the team’s designated hitter on some days, platooning with Evan Gattis. He can also come off the bench to man the outfield when starters need a break. 

When Yuli Gurriel gets a day off, Marwin Gonzalez will take over at first base. That’s the ideal situation for Fisher to get some looks at the dish. Other than that, it will be difficult for him, unless he starts the year on a torrid stretch offensively.

Fisher’s success in the minors shouldn’t be overlooked, despite not resulting in an eye-opening campaign in the majors. He crushed opposing pitchers on all accounts, boasting a .318 average with 21 homers and 16 stolen bases. But facing off against perplexing American League pitchers, he may need time to adjust.

Singleton never made those adjustments, smacking more than 20 homers consistently in Fresno. But then he racked up nothing but strikeouts in the big leagues – 151 in 420 at-bats. He was essentially imitating Joey Gallo, who is truly a home-run-or-bust guy.

Josh Reddick and Gonzalez will hold down positions for the majority of the year unless injuries occur. And they deserve to retain their roles after both demonstrated their production last season. However, Gonzalez struggles against lefties at times, giving Fisher a chance to slide in during some games.

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Hinch has to make a decision – keep Fisher in the bench role or demote him to Triple-A until a starting spot opens up. No one can determine whether he will develop more while getting minimal at-bats in the MLB or while raking in the minors.

Yet, since Maybin’s departure leaves open a spot on the bench for someone with speed, Fisher could be the guy. But he can’t be as impetuous as he typically is on the bases.

Since joining the organization, he’s swiped 98 bags but got caught 33 times. That’s nearly a 75 percent success rate, or in other words, nothing special.

As of now, Fisher’s floor might be similar to that of Preston Tucker, who played less than two years in Houston as a prospect. He didn’t play at all in the majors this season after posting a .164/.222/.328 triple-slash in 2016.

Fisher’s ceiling may be higher, however, if he can augment his numbers to look like they did in his first professional games. Until then, Hinch may have no other choice but to use him as nothing more than a pinch runner.

Next: Francis Martes in 2018

Or, despite his talent, Fisher may end up back in purgatory – Triple-A – for an elongated period of time, possibly never to return to the Houston Astros.