After tearing the ACL in his right knee playing football in November 2016, third baseman/second baseman Nick Tanielu played in just two games in 2017 and wasn't back to 100 percent last season. Finally healthy again, he's topping the Astros in slugging (.829), OPS (1.239), hits (12), extra-base hits (eight), homers (four) and RBIs (13) while striking out just three times in 39 plate appearances. "He's always made a lot of contact and hit the ball hard," Putila said. "He's been working with Ben Rosenthal, our Triple-A hitting coach, on improving his load. His OPS last year [.755] doesn't do him justice because he was coming back from the ACL. He's very interesting."
Members of Houston's player development staff will go even further, with some likening Abreu's curveball to the absolute hammer that Lance McCullers Jr. possesses. He generates huge spin rates and tremendous depth on his low-80s curve, and he said he actually has more trust in an upper-80s slider that he tightened last season with the help of pitching coach Graham Johnson at Class A Quad Cities. Abreu's breaking balls destroyed right-handed hitters last season, as he held them to a .380 OPS while striking out 52 percent of them. He posted a 1.49 ERA with 90 strikeouts in 54 1/3 innings between short-season Tri-City and Quad Cities.Abreu's fastball is difficult to contend with as well, ranging from 92-96 mph with running action. His biggest needs at this point are to refine his circle changeup and continue to improve his control and command. He did a better job of locating his pitches in 2018, cutting his walk rate to 3.8 per nine innings after averaging 6.2 in his first four pro seasons.
LHP Parker MushinskiThe Red Raider ex had shaky control while pitching in Lubbock and that has continued into the pros. This season for QC the 22-year old out of the Metroplex had a 11.9% BB rate, one of the highest of any starter (min: 80 IP) in the system. But there were significant positives as well--a BAA of just .189 and a K rate topping 30%. Given his wildness issues, org brass may have realized his future was not as a starter and on Aug 3 he was moved to the River Bandits bullpen. Alternatively, the move was made to simply limit his innings for the year. Whichever the reason, the results were pretty slick: 14.1 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 28 K. He also ended the regular season not having given up an ER over his last 21.1 innings. Low 90s FB (T94) and above avg curve was the scouting report from 2017. They've got him listed at 6'0" 225 lbs. A Jim Stevenson signee.
I’m surprised that Pena hasn’t moved up. I’ve never seen him play, but if he really can field SS, then he seems appealing.
He is an excellent defender. The bat is still questioned. He puts up similar numbers next season and pudnits will take notice.
