Mark Maloney on Kentucky sports

The Houston Astros’ player development department has announced minor league players of the month for the month of June.

For the Class A Lexington Legends, that includes Mike Foltynewicz (pitcher of the month), Delino DeShields Jr. (offensive player) and Zach Johnson (defensive player).

Award winners for each of the Astros’ minor league affiliates were chosen by the field staff of each team.

Other honorees include former Legends Jose Cisnero, Jonathan Villar and Andrew Simunic with Class Double-A Corpus Christi, and Jose Trinidad, Ben Heath and Ben Orloff with High-A Lancaster.

Lexington Legends

Mike Foltynewicz

Foltynewicz went 3-1 with a 2.97 ERA in June, with 20 strikeouts and 10 walks over 33 1/3 innings. He made five starts, throwing at least six innings each time, holding opponents to a .242 batting average. He tossed eight innings of one-hit ball against Rome and worked two no-hit innings as the Southern Division starter in the South Atlantic League All-Star Game. He shares the league lead in innings pitched (96 2/3) and is second in wins (9) and ERA (2.51).

Delino DeShields Jr.

DeShields stole 25 bases in 25 games, going 30-for-99 (.303) at the plate. With a .407 on-base percentage in June, he hit two homers, drove in 16 runs and scored 22, while rapping four doubles and a triple. He leads the SAL with a franchise-record 60 stolen bases and ranks among the top five in walks and runs. He also played in the SAL All-Star Game.

Zach Johnson

Fellow all-star Johnson, a first baseman, has committed just five errors in 680 total chances (.993) over 70 games.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

Pitcher — RH Mickey Storey (3-0, 0.56, 16 innings, 15 strikeouts, two walks, .173 batting average against, 10 games).

Offense — Mike Hessman (29-for-104, .279, 14 HR, 27 RBI, 19 R, 2 2B, .702 slugging, 26 games).

Defense — IF Hessman (58 games at 1B, two errors in 514 chances, .996).

Double-A Corpus Christi

Pitcher — RH Jose Cisnero (3-1, 2.18, 33 innings, 31 strikeouts, 8 walks, 1 complete game, 1 shutout, 5 starts)

Offense — Jonathan Villar (26-for-89, .292, 5 HR, 20 RBI, 20 R, 2 2B, 12 SB, .396 OBP, 24 games).

Defense — IF Andrew Simunic (65 games, 55 at 3B, six errors in 191 chances, .969, 132 assists).

A-Advanced Lancaster

Pitcher — RH Jose Trinidad (4-1, 0.43, 21 innings, 7 strikeouts, 8 games, 1 start).

Offense — Ben Heath (24-for-59, .407, 3 HR, 16 RBI, 12 R, 4 2B, 1.063 OPS, 14 games).

Defense — IF Ben Orloff (67 games, 56 at SS, 7 errors in 312 chances, .978, 195 assists).

Dominican Summer League

Pitcher — RH Samil De Los Santos (2-0, 2.20, 28 2/3 innings, 28 strikeouts, 8 walks, .160 batting average against, 5 games, 4 starts).

Offense — Randy Cesar (19-for-71, .268, 1 HR, 11 RBI, 9 R, 3 2B, 20 games).

Defense — IF Yoel Silfa (25 games, 4 errors, 94 chances, .957).

Emilio King hit .293 for Lexington. (Legends photo/Mary Lay)

The Houston Astros’ player development department has announced Most Valuable Player award winners for its eight minor-league affiliates, including the Lexington Legends.

Outfielder Emilio King is Lexington’s MVP.

Emilio King

King, 22, was promoted from extended spring training to the Legends on May 7.

A former catcher, King hit .293 (106-for-362), with nine homers, 24 doubles, 42 RBI and 50 runs in 98 games. He was the team’s offensive and defensive player of the month in August, when he hit .337.

King homered in his first two games with the Legends and finished May 30-for-75 (.400), with 12 RBI in 21 games. In Lexington’s final game of the season, he threw out a runner at the plate for his 14th outfield assist.

A native of the Dominican Republic, King signed with the Astros as a non-drafted free agent in July of 2006.

Before coming to Lexington, he played four short-season stints in the organization, totaling 159 games. During that time, he hit .214 with four homers and 44 RBI.

On the last day of the season, Manager Rodney Linares called King “hands down” his most improved player.

“He rose to the occasion and … became probably my best player, my team MVP,” Linares said. “When you look at the numbers, they’re not big numbers. But, overall, he was the guy that helped us win more games — defensively, offensively had a lot of big hits.”

Houston’s other minor league MVPs:

Anderson Hernandez — Oklahoma City RedHawks (AAA) infielder. Hit .300 for 136 games, including a franchise-record 30-game hitting streak (10th-longest in Pacific Coast League history). Played 2B, SS and 3B, with six HR, 52 RBI and 21 SB.

Jimmy Paredes

Jimmy Paredes — Corpus Christi Hooks (AA) infielder. The former Legend, now playing for the Astros, hit .270 with 22 2B, 10 HR, 41 RBI and 29 SB in 93 games, earning Texas League all-star honors.

Austin Wates — Lancaster JetHawks (High-A) outfielder. Hit .300 with 23 2B, nine 3B, six HR 75 RBI and 26 SB.

Matthew Duffy — Tri-City ValleyCats (Short-season A) third baseman. A New York-Penn League all-star, hit . 298 with 20 2B, a homer, 37 RBI and two SB.

Jordan Scott

Jordan Scott — Greeneville Astros (Rookie) outfielder. Scott, who also played five games with Tri-City and 14 games with the Legends, hit .337 with 12 2B, a homer, 31 RBI and 11 SB for Greeneville. Overall totals at three levels included .323, 15 2B, four 3B, 43 RBI, 79 games.

Yonathan Mejia — Gulf Coast League Astros second baseman. Hit .329 with eight 2B, 25 RBI and two SB in 40 games.

Teoscar Hernandez — Dominican Summer League Astros outfielder. Hit .274 with 13 2B, seven 3B, seven HR, 35 RBI and 16 SB over 65 games.

Mark Michael in control with Calgary

Mark Michael

Former Lexington Catholic and University of Kentucky pitcher Mark Michael recently wrapped up his ninth season of minor-league ball.

Michael finished 8-2 in the regular season, 1-0 in the playoffs for the Calgary Vipers of the North American Independent League. He finished fourth in the 10-team league with a 4.17 ERA, third in wins and 15th in strikeouts (69) – leading his team in all those categories. Over 15 starts, he worked 82 innings.

Former Legends pitcher Rory Shortell shared the league lead in regular-season wins, 11 to help the Edmonton Capitals to a championship.

Baseball

South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends
vs. Greenville Drive

What: Four-game series

When: Friday through Monday (7 each night except Sunday, 4 p.m.)

Where: Fluor Field (Greenville, S.C.)

Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends), Boston Red Sox

Foltynewicz

Alaniz

Quevedo

Cruz

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Friday, RH Mike Foltynewicz (5-8, 4,27) vs. RH Brandon Workman (3-6, 3.94); Saturday, RH Ruben Alaniz (5-9, 4.56) vs. RH Keith Couch (5-3, 2.97); Sunday, LH Luis Cruz (3-2, 4.09) vs. LH Manuel Rivera (5-4, 3.43); Monday, RH Carlos Quevedo (7-4, 3.83) vs. RH Kyle Stroup (3-5, 4.03).

Hector Rodriguez

Legend to watch: 2B/3B Hector Rodriguez (5-foot-11, 160 pounds, from San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic) made his Legends debut Wednesday, going 1-for-4 with an RBI and run scored. The right-handed batter and thrower began the season by playing six games in the California League with the Lancaster JetHawks (.111, 2 runs), then played 17 games in the New York-Penn League with the Tri-City ValleyCats (.176, 3 RBI, 7 runs, 2 steals). Signed by the Astros as a free agent, Rodriguez broke in with the Dominican Summer League Astros in 2008, batting .214 with six RBI, 11 runs and four steals. With the same club in 2009, he improved to .269, 10 RBI, 33 runs and eight steals, earning all-star honors. Last year, with the Greeneville Astros of the Appalachian League, Rodriguez hit .303 with nine RBI, 15 runs and two stolen bases. He was Greeneville’s Defensive Player of the Month last August.

Christian Vazquez

Drive to watch: C Christian Vazquez (5-9, 195, from San Juan, Puerto Rico), in seven games against the Legends this season, is 7-for-26 (.269) with a double, four homers, seven RBI, six runs and a gaudy 1.091 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentages). He earned SAL Player of the Week honors on June 27. Overall, Vazquez is hitting .268 with 13 homers, 60 RBI, 57 runs and an .804 OPS over 82 games. Selected by the Red Sox in the ninth round of the 2008 draft out of the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy high school, the right-hander broke in with the Gulf Coast League Red Sox, batting .190 with five RBI and seven runs over 21 games. In 2009, playing 10 games for the GCL Sox and 21 with the NYPL’s Lowell Spinners, Vazquez totaled two homers, 16 RBI and nine runs, batting .178. Last year, over 79 games with the Drive, he hit .263 with three homers, 32 RBI and 34 runs.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

Here’s a look at the Lexington Legends, who open the 2011 season Thursday night in Whitaker Bank Ballpark, opposed by the Charleston RiverDogs. A tip of the hat to sources Keith Elkins and the Lexington Legends, the Houston Astros and Baseball America.

Opening Series

Lexington Legends vs. Charleston RiverDogs
What: Four-game series
When: Thursday through Sunday (7:05 Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, 2:05 Sunday afternoon)
Where: Whitaker Bank Ballpark (formerly known as Applebee’s Park)
Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends), New York Yankees (RiverDogs)
Radio: WLXG AM-1300
Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Thursday, RH Mike Foltynewicz vs. RH Shane Greene; Friday, RH Tanner Bushue vs. LH Nik Turley; Saturday, LH Brad Dydalewicz vs. RH Mikey O’Brien; Sunday, RH Carlos Quevedo vs. LH Kramer Sneed.

Legends Coaching Staff

33 Rodney Linares, manager
Age: 33
Hometown: San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic

Rodney Linares

The scoop on the skipper: Linares returns for his second season as manager of the Legends, having guided the team to a 71-68 mark last year. He also served as hitting coach in Lexington during the 2005-06 seasons. Before taking over as manager in Lexington, Linares managed the Greeneville Astros of the Appalachian League for three seasons. He also spent six years with the Astros Dominican Republic operations as a scout and hitting coach. Linares joined the Astros coaching staff in 1999, following a three-year minor-league career. Signed by the Detroit Tigers as a non-drafted free agent in 1997, he played in the Tigers system (1997-98) and finished his career in the Houston system (1998-99). His father, Julio, is a frequent visitor to Lexington in his role as Astros Special Assistant to the General Manager for Dominican Scouting and Development.

11 Joel Chimelis, hitting coach

Joel Chimelis

Age: 43
Hometown: Brooklyn, N.Y.
The scoop: Beginning his sixth season in the Astros organization, Chimelis moves to Lexington after serving five seasons with the Tri-City ValleyCats of the New York-Penn League. Before that, he spent the 2004-05 seasons on the coaching staff of the Washington Nationals’ South Atlantic League affiliate, the Savannah Sand Gnats. Chimelis, an infielder, played 13 seasons in the minor leagues and was called up to the majors in 1995 by the San Francisco Giants. He was a 1988 11th-round draft pick of the Oakland Athletics, traded to the Giants in 1991 and spent the 1996 season in the New York Mets organization. He also played in Mexico, Puerto Rico, Taiwan, South Korea and Canada. In 2000, he posted career bests with 30 homers and 98 RBI for Dos Laredos of the Mexican Summer League. Before turning pro, Chimelis played for Howard Junior College in Big Spring, Texas, and the University of Texas. He was named to the 1988 NCAA Central Region team while playing for the Longhorns.

36 Dave Borkowski, pitching coach

Dave Borkowski

Age: 34
Hometown: Detroit
The scoop: The former big-league pitcher retired as a player in 2009 after a 14-year career. He comes to Lexington after spending last season as pitching coach for the Greeneville Astros. Borkowski pitched in 181 Major League games (21 starts), as well as 264 contests in the minors. In the big leagues. He went 13-20 with one save and a 5.87 ERA over seven seasons combined with Detroit (199-2001), Baltimore (2004) and Houston (2006-08). The Tigers selected him in the 11th round of the June 1995 draft. In the minors, Borkowski compiled a 79-70 record, six saves and a 3.85 ERA. He spent 2009 with the Diablos Rojos del Mexico of the Mexican League.

Pitchers

20 Ruben Alaniz

Ruben Alaniz

Height/weight: 6-4, 195
Bats/throws: Right/Right
Age: 19
Hometown: La Grulla, Texas
Acquired: Non-drafted free agent (Aug. 14, 2009)
The scoop: Debuted last season with Greeneville. Made 12 starts, going 6-4 with a 4.21 ERA. His six wins led the team. Struck out 42 and walked 10 over 57.2 innings. Ranked as the 15th-best prospect in the Astros system by Baseball America, which says “it’s understandable how Alaniz slipped through the cracks of the draft. The tall, projectable righty was injured midway through the 2008 high school season, then a swine flu outbreak in the Rio Grande Valley canceled his 2009 high school baseball season. … He touched 95 mph in the Astros workout (scout Rusty) Pendergrass set up, and Houston won his services with a $150,000 bonus.” Alaniz also throws a curveball and changeup.

26 Tanner Bushue

Tanner Bushue

Height/weight: 6-4, 207
Bats/throws: Right/Right
Age: 19
Hometown: Kinmundy, Ill.
Acquired: 2nd round, 2009 draft
The scoop: Drafted out of South Central (Ill.) High School, where he also played basketball, Bushue broke into pro ball in 2009 by going 1-0 with a 2.42 ERA over five starts with the Gulf Coast League Astros. He struck out 19 and walked five over 22.1 innings. Last year, with the Legends, Bushue led the team in innings pitched (133.2) but also led the league in homers allowed (18). Last year’s opening day starter. He made 25 starts, compiling a 7-8 record with a 4.11 ERA, 114 strikeouts and 48 walks. He missed two weeks of action due to a toe injury that required post-season surgery. Ranked by Baseball America as the eighth-best prospect in the Astros system, he features a fastball, curve and change.

21 Jason Chowning

Jason Chowning

Height/weight: 6-4, 186
Bats/throws: Left/Left
Age: 23
Hometown: Louisville
Acquired: 28th round, 2010 draft
The scoop: A three-year letter-winner and two-time team MVP at Eastern High School in Louisville, Chowning went on to Texarkana College and the University of Oklahoma. Drafted by the Astros last year, he was assigned to Tri-City. Over 16 relief appearances, Chowning went 2-2 with a 3.22 ERA. He struck out 23 and walked nine of 22.1 innings.

32 Jorge DeLeon

Jorge DeLeon

Height/weight: 6-0, 182
Bats/throws: Right/Right
Age: 23
Hometown: La Cega Azua, Dominican Republic
Acquired: Non-drafted free agent (May 30, 2006)
The scoop: After four lackluster seasons — .213 batting, with 173 strikeouts – as a shortstop, DeLeon was converted to pitcher last year. The results were outstanding as DeLeon went 2-1 with six saves and a 0.64 ERA over 23 relief appearances for Tri-City. Armed with a top-end 98 mph fastball, he struck out 29, walked 12 and earned a spot on Houston’s 40-man roster. Baseball America rates him as the 20th-best prospect in the Astros system. His infielder days included a 43-game tour with the Legends in 2009, when he hit .187 and drove in nine runs.

25 Brad Dydalewicz

Brad Dydalewicz

Height/weight: 6-1, 195
Bats/throws: Left/Left
Age: 21
Hometown: Spicewood, Texas
Acquired: 8th round, 2008 draft
The scoop: Drafted out of Lake Travis High School in Texas, Dydalewicz broke into pro ball with Greeneville in 2008 — four starts, 10 innings, 0-0, 2.70. His first full season came as a key ingredient in a very good Legends rotation in 2009. He made 22 starts, working 110 innings, while going 8-5 with a 3.93 ERA, 78 strikeouts and 51 walks. Last year, however, saw a different pitcher. He began the season with the Lancaster JetHawks of the High-A California League. After 11 starts, with a 1-6 record and 11.39 ERA, plus more walks (34) than strikeouts (32), he was demoted to Lexington. His struggles waned, but did not end. He made 18 appearances, including six starts, going 1-4 with a 6.46 ERA. Manager Rodney Linares says last season was “a hiccup” and that he expects good things from Dydalewicz this season.

25 Mike Foltynewicz

Mike Foltynewicz

Height/weight: 6-4, 200
Bats/throws: Right/Right
Age: 19
Hometown: Minooka, Ill.
Acquired: 1st round (19th overall), 2010 draft
The scoop: From Minooka Community High School in Illinois, Foltynewicz was ticketed for college ball at Texas. The Astros changed those plans, signing him for a $1.305 million bonus. He will be looking for his first professional victory when he gets the start in Thursday’s season opener. He made 12 starts for Greeneville last season, going 0-3 with a 4.03 ERA over 44.2 innings. He struck out 39 and walked 15. Baseball America rates Foltynewicz the fourth-best prospect in the Astros system and says he “has the best raw arm in the system and flashes three plus pitches” — a fastball that has reached 96 mph, changeup and a slurvy breaking ball.

8 Gabriel Garcia

Gabriel Garcia

Height/weight: 5-11, 164
Bats/throws: Left/Left
Age: 21
Hometown: Charallave, Venezuela
Acquired: Non-drafted free agent (May 18, 2007)
The scoop: Signed a week after his 18th birthday, Garcia sepnt two seasons with the Venezuelan Summer League Astros, then two with the Greeneville Astros. With the VSL Astros, he fashioned back-to-back 3-3 seasons with ERAs of 3.58 and 3.46 and combined totals of 64 strikeouts and 13 walks. At Greeneville, he went 0-4 with a 7.91 ERA, then 0-1 with a 3.86. Twenty-one of his 47 professional appearances have been starts. His four-season strikeout/walk totals: 113 to 22.

34 Murilo Gouvea

Murilo Gouvea

Height/weight: 6-2, 208
Bats/throws: Right/Right
Age: 22
Hometown: Sao Paulo, Brazil
Acquired: Minor-league free agent (Jan. 14, 2010)
The scoop: Lexington’s first Brazilian player broke into pro ball with the Dominican Summer League White Sox in 2007. He progressed to Bristol in 2008 and part of 2009. Also in 2009, he reached the South Atlantic League with the Kannapolis Intimidators. With the Astros system, he has appeared with Greeneville and Tri-City. His four-season totals include 61 games, 22 starts, a 9-12 record, two saves, a 5.49 ERA, 206 strikeouts and 87 walks.

35 David Martinez

David Martinez

Height/weight: 6-2, 215
Bats/throws: Right/Right
Age: 23
Hometown: Cumana, Venezuela
Acquired: Non-drafted free agent (March 3, 2005)
The scoop: Groomed for four seasons with the Venezuelan Summer League Astros, Martinez made his North American debut in 2009 with Greeneville, where he went 1-4 with a save and a 4.50 ERA. Last year, with Tri-City, he improved to 5-2 with a 3.02 ERA and finished on a high note by earning ValleyCats Pitcher of the Month honors in August. His overall minor-league totals include 89 games, 26 starts, a 22-11 record, 3.44 ERA, 261.1 innings, 196 strikeouts and 63 walks.

46 Juan Minaya

Juan Minaya

Height/weight: 6-4, 193
Bats/throws: Right/Right
Age: 20
Hometown: Maimon, Dominican Republic
Acquired: Non-drafted free agent (Sept. 3, 2008)
The scoop: Minaya returns to the Legends’ starting rotation after going 4-12 with a 4.79 ERA over 26 starts and 127.2 innings last season. He made his pro debut in 2009 with the Gulf Coast League Astros. There, he worked 52.2 innings over 12 starts, compiling a 3-3 record, 4.27 ERA, 30 strikeouts and 18 walks. His strikeout and walk totals ballooned with the Legends — 96 whiffs and 73 passes. Minaya will need to cut down on the free passes this time around. 

27 Carlos Quevedo

Carlos Quevedo

Height/weight: 6-2, 239
Bats/throws: Right/Right
Age: 21
Hometown: Valencia, Venezuela
Acquired: Non-drafted free agent (July 3, 2006)
The scoop: Quevedo earned Pitcher of the Month for Tri-City last July, during a season that he finished 7-3 with a 3.06 ERA. That came over 15 starts and 85.1 innings, with 55 strikeouts to eight walks. He broke into pro ball in 2007, his first of two seasons with the Venezuelan Summer League Astros. He went 4-0 with a 2.32 ERA in his debut season, then earned league MVP honors by going 4-2 with a 1.98 ERA in 2008. He came to North America in 2009, the one blip on his radar. With Greeneville, Quevedo struggled to a 2-7 finish with a 5.60 ERA. His four-year totals include 188 strikeouts to 43 walks over 53 games (51 starts) and 252.2 innings.

44 Alexander Sogard

Alex Sogard

Height/weight: 6-3, 222
Bats/throws: Left/Left
Age: 23
Hometown: Austin, Texas
Acquired: 26th round, 2010 draft
The scoop: Drafted out of North Carolina State University, Sogard made 22 appearances for the Tri-City ValleyCats last season, including three starts. He totaled 41 innings, going 1-2 with a 3.51 ERA. He finished with 36 strikeouts to 12 walks. At N.C. State, he came on late in the 2010 season after early struggles while recovering from shoulder surgery. He finished with a 2-2 record and 5.26 ERA over 15 games, including 11 starts. His last four games, including three starts, saw him compile a 2-0 mark with a 3.12 ERA. Began his collegiate career at Oregon State.

31 Brian Streilein

Brian Streilein

Height/weight: 6-4, 211
Bats/throws: Right/Right
Age: 22
Hometown: Point Pleasant, N.J.
Acquired: 37th round, 2010 draft
The scoop: Streilein made his pro debut last season by making 20 relief appearances with Greeneville, going 2-1 with a 5.06 ERA. He pitched 32 innings, notching 35 strikeouts to eight walks. He also worked a scoreless inning for Tri-City, with a walk and a strikeout. Earlier in the year, he was the ace of the staff with Villanova University, going 6-3 with a 4.20 ERA over 13 starts and 90 innings. Over four seasons, he won 20 games and struck out 224 over 59 games and 289.2 innings. He ranks second in school history in career strikeouts, is tied for third in victories and fourth in innings pitched.

Catchers

10 Roberto Pena

Roberto Pena

Height/weight: 6-0, 210
Bats/throws: Both/Right
Age: 18
Hometown: Caguas, Puerto Rico
Acquired: 7th round, 2010 draft
The scoop: Baseball America rates him as the best defensive player in the Astros’ 2010 draft class, noting he “shows flashes of plus-plus arm strength and threw out 44 percent of basestealers in his pro debut. He’s also intelligent and bilingual, and he has a feel for game-calling.” His father, Bert, is a former major leaguer. Roberto played four games for the Legends last season, in addition to 23 games with the Gulf Coast League Astros and a dozen games with Greeneville. Overall, he hit .227 over 39 games, driving in 17 runs.

19 Chris Wallace

Chris Wallace

Height/weight: 6-0, 212
Bats/throws: Right/Right
Age: 22
Hometown: Cypress, Texas
Acquired: 16th round, 2010 draft
The scoop: Hit a team-leading 10 home runs last year to go along with a .388 on-base percentage and .486 slugging as a senior at the University of Houston. The Astros then started him off in Greeneville, where he hit .310 with eight homers and 32 RBI over 47 games. He also showed good speed with three stolen bases and three triples. He was the team’s Offensive Player of the Month for July and was named an Appalachian League All-Star. He also got in 20 games with Tri-City, batting .250 with two homers and eight RBI.

Infielders

12 Tyler Burnett

Tyler Burnett

Height/weight: 6-0, 205
Bats/throws: Left/Right
Age: 21
Hometown: Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Acquired: 17th round, 2010 draft
The scoop: Also a quarterback and punter in high school, Burnett went on to his hometown university, Middle Tennessee State. As a senior third baseman last year, he earned all-Sun Belt Conference honors while batting .351 with 12 homers, 46 RBI and 56 runs. The Astros assigned him to Tri-City, where he hit .250 with six homers, 31 RBI and 39 runs over 71 games. He stole six bases and had 45 walks versus 56 strikeouts. He was named a New York-Penn League all-star.

2 Delino DeShields Jr.

Delino DeShields Jr.

Height/weight: 5-9, 203
Bats/throws: Right/Right
Age: 18
Hometown: Ocala, Fla.
Acquired: 1st round (eighth overall), 2010 draft
The scoop: The No. 2 prospect in the Astros system, according to Baseball America, which also pegged him as the top 12-year-old prospect in 2005. Really. His father, Delino Sr., also was a first-round draft pick (12th overall in 1987) and played 13 seasons in the major leagues, stealing 463 bases. Delino Jr., who signed for an Astros draft-record $2.125 million out of Woodward Academy, could see action in center field or at second base. He debuted last season with two games in the Gulf Coast League and 16 with Greeneville, combining to hit .289 with eight RBI, 11 runs, six doubles, a triple and five stolen bases in six attempts. Baseball America also rates him as Houston’s fastes runner, best athlete and best pure hitter in the 2010 draft and writes: “He has quick hands, lets the ball travel deep and doesn’t get out on his front foot. He has shown the ability to catch up to premium fastballs with excellent bat speed.” Also was recruited for football by Georgia and Ole Miss.

24 Enrique “Kike” Hernandez

Kike Hernandez

Height/weight: 5-11, 170
Bats/throws: Right/Right
Age: 19
Hometown: Toa Baja, Puerto Rico
Acquired: 6th round, 2009 draft
The scoop: Drafted out of the American Military Academy school in Puerto Rico, Hernandez made his pro debut in 2009 with the Gulf Coast League Astros. Over 53 games, he went 61-for-207 (.295), knocking a homer, three triples and 12 doubles. He drove in 27 runs, scored 35 and stole eight bases. Last year at Tri-City, he was the team’s Offensive Player of the Month for August. Overall, he hit .280 with three homers, 33 RBI, 31 runs and three stolen bases over 60 games.

7 Mike Kvasnicka

Mike Kvasnicka

Height/weight: 6-2, 208
Bats/throws: Both/Right
Age: 22
Hometown: Lakeville, Minn.
Acquired: 1st round supplemental (33rd overall), 2010 draft
The scoop: What’s not to love about a switch-hitting third baseman who can also play outfield and catch, and has pop in his bat? Like his father Jay, Kvasnicka played collegiate ball at Minnesota. (Dad was an eighth-round pick of the Twins in 1988 and advanced to Triple-A ball.) Mike was a three-year starter for the Gophers, a two-time all-Big Ten outfielder and led the conference in doubles as a junior. Signed for $936,000, he reported to Tri-City last summer and hit .234 with five homers, 36 RBI and 31 runs over 68 games. He is rated by Baseball America as the 14th-best prospect in the Astros system.

14 Jhonny Medrano

Jhonny Medrano

Height/weight: 6-1, 223
Bats/throws: Right/Right
Age: 23
Hometown: Tucupita, Venezuela
Acquired: Non-drafted free agent (Feb. 21, 2005)
The scoop: This will be Medrano’s seventh season in the organization. He spent three years with the Venezuelan Summer League Astros, then missed all of 2008 due to injury. He came to North America in 2009, hitting .213 with a homer and 23 RBI over 47 games with Tri-City. He bumped that up considerably last year at Greeneville, going .295 with seven homers and 24 RBI. His overall minor-league totals include a .266 average, 271 games, 143 RBI, 13 homers, 142 runs and 49 stolen bases. Has played third base in about half of his 265 games, but has also played first, shortstop, left field and right.

3 Jiovanni Mier

Height/weight: 6-2, 180
Bats/throws: Right/Right
Age: 20
Hometown: Las Vegas
Acquired: 1st round (21st overall), 2009 draft
The scoop: The smooth shortstop returns for a second season in Lexington. Still highly rated (No. 5 in the Astros system) by Baseball America, which writes: “The first prep shortstop drafted in 2009, Mier signed for $1.358 million, then ranked as the top position prospect in the Rookie-level Appalachian League after hitting .276/.380/.485 (average, on-base percentage, slugging with Greeneville). His first full pro season was rougher, as he was hitting .199 as late as June 17. He grinded his way through the season, however, batting .260 in the second half and ranking sixth in the low Class A South Atlantic League with 63 walks.”

Telvin Nash

Height/weight: 6-2, 220
Bats/throws: Right/Right
Age: 20
Hometown: Belleview, Fla.
Acquired: 3rd round, 2010 draft
The scoop: Drafted out of high school in Griffin, Ga., where he was a teammate of 2008 overall No. 1 pick Tim Beckham. Also played offensive and defensive end in football. Rated by Baseball America as the 13th-best prospect in the Astros system and with the “best raw power” in the system. Can play first base or left field. After hitting .218 with a homer and 20 RBI over 40 games with the Gulf Coast League Astros in 2008, showed spark last year. Had 57 games with Greeneville, hitting .265 with 12 homers and 39 RBI. Greeneville’s Offensive Player of the Month for August. Also played four games with Tri-City, going 4-for-13 (.308), including a homer, triple and double.

9 Ben Orloff

Ben Orloff

Height/weight: 5-11, 171
Bats/throws: Right/Right
Age: 23
Hometown: Simi Valley, Calif.
Acquired: 9th round, 2009 draft
The scoop: A Lowe’s Senior CLASS All-Senior All-America first-teamer (based on excellence in the classroom, character, community and competition) with Cal-Irvine. The all-American shortstop won the 2009 Brooks Wallace Award. Was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in 2008, but opted to return for his senior season and earn his degree in criminology. Led the Anteaters to a No. 1 ranking and their first Big West Conference championship. Finished as the school’s all-time leader in multiple categories, including hits (281) and runs (178). Also stole 61 bases, second in school history. Split the summer of 2009 between Greeneville (11 games) and Tri-City (28 games), hitting below .200 with both clubs. Turned that around last year at Tri-City, where he was an all-star and team MVP, winning both a team Defensive Player of the Month (July) and Offensive Player of the Month (August) award. Finished with a .307 average, 16 RBI and 52 runs scored over 63 games, with 23 stolen bases.

Outfielders

30 Daniel Adamson

Daniel Adamson

Height/weight: 5-11, 215
Bats/throws: Right/Right
Age: 23
Hometown: Spring, Ala.
Acquired: 20th round, 2010 draft
The scoop: A first-team all-Ohio Valley Conference pick last year for Jacksonville State, where he batted .349 with 13 homers and 53 RBI in helping the Gamecocks with the OVC Tournament championship and earn a berth in the NCAA tournament. Did not commit an error all season, nor in his final 244 chances (spanning two seasons). With Tri-City last season, he went 66-for-252 (.262) with nine homers, 11 doubles, four triples, 35 RBI and 33 runs over 69 games. He also stole 11 bases.

13 Adam Bailey

Adam Bailey

Height/weight: 6-1, 192
Bats/throws: Left/Left
Age: 23
Hometown: Monument, Colo.
Acquired: 23rd round, 2010 draft
The scoop: A 38th round draft pick in 2009, Bailey opted to play his senior season at the University of Nebraska. He earned all-Big 12 honors, batting .368 with 18 homers, 69 RBI and 57 runs over 54 games. For two seasons with the Cornhuskers, hit batted .348 with 30 homers and 199 RBI over 104 games. The Astros assigned him to Tri-City last season, where he went 55-for-234 (.235) over 66 games. Included were four homers, a triple and 15 doubles. He drove in 33 runs, scored 20 and stole three bases.

15 Bryce Lane

Bryce Lane

Height/weight: 6-0, 180
Bats/throws: Right/Right
Age: 21
Hometown: Phenix City, Ala.
Acquired: 41st round, 2010 draft
The scoop: A Junior College All-American for Gulf Coast Community College, Lane had committed to continuing his career at Auburn until the Astros came along. Lane set Gulf Coast school records with 26 homers and 90 RBI his sophomore season. He then played for three Astros affiliates last summer — Gulf Coast League Astros (.333 over eight games), Greeneville (.202 over 37 games) and Lancaster (.356 over 15 games). Overall, he batted .268 with a homer, 20 RBI, 17 runs and four stolen bases.

Jake Goebbert

The Houston Astros Player Development Department named the 2010 Most Valuable Players for its minor-league affiliates Friday, including Jake Goebbert from the Lexington Legends.

Each of the eight MVP were selected by the field staff of each team.

Two former Legends were honored: Koby Clemens of the Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks and Brandon Barnes of the High-A Lancaster JetHawks.

The rundown on each player follows.

Class A – Legends outfielder Goebbert finished his second professional season with a .291 average (151-for-519), franchise-record 48 doubles, 10 home runs and franchise-record 98 RBI to earn MVP honors. He finished first in the South Atlantic League in doubles, while ranking second in RBI and sixth in hits (151). Among Astros prospects, Goebbert finished the season ranking first in RBI. He was named SAL Player of the Week from July 26-August 1, and earned Defensive Player of the Month honors twice for the Legends. Goebbert was a 13th round pick of the Astros in the June 2009 Draft.

Avg.      AB      H      R      2B      3B     HR     RBI     SB
.291    519    151    91    48      1      10      98    14

Jose Cisnero, Jake Goebbert and Jonathan Meyer have been named the Lexington Legends’ final Players of the Month for the 2010 season.

Jose Cisnero

The Houston Astros Player Development Department announced the monthly winners from each of its minor-league affiliates. Awards were chosen by the field staffs of each team.

Cisnero, Pitcher of the Month for the Legends, finished August with a 2-1 record and 3.31 ERA. The right-hander made six starts, giving up 13 earned runs over 35 1/3 innings.

Jake Goebbert

Goebbert, a corner outfielder, took Offensive Player of the Month honors by going 39-for-100 (.390). He had a .453 on-base percentage and 27 RBI over 27 games. He finished the season with team records for doubles and RBI.

Jonathan Meyer

Meyer is the Defensive Player of the Month. The third baseman finished the season with a .914 fielding percentage over 119 games.

Award winners at other Astros affiliates, listed in order of Pitcher, Offensive and Defensive (former Legends in CAPS):

Triple-A Round Rock — Roy Corcoran, Drew Locke, EDWIN MAYSONET.

Double-A Corpus Christi — Erick Abreu, J.D. MARTINEZ, Michael Affronti.

High-A Lancaster — Kyle Godfrey, BRIAN PELLEGRINI, ANDY SIMUNIC.

Short-season A Tri-City — David Martinez, Ben Orloff, Daniel Adamson.

Rookie Greeneville — Garrett Bullock, Telvin Nash, Hector Rodriguez.

Rookie Gulf Coast League — Matison Smith, Jordan Scott, Joshua Magee.

Rookie Dominican League — Luis Alayon, Luis De La Rosa, Mario Gonzalez.

*******
Baseball

South Atlantic
    League

Lexington Legends
                                    vs. Augusta GreenJackets

What: Four-game series

When: Saturday through Tuesday (7:05 each night except Sunday, 5:35 p.m.)

Where: Lake Olmstead Stadium (Augusta, Ga.)

Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends), San Francisco Giants

Tanner Bushue

Juan Minaya

Luis Cruz

Jose Cisnero

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Saturday, RH Tanner Bushue (6-8, 4.28) vs. RH Brian Irving (6-4, 4.38); Sunday, RH Juan Minaya (4-10, 4.92) vs. RH Chris Heston (5-11, 3.92); Monday, RH Jose Cisnero (6-6, 4.18) vs. RH Zack Wheeler (2-3, 3.74); Tuesday, LH Luis Cruz (6-3, 3.08) vs. RH Andy Reichard (3-1, 3.54).

Chris Dominguez

GreenJacket to watch: SAL all-star 3B Chris Dominguez (6-foot-3, 215 pounds, from Los Angeles) leads Augusta in homers (18), RBI (86), total bases (214) and games played (121). (All statistics are through Thursday.) Batting .216, Dominguez has 26 doubles among his 130 hits. He also has scored 71 runs and stolen 12 stolen bases. Selected by the Giants in the third round of last year’s draft, out of the University of Louisville, he broke into pro ball in 2009 by playing nine games for the Arizona League Giants and 47 games for the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes of the Northwest League. Over those 56 games combined, Dominguez hit .263 with 11 homers and 40 RBI. Baseball America ranked him No. 18 among Giants prospects coming into this season. At U of L, Dominguez twice was named Player of the Year in the Big East Conference and smacked a school-record 25 home runs in 2009. As a draft-eligible sophomore, he turned down the Colorado Rockies after being selected in the fifth round of the 2008 draft. The Giants signed him for $411,300.

Jose Cisnero

Legend to watch: Monday’s starting pitcher, RH Jose Cisnero (6-3, 212 pounds, from Bajos de Haina, Dominican Republic), has been a solid contributor to the rotation all season. He shares the team lead with 23 starts, ranks second in innings pitched (114) and leads the staff in strikeouts (115). Having gone 3-4 with a 4.45 ERA before the all-star break, he is 3-2 with a 3.88 ERA since then. Cisnero is holding opponents to a .232 batting average. Signed by the Astros as a non-drafted free agent Dec. 6, 2007, Cisnero went 0-3 with a 3.10 ERA over 10 games (six starts) for the Dominican Summer League Astros in 2008. He made his U.S. debut last year, compiling a 4-2 record and 3.56 ERA over 13 starts for the Greeneville Astros of the Appalachian League. Combined over those two seasons, Cisnero struck out 98 and walked 41 over 84 2/3 innings.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

Zach Grimmett

J.D. Martinez

Lexington Legends teammates Zach Grimmett, J.D. Martinez and Jake Goebbert are among 15 players named by the Houston Astros Player Development Department on Wednesday as Players of the Month for June. Monthly winners are chosen by the field staff of each team.

Former Legends honored include Jordan Lyles, Jhon Florentino, Patrick Urckfitz and Brandon Barnes.

A team-by-team breakdown follows.

Round Rock Express (Triple-A)

Pitcher: RH Josh Banks (3-1, 1.50 ERA, 30 innings pitched, four starts).
Offensive Player: OF Drew Locke (32-for-101, .317, 14 extra-base hits, 15 RBI, 28 games).
Defensive Player: C Jason Castro (15 June games before being promoted to Houston on June 22; season .994 fielding percentage, with 13 of 34 runners caught stealing).

Corpus Christi Hooks (Double-A)

Jordan Lyles

Pitcher: RH Jordan Lyles (1-2, 2.10 ERA, 30 innings, five games, four starts; also named to Texas League All-Star Game and All-Star Futures Game).
Offensive: OF J.B. Shuck (35-for-101, .347 batting, .426 on-base percentage, 7 RBI).
Defensive: 3B Jhon Florentino (season totals of 70 games, .936 fielding percentage).

Lancaster JetHawks (High-A)

Patrick Urckfitz

Brandon Barnes

Pitcher: LH Patrick Urckfitz (1-0, 2.08, 21 2/3 innings, six games, one start, 25 strikeouts, three walks).
Offensive: OF Lee Cruz (32-for-80, .400, 11 doubles, 3 homers, 21 RBI).
Defensive: OF Brandon Barnes (season totals of 15 assists and .969 fielding percentage, playing primarily in right field).

Lexington Legends (Low-A)

Jake Goebbert

Pitcher: RH Zach Grimmett (1-0, 1.80, 20 innings, seven games, 0.85 WHIP).
Offensive: J.D. Martinez (36-for-101, .356, 14 extra-base hits, .420 on-base percentage, 13 RBI, 25 games).
Defensive: LF Jake Goebbert (season fielding percentage of .985).

Dominican Summer League Astros (Rookie)

Pitcher: LH Francisco Baso (3-3, 1 save, 2.93, 15 1/3 innings, 6 games).
Offensive: 2B Yonathan Mejia (26-for-84, .310, 7 RBI).
Defensive: OF Ydarqui Marte (season totals: .983 fielding percentage, 4 assists, 31 games).

Baseball

South Atlantic
      League

Lexington Legends
                                 vs. West Virginia Power

What: Five-game series

Where: Appalachian Power Park (Charleston, W.Va.)

When: Thursday through Monday (7:05 nightly except Sunday, 2:05 p.m.)

Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends), Pittsburgh Pirates

Jose Cisnero

Luis Cruz

Brad Dydalewicz

Robby Donovan

Tanner Bushue

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Thursday, RH Jose Cisnero (3-5, 4.40) vs. RH Brett Lorin (0-0, 0.00) or RH Brandon Holden (1-8, 7.16); Friday, LH Luis Cruz (3-1, 3.12) vs. RH Kyle McPherson (5-7, 4.09); Saturday, LH Brad Dydalewicz (0-2, 7.11) vs. RH Jason Erickson (5-5, 3.74); Sunday, RH Robby Donovan (7-5, 3.67) vs. LH Nathan Baker (6-5, 3.21); Monday, RH Tanner Bushue (4-5, 4.76) vs. RH Phillip Irwin (3-1, 2.64).

Jarek Cunningham

Power to watch: 2B Jarek Cunningham (6-foot-1, 185 pounds, from Spokane, Wash.) is hitting .265 with six homers, 28 RBI, 35 runs and a team-leading 28 doubles through Tuesday. Six of his 72 games have come against the Legends, with six hits in 24 at-bats, including a double, triple and homer. Cunningham, who will turn 21 on Christmas Day, was selected by the Pirates in the 18th round of the 2008 draft out of Mead (Wash.) High School. He signed for $300,000, passing up on a committment to Arizona State University. Assigned to the Gulf Coast League Pirates that summer, he hit .318 with five homers and 22 RBI over 43 games. However, he missed the entire 2009 season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during a conditioning drill. He had the same injury earlier, costing him his senior year of high school ball. Coming into this season, Baseball America ranked him No. 20 among Pirates prospects. Baseball America’s summation reads, in part: “He has a short stroke, makes consistent hard contact and figures to develop at least slightly above-average power. He has a solid approach for a young player, so he should hit for average as well. Cunningham is a good athlete with above-average speed, range and arm strength.”

Wander Alvino

Legend to watch: RHP Wander Alvino (5-11, 159, from Nizao, Dominican Republic) has provided solid relief all season. Over 24 appearances and 52 2/3 innings, Alvino is 3-1 with three holds and a 2.91 ERA, with 48 strikeouts to 16 walks. Included are two outings versus the Power, spanning 3 2/3 innings, with a 1-0 record and a 2.45 ERA. Over his last 10 games, Alvino is 2-1 with a 1.64 ERA. Signed by the Astros Feb. 22, 2006 as a non-drafted free agent, Alvino spent the 2006 and ’07 seasons with the Dominican Summer League Astros, going 1-2 with a 2.82 ERA in his debut season, 2-4 with a 3.16 in 2007. Then came a season with Greeneville of the Appalachian League (1-6, 5.79) and a 2009 campaign with Tri-City of the New York-Penn League (4-7, 5.17).

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

South Atlantic League baseball

Coming up

Lexington Legends vs. Charleston RiverDogs

What: Four-game series

When: Friday through Monday (7:05 each night except Sunday, 5:05)

Where: Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park, a.k.a. “The Joe” (Charleston, S.C.)

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Friday, RH Jordan Lyles (5-9, 3.61) vs. RH Jairo Heredia (0-0, 2.25); Saturday, LH Brad Dydalewicz (5-4, 3.38) vs. LH Manny Banuelos (8-4, 2.60); Sunday, RH Ross Seaton (7-8, 2.82) vs. LH Trent Lare (3-2, 1.07 for Staten Island, New York-Penn League); Monday, LH David Duncan (1-2, 3.60) vs. RH Cory Arbiso (3-7, 3.18).

RiverDog to watch: OF Melky Mesa (6-foot-1, 185 pounds, from Haina, Dominican Republic) ranks second in the league with 20 homers and is fourth with 65 RBI. In addition to homers and RBI, he leads the RiverDogs in runs (63), hits (90), at-bats (370), doubles (22), total bases (184) and walks (41). Hitting .243 with 10 stolen bases over 99 games, he also is among the SAL’s top 10 in triples (6) and slugging percentage (.497). However, he’s also second in the league with 123 strikeouts. Signed by the New York Yankees six years ago, when he was 16, Mesa spent two seasons in the Dominican Summer League and two more in the Gulf Coast League. Last year, with Staten Island, he hit .221 with seven homers and 23 RBI over 46 games. Fourteen of his 27 hits went for extra bases.

Brandon Wikoff

Legend to watch: SS Brandon Wikoff (5-8, 170, from Peoria, Ill.) is the first 2009 draft pick to join the Legends. Up from Tri-City of the New York-Penn League, he swaps roster spots with Jorge DeLeon. Wikoff has hits in his first three games with the Legends, going 5-for-11 (.455) and scoring twice. In 28 games with Tri-City, he hit .287 with two RBI, 12 runs and a pair of stolen bases. Selected by the Houston Astros in the fifth round of last month’s draft, out of the University of Illinois, finished his days with the Illini on a career-best 18-game hitting streak, including nine multi-hit games. An all-Big Ten pick, he had 23 multi-hit games in the season, started all 56 games and reached base in every game except one. He played third base as a freshman (2007), before moving to short. He led his high school team to the Illinois State Tournament in 2005 and 2006.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

Koby Clemens

Also of note: Mike Tauser’s “Farmstros Five” for the week of July 22-28 include former Legend Koby Clemens, now with the Lancaster JetHawks. The weekly list of top performers in the Astros system (click here: http://farmstros.blogspot.com/) also includes Gulf Coast League Astros IF Luis Bryan, Tri-City ValleyCats RHP Max Fearnow and Round Rock Express RHP Yorman Bazardo. Top performer is plural this week, designated as the Dominican Summer League Astros pitching trio.