Houston Astros: How will Kyle Tucker bounce back in 2019?
By Kyle Cardoza
The Houston Astros didn’t have many disappointments throughout last season. Yet one of the few was top prospect Kyle Tucker’s poor performance. Can he redeem himself in his first full season?
The Houston Astros haven’t given up on top position prospect Kyle Tucker. In fact, the front office might have saved the outfielder from an inglorious initial campaign that could have snowballed into a shameful waste of good talent.
Few baseball fans reckon that’s how the 21-year-old’s career will be once he returns to Houston this season. But like several other top prospects across the league, Tucker struggled enough to allow skeptics to question his baseball ability.
The first-round pick sported a measly .141 average across 72 plate appearances with 13 strikeouts and no home runs. Due to Tucker’s rough introduction to the league, four other players combined to handle left field throughout the season.
Nevertheless, Astros manager A.J. Hinch knows his youngster’s capabilities on the field and at the plate. That’s why the former World Series champions may rely on Tucker in left field at some point next season.
Moreover, if he blossoms into what scouts have anticipated, he may become the second Houston player to earn American League Rookie of the Year since 2014. The idea isn’t completely bizarre when looking at past winners.
More than a handful of them struggled at the plate prior to their award-winning season. Several were like Tucker, who played more than 20 games in his “opening” campaign. Some, like Mike Trout and Aaron Judge, compiled atrocious numbers as well.
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(Batting average/OPS in year prior to winning AL ROY award)
Thurman Munson – 1969-1970 (.256/.679)
Cal Ripken Jr. – 1981-1982 (.128/.278)
Ron Kittle – 1982-1983 (.241/.726)
Jose Canseco – 1985-1986 (.302/.820)
Tim Salmon – 1992-1993 (.177/.548)
Nomar Garciaparra – 1996-1997 (.241/.743)
Ben Greive – 1997-1998 (.312/.875)
Mike Trout – 2011-2012 (.220/.672)
Aaron Judge – 2016-2017 (.179/.608)
Tucker is surely projected to rebound in the upcoming year. He obliterated Triple-A pitchers while in Fresno, smacking 24 home runs and compiling 93 RBIs. The outfielder boasted a .989 OPS, ranking first in the Pacific Coast League.
Yet, MLB pitchers are much more effective than those in the PCL. But if Tucker makes adjustments, as Trout and Judge did, he can become a critical piece in the Astros lineup.
Houston’s left fielders ranked in the bottom 10 in most offensive categories. Michael Brantley should improve those numbers, though he could be in the designated hitter spot most days.
Fans will be more informed on whether Tucker will have a chance in the starting lineup come April. Nevertheless, the Astros will likely thrive in the AL West with or without Tucker’s contribution.
But if the top prospect unleashes his potential throughout 2019, Houston becomes much more dangerous.