Astros Future’s Minor League Guide For 2015
By Jimmy Price
May 26, 2013; Hoover, AL, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores infielder Tony Kemp (6) tosses his helmet after grounding out in the tenth inning against the LSU Tigers during the championship game of the SEC baseball tournament at the Hoover Met. LSU defeated Vanderbilt 5-4 in 11 innings. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
Houston Astros Top 3 Second Base Prospects
1. Tony Kemp (DOB: 10/31/91)
Tony Kemp really made huge strides this season. Kemp was drafted in the 5th round by the Houston Astros in the 2013 draft out of Vanderbilt. In his junior year, Kemp hit .391 with 34 SB in 66 games. Since being drafted, Kemp has hit at every stop along the way. In 206 minor league games he is hitting .301 with 113 BB/114 SO and 62 SB. Kemp is an advanced hitter with great plate discipline.
Kemp also won the minor league baseball Rawlings Gold Glove award at second base this season. After tearing up A+ to the tune of a .336 BA with 45 BB/35 SO in 72 games, he earned a promotion to Corpus where he continued to hit finishing with a .292 BA in AA. Kemp finished the season with a 141 wRC+ in A+ and a 135 wRC+ in AA.
2014 Stats: .316 BA/.411 OBP/.449 SLG, 121 R, 167 H, 30 2B, 8 3B, 8 HR, 58 RBI, 41 SB, 73 BB/67 SO
2. Ronald Torreyes (DOB: 09/02/92)
Torreyes was originally signed by Cincinnati before being traded to the Chicago Cubs as part of the Sean Marshall trade. In the summer of 2013 the Astros traded the 2nd and 3rd international bonus slots, which totaled $880,000, for Torreyes. Coming from Chicago, Torreyes was known as a guy who will very rarely strikeout but lacked any type of power.
This season in AAA as a 21-year old, Torreyes put together the best full season of his minor league career. He hit .298 with with a 4.8 BB% and a 5.0 SO% while playing second base (73 games), third base (24 games), shortstop (14 games), and outfield (16 games). Torreyes was added to the 40-man roster this offseason and in my opinion, has a very good chance to be a utility guy for the Astros in 2015.
2014 Stats: .298 BA/.345 OBP/.376 SLG, 20 2B, 5 3B, 2 HR, 46 RBI, 12 SB, 25 BB/26 SO in 126 games
3. Joe Sclafani (DOB: 04/22/90)
Sclafani was an under-the-radar draft pick with the Astros when they selected him in the 14th round out of Dartmouth College. Sticking with the trend, Sclafani was an advanced college hitter with good plate discipline. Joe also has the ability to play multiple positions in 2014 he played second base, third base, shortstop, left field, right field with the majority coming at second base.
This season he really showed what he could do with the bat hitting .315 between AA/AAA. The Astros sent Sclafani to the Arizona Fall League where he hit .370 against some of the top prospects in the game. Sclafani and Torreyes could flip as the #2 and #3 prospect at second base, but I gave the edge to Torreyes due to age.
2014 Stats: .315 BA/.384 OBP/.405 SLG, 11 2B, 5 3B, 3 HR, 40 RBI, 9 SB, 36 BB/40 SO in 98 games
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