Thanks to the work of new Astros General Manager Ed Wade this year’s top 10 features 7 new faces and quite a bit of movement for nearly all the prospects.  There continues to be a severe lack of high end talent in the Astros system.  Last year’s draft debacle did not help matters.  So, new this year we provide you with our top 20 as there really are not enough higher quality players to make ranking each position in the system worthwhile.  Surprisingly we did not have a difficult time selecting the top 20 though we did so while holding our noses.  As you will see, we profile the top 10 as always, but numbers 11 – 20 feature only brief comments.  We remind you now that we only consider prospects from the full season leagues for the top 10 and this year the top 20.  Our top 10 features 5 pitchers (all right handed), 3 outfielders, 1 infielder, and 1 catcher.  And now, on with the show.

1. J. R. Towles: 2/11/84. Towles was the 20th round draft pick in 2004 and has made the most of opportunities to rise to his current status as the expected starting catcher in Houston this season.  Towles was drafted twice by the Oakland A’s prior to his selection by the Astros.  He was sent to Greeneville after signing where he became a fan favorite with his enthusiasm, and pitchers reported enjoying having him behind the plate.  After beginning 2005 in extended spring training he was on his way to Tri-City when, due to an injury to another catcher, was told to go to Lexington instead where he hit .345.  He returned to Lexington in 2006 and while hitting over .300, had some issues that colored his progress.  In addition to a nagging knee injury that caused him to miss some time, he also had a brief suspension for an outburst.  Last season the OWA top 10 report captured this by reporting “above-average hitting and defensive skills, but concerns about the knee and attitude knock him down a tad”.  Last season, J.R. started the season uneventfully in Salem, hitting just .200 to start the season.  However, opportunity knocked when fellow catching prospect Lou Santangelo was suspended for 50 games.  J.R. was called up to Corpus Christi where he again made the most of an opportunity, hitting .324 with 11 HR in 275 AB.  He was then called up to AAA for 13 games where he hit .279.  Afterward he was included in the September call-ups and again made the most of that opportunity, hitting .375 in 13 games and setting the Astros record with 8 RBI in one game.  Towles was then sent to the Arizona Fall League but was called back home after 4 games because Houston brass had seen enough.  J.R. was christened the starting catcher for the 2008 Astros.  This season will be another opportunity for Towles.  He will get a chance to be tutored by Brad Ausmus, who has already praised the young catcher’s receiving skills.  What remains to be seen is if his bat can continue to produce .300+ averages and .400 range on-base percentages.  Behind the plate, Towles will need to continue to develop his throwing footwork to keep runners in line and to put in practice Ausmus’s wisdom. 

2. Felipe Paulino: 10/5/83.  Paulino moves from #7 to #2 this year on the strength of a well pitched season and late season promotion to Houston.  Despite missing the first few games of the season and getting a late season call-up, Paulino finished the year with the second most innings pitched in Corpus Christi with 112.  He struck out 110 and walked 49.  He gave up 103 hits and finished with a 1.36 WHIP and had more fly outs than ground outs.  His excellent season earned him a September call-up to Houston.  Though he was up and down as expected of a young player’s first taste of the show Paulino threw 19 innings, giving up 22 hits, 7 walks and 11 strike outs.  In that limited action though he did have a solid 1.67 ground out to fly out ratio.  Paulino also pitched in the Venezuelan Winter League.  In 19.2 innings he allowed 20 hits and 16 walks.  But limited the damage and finished with a 3.20 ERA.  He struck out 19 and did a good job of keeping the ball on the ground.  There’s no denying he still has the power arm and a reasonable breaking pitch.  He still has work to do with the change-up and long-term the Astros still appear to see him as a closer rather than as a starter.  As the top pitching prospect in the Astros system Paulino may very well start the season with the Astros either in the rotation, thanks to a lack of depth and talent, or the bullpen.  At the very worst he’ll be sitting at the top of the Round Rock rotation waiting for his chance to return to Houston.

3. Brad James: 6/19/84. James was the 29th round draft pick in the 2004 draft out of North Central (Texas) Junior College.  Prior to the second half of 2006 James was known as much for being a college teammate of J. R. Towles as anything else.  Brad started his career by spending two seasons in Greeneville.  Nothing in the numbers showed that there was much to expect from Brad.  After missing the first half of 2006 rehabbing an injured arm, he started showing some promise.  The second half of 2006 in Lexington and the first half of 2007 in Salem, he made a name for himself.  His sinking fastball (88-91 mph) along with his slider made him very effective in Salem.  He was promoted to AA Corpus Christi after leading the Carolina League in ERA and Wins.  It appears though that he was focused on success more than development.  As has been chronicled elsewhere, he wasn’t working on his secondary pitches.  The jump to AA was rough on Brad.   So the Astros gave him some extra work in the Arizona Fall League where he didn’t fair much better.   In the off-season Brad had surgery to repair a broken bone in his foot but is expected to be ready for spring training.  Staying injury free and developing the change-up will determine Brad’s progress in 2008.  It is likely he will start at Corpus Christi to see if he can improve on his performance at the end of last year.

4. Tommy Manzella: 4/16/83.  Manzella makes his debut in the top 10 having made a successful leap to AA thanks to a mid-season call-up.  Manzella possesses the best infield glove in the Astros minors.  Combining that with a strong arm and good range makes Tommy major league ready defensively.  Offensively Manzella remains a work-in-progress.  But in 2007 he did progress.  He made contact regularly resulting in striking out in just 15.5% of his at-bats.  In the first half of 2007 Manzella could rarely buy a hit though at high-A Salem.  He hit just .238 with 13 doubles being his only extra-base hits in 223 at-bats.  He walked 19 times while striking out just 30 times.  After a mid-season promotion to AA Corpus Christi, Manzella found the hits falling in a bit more.  In 228 at-bats he hit .289 with 12 doubles, 3 triples and 1 home run.  He walked 19 times and struck out 40 times.  Manzella was subsequently sent to the Arizona Fall League to try his hand against some of the minors’ best pitchers.  He did more than try.  Appearing in half of the Mesa Solar Sox games, Manzella hit .302 in 52 at-bats while walking 4 times and striking out 12 times.  Manzella appears to be in the mold of Adam Everett, a slick defender who seems best suited to bat in the 2 or 8 spots.  However with the off-season the trade for Miguel Tejada, Manzella’s short-term future appears to be as a AAA shortstop.

5. Chad Reineke: 4/9/82.  Reineke moves from #9 last year to #5 this year on our top 10 list.  The book on Reineke remains the same as last year: a solid low- to mid-90’s fastball, good slider, and mediocre change-up.  Reineke spent all of 2007 at Round Rock and split his time evenly between the Express bullpen and rotation.  Chad finished the season with 100 innings pitched and a 4.68 ERA.  He allowed 99 hits and 52 walks for a 1.51 WHIP.  Though the number of base runners Chad allowed was a bit high, Reineke’s 95 strike outs helped limit the damage.  After the solid year at Round Rock the Astros sent Chad to the Arizona Fall League as well.  There he worked exclusively out of the bullpen.  In 11 games he threw 14 innings allowing 7 hits and 5 walks and striking out 14.  He gave up 6 earned runs though 3 of those came in one game.  He was prone to getting the ball in the air which might not be as big a problem for a strike out pitcher like Chad, but we’d like to see him get the ball down a bit more.  It appears Reineke is destined for the Round Rock pitching staff to start the season.  We’ve not heard whether he will starting games or be used exclusively out of the bullpen.  He is in line for a call-up to the majors should the need arise in Houston though where he is in the pecking order has yet to be determined.

6. Josh Flores: 11/18/85. Flores was the 4th round pick in 2005.  At Triton Junior College he became the first player to hit .500 for a season.  His 15 triples bested the previous school record of 8 held by Hall of Famer Kirby Puckett.  He had played shortstop in his one year of college but the Astros saw him as a centerfielder due to his speed.  When drafted he was said to be the second fastest person in the system.  Greeneville wasn’t much of a challenge for Flores.  He hit .335, with 8 HR, 5 triples, 12 doubles and 20 stolen bases.  His speed made up for his inexperience in center as he learned the position.  In Lexington in 2006, he struggled some with the step up in competition hitting only .253.  Yet his strikeouts remained in the 20% of at-bats range.  In 2007 he started the season in Salem and showed that he had figured some things out.  In the first 63 games of the season Flores hit .325 and showed some pop with a slugging percentage of .500.  This earned him a trip to Corpus Christi.  At AA Flores struggled to adjust to more advanced pitching, hitting just .219 over 60 games.  Despite the struggles Flores earned an invite to the Arizona Fall League.  There he started figuring out the advanced pitching and hit .292 over 14 games, hitting over .300 in his final 10.  Flores approaches the game with a very strong work ethic.  He continues to work on his defense (7 errors combined between Salem & Corpus Christi in 07).  At 22, Flores can be expected to start the season at Corpus and if he continues to adjust could be at Round Rock for the second half of the season. 

7. Sammy Gervacio: 1/10/85. Sammy was signed out of the Dominican Republic in December of 2002.  After being named a 2004 Dominican Summer League All-Star the righty was brought to Greeneville in 2005.  He showed that it was not much of a challenge by striking out 53 batters in 33.2 innings of relief.  His ERA was 2.67, his highest ERA yet.  After getting a brief taste of Lexington at the end of the 2005 season Sammy spent all of 2006 in Lexington.  Pitching exclusively from the pen he struck out over a batter an inning (89 in 83.2 IP) and tallied 10 saves.  In 2007 he started the season with Salem and was nothing short of dominant. He struck out 80 batters in 55.1 innings and had a WHIP of 1.03.  As a result, the smallish (5’11”, 170 lbs) right hander was promoted to Corpus Christi to finish the season. At Corpus he still struck out more than a batter an inning (24 in 22.2) but he did show some difficulty adjusting by seeing his walks jump up to almost one every other inning.  It is unusual for a pitcher to go his entire minor league career as a reliever but Gervacio is doing just that.  The Astros appear to be grooming him for late-inning bullpen work in Houston.  His progress warranted a spot on the 40 man roster prior to the 2007 Rule 5 draft.  If he can continue his track record of dominance out of the pen he could garner a September call-up to Houston.

8. Sergio Perez: 12/5/84. Perez holds serve as he maintains his status as our #8 prospect again this year.  Perez spent the entire season at high-A Salem.  Perez sports a low- to mid-90’s fastball, excellent slider, and is working on his change-up.  Statistically speaking his year appears to be unspectacular but taking a closer look there is reason to be optimistic.  Perez logged 128.1 innings over 25 starts leaving him just 9 innings shy of staff leader Raymar Diaz.  He did this despite missing several starts due to a groin injury.  Perez gave up 129 hits, 43 walks, and hit 11 batters.  He struck out 84 and finished with a 4.00 ERA.  The league had a .264 batting average against.  But Perez had a solid 1.46 ground out to fly out ratio.  Oddly, Perez’s statistics mirror another former 2nd round selection of the Astros, former prospect Jason Hirsh.  Both were moved to high-A Salem the year after being drafted.  Hirsh finished his year there with very nearly identical statistics as Perez’s this year.  We know now that Hirsh spent that entire year learning new mechanics and sacrificing statistics for development.  We are not predicting that Perez will have a Texas League Pitcher of the Year type year in 2008 as Hirsh did in the season following his work in Salem.  But we believe Perez has the type of stuff to do very well in the Texas League, especially if he has an improved change-up and should start the season at Corpus Christi.

9. Yordany Ramirez: 7/31/84.  Ramirez’s inclusion here speaks volumes, not just of Ramirez’s talent, but mostly of the Astros lack thereof in the system.  Ramirez was a minor league free agent, a Padres castoff, after the 2007 season.  General Manager Ed Wade, who had been with the Padres organization, had plenty of opportunities to look at Ramirez’s work there.  Ramirez comes to the Astros as a five tool talent who has not been a good hitter.  Ramirez is considered by many in the Padres organization as a top tier centerfielder, and by some in the Padres organization as top five in all of baseball.  He has the speed, arm, and range any team would want in a centerfielder.  And he has displayed those tools regularly.  He also comes to the Astros with an injury history.  He has missed parts of four seasons with injuries.  This has contributed to his biggest problem.  His primary shortcoming is in the batter’s box.  Ramirez is a free-swinger; a trait you do not look for in a leadoff hitter.  The lack of game at-bats due to injury has not allowed Yordany the time in the batter’s box to develop desirable skills.  In 2005 he finished the season with 369 at-bats and just 18 walks.  Those 18 walks are a season high for him.  But despite being a free swinger he has not struck out at a high rate.  His worst year for strike outs was 2005 when he K’d 71 times.  According to Padres personnel Ramirez started to show some of the promise his talent holds.  Though not walking much Ramirez, at high-A Lake Elsinore, hit .269 in 286 at-bats recording 17 doubles, 2 triples, and 4 home runs.  He was subsequently promoted to AAA Portland.  There he hit .315 over 127 at-bats with 3 doubles and 4 home runs.  2007 was the first year Ramirez had ever had 400 or more at-bats in a season.  Still, he only walked a grand total of 15 times.  The Padres emphasize patience at the plate and taking pitches with their prospects.  According to Padres personnel that approach was starting to sink in with Ramirez last year.  Time will tell if Ramirez can put it all together offensively.  The Astros will give him that chance at AAA Round Rock.

10. Jordan Parraz: 10/8/84. Parraz was drafted in the 6th round out of high school by the Phillies as a flame throwing pitcher.  He wanted to play everyday so he went to junior college and was the 3rd round pick of the Astros in the 2004 draft.  His first two years were unremarkable but came into his own in 2006 at Tri-City.  That year he hit .336 and had an OPS of .915.  He was not only the team leader but the league leader in hitting.  In 2007 he performed well at Lexington playing primarily right field often showing off his strong arm.  He hit .281 with an OPS of 810.  Jordan should be in Salem this year.  He will need another good year to break out of a pack of good but otherwise undistinguished outfielders and set himself up as the Astros right fielder of the future.  A strong first half of 2008 could earn Parraz a mid-season promotion to Corpus Christi.

Now that you’ve seen our top 10, we present to you our second 10.  We feature 5 left handed pitchers, 1 right handed pitcher, 3 outfielders, and 1 infielder.  There is some raw talent here but also a large number of question marks.

11. Mitch Einertson. Finally had a quality full season at the plate.   But where does he fit best in the outfield?  Does not have the speed and range you want in center; does not have the arm you want in right; has not slugged enough to warrant left.

12. Eli Iorg. Began 2007 with a solid effort but a freak elbow injury on a pick-off play ended his year.  Will be 25 in 2008 and needs to stay healthy and have a break out year.  But is there or will there be soon a spot in Houston for him?

13. Polin Trinidad. Lanky lefty with a good fastball and slider but still learning how to pitch.  Needs to cut down on the home runs allowed.  Could rocket up the list with a high caliber season.

14. Bud Norris. Bulldog right hander who handled the Sally League and Hawaiian Winter League.  Questions about being a 2-pitch pitcher and too advanced for low-A knock him down a notch.

15. Wesley Wright. Rule 5 draft pick up in December.  Let go by the Dodgers who did not have enough room on their 40-man roster to keep him.  Would have easily made the Astros 40-man. Will have a shot at the Astros bullpen and could be the situational lefty replacing Trever Miller.

16. Chris Johnson. Only third base prospect in full-season ball in the organization. Should be given third base full-time this year after splitting time between third, short, and first for half a season while at Lexington.  A good defender but needs to step up with the bat.

17. James Van Ostrand. Canadian Futures Game participant in 2007. Matched Parraz offensively last season but lacks his athleticism which may keep him from supplanting Parraz in the outfield pecking order.

18. Brian Bogusevic. Former first round pick.  His stock has fallen as injuries and a lack of development have kept him from being a consistently high performer.  Will be 24 for 2008 at AA and will need to show he can convert the talent that got him drafted in the first round into production.

19. Sergio Severino. Smaller lefty with raw talent.  Needs to continue developing all aspects of his game including controlling his emotions on the mound.

20. David Qualben. Crafty lefty with average stuff but a ridiculously good pick-off move. Should continue his climb up the organization ladder.  Could be a bullpen candidate down the road.

To further our analysis of the Astros minor league system we put together a list of the other Astros prospects to keep an eye on this year.  One thing you should notice quickly is the lack of projectable position players and pitchers in the full-season leagues last year.  Further, those listed have major developmental, age, and/or ceiling issues.  You should also notice there are a number of raw but talent players in the short-season leagues.  Many of those players will need time to develop, and because they are so young they will washout at a fairly high rate.  Lastly notice too there are a few players listed from the Caribbean leagues (Dominican Summer League and the Venezuelan Summer League).  There are many young players on those teams with talent, but too many to mention here as many will never make it the US and most will never reach even the high minors.  We have listed for you the ones who stood out the most particularly because of age and accomplishments.  We present them to you in alphabetical order, broken down generally by position and level played last year.  There are 5 catchers, 9 infielders, 5 outfielders, 11 right handed pitchers, and 9 left handed pitchers listed.

Catchers

Full Season

Koby Clemens (Conversion to catcher begins after 3 mediocre seasons at third.)

Lou Santangelo (Can he recover after a disastrous 2007?)

Max Sapp (Star is dimming on former first rounder. Still young and showed flashes of the power bat last season.  Weight issues and lack of development continue.)

Short Season

Kyle Miller (Began conversion to catcher but played only one game there.  Came on offensively late in the season.) 

Reinaldo Pestana (Good defender, but erratic thrower. Fair batting average, but needs better plate discipline.)

Infielders

Full Season

Jonny Ash (Successful return to AA though season ended early with knee injury. But is time running out?)

Ronald Ramirez (Very late start to the season.  Was effective offensively in limited action.)

Wladimir Sutil (Versatile middle infielder.  Plus speed, no pop.)

Tim Torres (Versatile playing both second and short for Lexington and Salem. Hit fairly well with some power.  Age knocks him down a bit here.)

Short Season

Matthew Cusick (Solid hitter and second baseman. Handled short season without problems.)

David Dixon (Began transition to second from outfield splitting time between the two.  Hit .256 after not playing college ball all spring due to a thumb injury.)

Ebert Rosario (Raw talent offensively and defensively at third base.  Concerns about emotional make up.)

Caribbean

Jose Altuve (Diminutive second baseman hit .343 as a 17 year old in his first season at the Venezuelan Summer League.)

Ricardo Bonfante (.378 OBP with speed at 18 in the VSL and a shortstop.)

Outfielders

Full Season

None beyond the top 20.

Short Season

Brandon Barnes (Made strides last season offensively.  Also showed some pop tying for the league lead in home runs.)

Steve Brown (Good defender and hitter for average but needs to show more power and a willingness to take a walk.)

Colin Delome (Raw offensively and defensively in center but handled NY-Penn League pitching.  Could be in for rapid advancement.)

Axel Gonzalez (Raw in all facets of the game.  Talent is there with his offense lagging behind his defense currently.)

Devon Torrence (2 sport athlete playing college football for Ohio State. Very raw but extremely athletic. Showed glimpses of development in short time at Greeneville. The sooner he chooses baseball full-time the faster his development.)

Right Handed Pitchers

Full Season

Raymar Diaz (Solid as a starter at Salem but highly effective out of the pen late in the year.)

Paul Estrada (Complete flop at AAA.  Can he bounce back and get in line for a bullpen spot in Houston?)

Casey Hudspeth (Drafted as similar to but more polished than Norris.  Has not had Norris’s success.)

Reid Kelly (Used exclusively out of the Lexington bullpen.  Had better than a strike out per inning pitched.)

Short Season

Robert Bono (Very raw.  Had a shaky pro debut in Greeneville.  Needs to work on control problems.)

Leandro Cespedes (Smallish pitcher had a solid Stateside debut.  2 plus pitches already. Could rise rapidly.)

David Dinelli (Saw limited action due to injury.  Power arm is there.)

Jason Dominguez (Very effective as the ValleyCats closer.)

Kyle Greenwalt (Like Bono very raw and had a shaky debut in Greeneville.)

Brett Robinson (Polished pitcher for rookie ball. Effective as the Greeneville closer. Limited upside.)

Caribbean

Joel Romero (More than a strike out per inning pitched as a 19 year old in his Dominican Summer League debut.)

Left Handed Pitchers

Full Season

Chris Blazek (Another successful year in the bullpen.  Nearly a strike out per inning and red hot in August and September.)

Josh Muecke (Can the soft-tossing lefty make a push for the Astros bullpen after a solid year at AA and successful work out of the bullpen in the Arizona Fall League?)

Chris Salamida (Promotion to high-A after amazing short-season in 2006 proved forgettable.)

Short Season

Fernando Abad (Good WHIP and strike out numbers.  Age and level knock him down a bit. Could see rapid rise.)

Jeff Icenogle (Nice debut for the first year free agent signee out of the MLB academy.)

Antonio Noguera (Solid first year in the States.  Raw but talented.)

Colton Pitkin (Late start due to shoulder soreness.  Didn’t turn 18 until August. Extremely raw but showed improvement.)

Caribbean

Angel Gonzalez (More than a strike out per inning pitched and a .236 batting average against in the DSL and did not turn 19 until August.)

German Perez (Solid second season in the VSL and did not turn 18 until late September.)

This year we had 19 entries in the Top 10 contest.  The winner is accougars with a total score of 84 with 9 correct players and 3 of those in the correct position.  Second place went to Noe in Austin with 72 points and 8 correct players.  Third place went to Hornstros with 67 points and 7 correct players.  You can now go to the Top 10 Contest page and see all the entries and scores.

As has been discussed in the Bus Ride Discussion Forum last year’s draft was the last that DFE’s are allowed thanks to the agreements in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement.  As such the approach to this draft was a little different in the later rounds with teams choosing players with intent to sign them rather than encouraging them to go the junior college, JUCO, route and follow their progress.  We’ll see how that plays out with signing later round JUCO and high school draftees.  The Astros now have until just August 15 to sign players or lose all rights to them.

This year the Astros we’re going to concentrate on raw talent early in the draft according to Paul Ricciarini, Senior Director of Player Personnel.  General Manager Tim Purpura wanted the Astros to add higher ceiling high school and JUCO players to the organization as opposed to almost solely locking in on the best available four-year college talent.  They wanted the Astros system to sport more youth and athleticism as well as adding talent all over the diamond.  The lack of first and second picks has allowed the Astros to look deeper at the depth of this draft class instead of having to spend an inordinate amount of resources ensuring that their first round pick was indeed the right selection.

This year the Astros selected 17 right-handed pitchers, 2 left-handed pitchers, 0 first basemen, 2 second basemen, 3 shortstops, 3 third basemen, 4 catchers, 0 left fielders, 5 center fielders, 4 right fielders, and 2 outfielders.  Broken down by school type, the Astros selected 11 high school players, 7 JUCO players, and 23 4-year college players.

3rd Round:  Derek Dietrich; 3B; L/R; 6’1”, 190; DOB 7/18/1989; St. Ignatius High School, Ohio.

This is the second year in a row the Astros have taken a left-handed hitting right-handed high schooler (makes sense?) with their first pick.  This is also the highest they’ve taken a third baseman in I don’t know how long.  Dietrich, still just 17 as of this writing, was a shortstop through high school.  This year he hit .435 with 10 homers, 11 doubles, and 43 RBI.  In his high school career he has participated in the AFLAC All-American Game, Northeast Top Prospect Showcase, Graduate National Championship, Perfect Game National Showcase, and the East Coast Professional Showcase.  Derek was an Aflac All-American and First Team All-State selection in 2006.  In 2007 he was named a pre-season All-American by Baseball America and Louisville Slugger.  He was also named the Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year in Ohio and the Cuyahoga River Baseball Conference Player of the Year.

Dietrich is a very good student and has participated in community service.  He was a tutor and has volunteered with inner-city youth.  His maternal grandfather, Steve Demeter, had been involved with major league baseball for more than 50 years until retiring recently.  Derek has honored his grandfather by wearing his old stirrups in games.

Derek has signed to play baseball at Georgia Tech but signing him to a professional contract does not appear to be a problem.  The Astros intend to move Derek to third base at some point in his career but for now intend to have him play shortstop while he acclimates to pro ball.  The Astros like his bat and believe he has power potential.  The Astros worked him out about a week before the draft so they know what they were getting when they picked him.  When he signs expect him to be assigned to Greeneville.

4th Round:  Brett Eibner; RHP; R/R; 6’3”, 195; DOB 12/02/1988; The Woodlands High School, Texas.

Eibner moved to Texas from North Carolina before his junior year.  He earned a starting job late last year.  This year he was a two-way player for The Woodlands.  He started in right field and logged just 35 innings on the hill this year.  At the plate he hit .417 with 6 homers slugging .783.  On the mound he was 5-0 with a 2.80 ERA.  He struck out 58.  The Astros like him on the mound.  His fastball has reached 94, and he throws a curveball and change.  He’s raw, but the Astros like his stuff.  He has signed to play at Arkansas where his brother is on the golf team.  If he signs we expect him to also be assigned to Greeneville.

5th Round:  Collin DeLome; CF; L/R; 6’2”, 195; DOB 12/18/1985; Lamar University.

DeLome hit .329 with 15 doubles, 7 triples, and 10 home runs this season for the Cardinal.  He struck out 39 times while walking just 12 times.  He was 8 of 11 in stolen bases.  He is Lamar’s all-time triples leader with 22.  He was named to the All-Southland Conference second team this year and was the 2006 SLC player and hitter of the year.  Ricciarini sees Collin as a potential 2-hole hitter.  The Astros believe he has an advanced feel for hitting and could be a gap power hitter.  They also see him as a high intangibles player.  DeLome has been a lifelong Astros fan and so shouldn’t be a holdout.  We expect him to report to Tri-City.

Signed 6/13. Assigned to Tri-City.

6th Round:  David Dinelli; RHP; R/R; 6’3”, 215, DOB 3/14/1987; Sierra Junior College, California.

Dinelli was the #1 pitcher for Sierra this year.  He threw 85.2 innings giving up 53 hits and 58 walks while striking out 118.  He finished with a 3.36 ERA.  One report out of California has David hitting 93 on the radar gun in early February.  Dinelli also played in the wood bat Central Illinois Collegiate League last summer where he acquitted himself nicely.  Over the winter he signed a NLI with Texas Tech.  He has indicated he’ll sign for a reasonable bonus.  A raw talent with a strong arm if signed we expect him to report to Greeneville.

Signed 6/21.  Assigned to Greeneville.

7th Round:  David Dixon; 2B; L/R; 6’2”, 205; DOB 8/28/1985; Auburn University.

Dixon did not play this year with Auburn thanks to a broken thumb.  In the past two seasons he played right field and DHed for the Tigers.  He hit pretty well and displayed solid gap power as a sophomore in 2006.  If he’s healthy enough to get playing time this summer he could go to Greeneville to begin the switch to second base.  If he’s not ready, he’ll spend the summer at extended spring training.

Signed 6/13. Assigned to Tri-City.

8th Round:  Chad Bettis; RHP; R/R; 6’1”, 180; DOB 4/26/1989; Monterey High School, Texas.

Bettis is another Texas Tech signee.  He was selected All-District and District MVP after recording a 7-1 record with a 1.15 ERA.  He struck out 66 in 55 innings pitched before the state playoffs.  He throws in the low-90’s, and his delivery has been compared to Jake Peavy.  He had arthroscopic knee surgery missed early part of season but is fine now.  Chad is on record as willing to sign if the money is right.  If he signs he’ll go to Greeneville.

9th Round:  Luis Pardo; RHP; R/R; 6’5”, 230; DOB 7/14/1985; Florida Gulf Coast University.

This is the second year in a row the Astros have looked to FGCU for a draftee.  Justin Stiver was FGCU’s first ever draft pick when the Astros took him in round 17 last year.  Pardo is their third ever draftee.  Luis threw 76.2 innings, allowing 81 hits and 18 walks, while striking out 87 and finishing with a 2.93 ERA.  He’s already signed, and we expect him to be assigned to Tri-City.

Signed 6/13. Assigned to Tri City.

10th Round: Matthew Cusick; 2B; L/R; 5’10”, 190; DOB 5/05/1986; University of Southern California.

Cusick led the Trojans this season with a .324 batting average.  He stroked 11 doubles, 2 triples, and 1 homer.  He walked 31 times and struck out just 17 in 204 at-bats.  Last summer he played in the Cape Cod League and hit over .300 and earned All-Cape Cod League honors.  Something of a Jonny Ash clone, Cusick is a versatile infielder having spent the 2006 season as the USC starting third baseman.  He’s a grinder with average tools.  He is signed and should be at Tri-City this season.

Signed 6/13. Assigned to Tri-City.

11th Round: Robert Bono; RHP; R/R; 6’2”, 175; DOB 12/12/1988; Waterford High School, Connecticut.

Bono was the top pitcher and starting catcher (when he wasn’t pitching) for Waterford.  He finished the season 10-0 with 94 strikeouts in 65 innings and an ERA of 0.33.  Rob was named to the Rawlings/Perfect Game Preseason Northeast Region All High School Senior First Team.  His fastball has been clocked in the low 90’s.  He is a UConn signee.  There is no indication yet whether he will sign.  If he does he’ll report to Greeneville.

Signed 6/19.  Assigned to Greeneville.

12th Round: Brian Pellegrini; 3B; R/R; 6’1”, 240; DOB 10/03/1984; St. Bonaventure University.

Pellegrini was the offensive force for the Bonnies.  He led the team with a .391 batting average, 24 doubles, 17 home runs, 59 RBI, .833 SLG, 68 hits, 33 walks, and .498 OBP.  He also had 1 triple and struck out 31 times.  He owns school career records for hits, runs scored, doubles, homers, and RBI.  He is a two-time Atlantic 10 Player of the Year.  He was named to the Louisville Slugger All-American Third Team.  Brian is a four time All-Conference selection.  He is the Bonnies’ highest ever draft pick.  Pellegrini has been the Bonnies’ first baseman and DH this season but was at one time their closer and a starting pitcher.  He hasn’t played third base but has the arm to do so.  His glove though may be another matter.  He committed 10 errors as a first baseman this year, and though some of them may have been throwing his progress bears watching.  Brian tore his right labrum during his junior and had surgery to fix it last summer.  It is fully healed, and Brian’s arm strength is fine.  He has signed and should be in Tri-City this summer.

Signed 6/13. Assigned to Tri-City.

13th Round: Chad Jones; CF; L/L; 6’3”, 215; DOB 10/05/1988; Southern University Lab High School, Louisiana.

Jones is an exceptional athlete.  It has been well documented that Jones is a top football signee of the LSU Tigers.  If he stays healthy he could be an immediate impact defensive back in the SEC.  However he also is an excellent baseball player with all 5 tools scouts drool over.  A hurricane Katrina refugee, Chad hit .537 with 9 homers last year his first in Baton Rouge.  This year he hit .577 with 6 homers.  He has stated his first love is baseball by a wide margin.  But, he says it will take first round money to sign him.  Speculation is that if he were not a signability concern he would have gone late in the first round or in the supplemental first round.  If the Astros pony up the cash and sign Chad he will start his professional career in Greeneville.

14th Round: Craig Corrado; RF; R/R; 6’2”, 185; DOB 9/10/1984; University of Tampa.

Corrado was the offensive leader for the NCAA Division II National Champion Spartans.  He hit .420 with 113 hits, 25 doubles, 4 triples, and 10 homers in 269 at-bats.  He walked 14 times and struck out 26.  Craig was named a First Team Division II All-American.  He played both third base and right field this year.  He’s plenty athletic and has plenty of arm to be in right field.  He has signed and should report to Tri-City.

Signed 6/13. Assigned to Tri-City.

15th Round: Matthew Fitts; RHP; R/R; 6’1”, 205; DOB 9/14/1985; Lewis and Clark State College.

Fitts is a draft eligible sophomore who transferred from Long Beach State University.  Matt helped lead the powerhouse Warriors to the 2007 NAIA championship.  His teammate Beau Mills was drafted 13th this year.  Fitts threw 65 innings, recording 75 strike outs while allowing 46 hits and 22 walks and finishing with a 2.08 ERA.  He has a strong but raw arm and could return to Lewis and Clark as he has 2 years of eligibility remaining.  If he signs we expect him to be assigned to Greeneville.

16th Round: Devon Torrence; CF; R/R; 6’0”, 190; DOB 5/08/1989; Canton South High School, Ohio.

Torrence hit .420 this season in 29 games, with 9 triples, 23 RBI, 43 runs, 28 walks and 20 stolen bases.  Devon is a football recruit of the OSU Buckeyes and like Jones is a standout defensive back.  He’s labeled his chances of signing at 50/50 with everything depending on the signing bonus.  Without signability issues it’s likely he would have been taken in the 2nd or 3rd round.  Torrence has skipped a football all-star game in order to keep his signing options open.  If he signs expect to see him in Greeneville.

Signed 6/18.  Assigned to Greeneville.

17th Round: Mason “Rusty” Roberts; RHP; R/R; 6’3”, 200; DOB 12/11/1985; Cisco Junior College, Texas.

Rusty pitched 76 innings, striking out 69 with a 2.61 ERA.  He allowed 77 hits and 21 walks. He was a First Team All-State selection in 2006 his senior year of high school.  Rusty has already signed and should be assigned to Greeneville.

Signed 6/13.  Assigned to Greeneville.

18th Round: Brian Esperson; RHP; R/R; 6’2”, 235; DOB 5/18/1986; Mercyhurst College.

Esperson was the staff ace for the NCAA Division II Lakers.  He threw 60 innings, allowing 51 hits and 30 walks.  He struck out 69 and finished the season with a 3.15 ERA.  Brian was named to the Daktronics All-North Central Region Second Team and the All-GLIAC Second Team.  He has signed and should report to Tri-City.

Signed 6/13. Assigned to Tri-City.

19th Round: Jonathan Fixler; C; R/R; 6’1”, 205; DOB 6/13/1986; Indiana University.

Fixler hit .286 in 161 at-bats.  He had 9 doubles, 1 triple, and 2 homers.  He was not the Hoosiers regular catcher this year instead playing first base, DH, and catcher.  He is signed and should report to Tri-City.

Signed 6/13. Assigned to Tri-City.

20th Round: Jeffrey “Kyle” Greenwalt; RHP; R/R; 6’0”, ; DOB 9/29/1988; Souderton Area Senior High School, Pennsylvania.

Greenwalt possesses a low-90’s fastball and can throw a curveball and change-up.  This season he was 10-2 with a 1.84 ERA as of this writing, including a no-hitter.  In 12 games (10 starts) he gave up 41 hits, 26 walks and 18 earned runs with 107 strike outs over 67.1 innings.  He says the Astros have offered him fifth-round money and will sign.  Therefore he will not honor his commitment to the University of South Carolina.  He should be sent to Greeneville some time after returning from his senior trip, June 26.

Signed 6/17.  Assigned to Greeneville.

21st Round: Kyle Miller; C; R/R; 6’1”, 220; DOB 9/01/1986; Central Florida Community College.

Miller was the starting third baseman for the Patriots this season until he was hit by a pitch in mid-March.  He missed a month, returning in time to finish the season as the team DH. Kyle hit .331 over 139 at-bats.  He slugged 11 doubles, 2 triples, and 6 homers.  He walked 16 times and struck out 32.  He has signed and should be at Greeneville to begin the transition to catcher.

Signed 6/13.  Assigned to Greeneville.

22nd Round: Bernard “Drew” Anderson; RF; R/R; 5’11”, 200; DOB 4/22/1984; University of New Orleans.

Anderson hit .268 over 235 at-bats while walking 19 times and striking out 71 times. He hit 15 doubles, 1 triple, and 15 homers.  Drew appears headed to Greeneville to add depth and experience to the rookie level squad.

Signed 6/13.  Assigned to Greeneville.

23rd Round: Charles Gamble; 3B; R/R; 6’6”, 235; DOB 1/18/1985; North Carolina A&T State University.

Gamble was the Aggie’s offensive leader leading the team with a .409 batting average while playing in every game.  Charlie slugged 19 doubles, 3 triples, and 10 home runs.  He walked 29 times while striking out 41 times.  He committed 16 errors at third base leading to a .935 fielding percentage.  He has signed and should be at Tri-City this summer.

Signed 6/13.  Assigned to Tri-City.

24th Round: Philip Stringer; SS; R/R; 5’9”, 175; DOB 12/27/1984; Auburn University.

Stringer had a very bad year at the plate for the Tigers.  He hit just .198 in 96 at-bats.  He doubled 3 times and homered once.  Philip’s father Martin played ball in the Royals minor league system and is now the director of the RBI Youth Diamond Sports League in Houston, a part of Major League Baseball’s Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities program.  He has signed and will likely add depth to Greeneville’s infield.

Signed 6/13.  Assigned to Greeneville.

25th Round: Kevin Carkeek; C; R/R; 6’3”, 200; DOB 10/20/1984; Oakland University.

Over 141 at-bats Carkeek hit .333, slugging 17 doubles and 9 home runs.  He walked 14 times while striking out 16 times.  He is a two-time All-Mid-Continent Conference first team selection.  He has signed and should be catching at Tri-City.

Signed 6/13.  Assigned to Tri-City.

26th Round: Sal Iacono; C; R/R; 5’9”, 190; DOB 3/04/1985; Princeton University.

Iacono was the Tigers’ primary offensive weapon this season.  He hit .413 over 150 at-bats, clubbing 12 doubles, 1 triple, and 5 homers. He walked 13 times and struck out 17 times.  Sal split time between third base and catcher this year.  He has signed and will be at Tri-City.

Signed 6/13.  Assigned to Tri-City.

27th Round: Brett Robinson; RHP; R/R; 6’0”, 185; DOB 1/23/1985; Florida Southern College.

Robinson, a relief pitcher all four years at Florida Southern, made 26 appearances tallying 34.2 innings.  He gave up 33 hits and 11 walks while recording 32 strike outs and finishing with a  3.63 ERA.  He has signed and appears headed to Greeneville to give them a mature presence in the bullpen.

Signed 6/13.  Assigned to Greeneville.

28th Round: Jared Pitts; RF; R/R; 6’2”, 210; DOB 9/11/1985; Stephen F Austin State University.

Pitts is the first of three Lumberjacks drafted by the Astros.  He hit .311 this season with 10 doubles, 1 triple, and 11 homers.  He walked 30 times and led the team with 75 strike outs.  He has signed and should be in the outfield rotation at Greeneville.

Signed 6/13.  Assigned to Greeneville.

29th Round: Travis Sweet; OF; R/R; 6’0”, 190; DOB 4/17/1986; University of Iowa.

Sweet was the Hawkeye sparkplug this season.  He was the team leader in batting average (.413), doubles (13), triples (4), and stolen bases (25).  He also had 8 home runs in 206 at-bats.  Travis was a first-team All-Big Ten selection.  He has already signed and will be in Tri-City.

Signed 6/13. Assigned to Tri-City.

30th Round: Danny Gil; RHP; R/R; 6’3”, 205; DOB 3/28/1985; University of Miami.

Gil served as the Hurricane’s primary closer, 6 saves, though he did start 3 games.  He appeared in 34 games, amassing 54 innings pitched, allowing 40 hits and 32 walks, while striking out 53.  Gil has signed and will move north to Tri-City.

Signed 6/13.  Assigned to Tri-City.

31st Round: Jason Dominguez; RHP; R/R; 6’2”, 195; DOB 12/17/1985; Pepperdine University.

As the Waves closer Dominguez racked up 12 saves in 29 appearances.  He threw 39 innings, striking out 26.  He allowed 37 hits and 21 walks.  Jason has signed and should be in the ValleyCats bullpen at Tri-City.

Signed 6/13.  Assigned to Tri-City.

32nd Round: David Miller; RHP; L/R; 6’10”, 210; DOB 9/29/1984; Stephen F Austin State University.

Miller joins Pitts as the second of three Lumberjacks taken by the Astros this year.  At 6’10” Miller is the tallest Astros draftee this year.  In 18 appearances including 3 starts David threw 24 innings earning a 7.88 ERA, giving up 27 hits and 22 walks while striking out 28.  He has signed and has been assigned to Tri-City.

Signed 6/13.  Assigned to Tri City.

33rd Round: Cody Phipps; CF; R/R; 6’3”, 205; DOB 4/24/1989; Vauxhall High School, Canada.

Vauxhall High School is a high school/baseball academy.  It opened just two years ago.  Apparently it saved the town of Vauxhall from extinction.  Phipps was the lone player drafted from the academy this year.  His statistics are not available.  He has signed to play at the University of British Columbia.  If he signs he’ll be sent to Greeneville.

Signed 8/1.  Assigned to Greeneville.

34th Round: Brian Wabick; RHP; R/R; 6’0”, 180; DOB 8/03/1987; Oakton Community College, Illinois.

Wabick was the Raiders staff ace this season.  He logged a team high 72 innings pitched.  He struck out 78 and finished with a 2.25 ERA.  He gave up 61 hits and 15 walks.  For his work Brian was named to the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference All-Conference First Team.  Sporting a solid fastball Wabick has signed a NLI to play for Long Island University.  He is signed and will likely report to Greeneville.

Signed 6/13.  Assigned to Greeneville.

35th Round: Jordan Powell; RHP; R/R; 6’2”, 205; DOB 4/14/1985; Southern Illinois University – Carbondale.

The Saluki’s Friday starter Powell threw 87.1 innings allowing 98 hits and 24 walks.  He struck out 56 and finished with a 5.05 ERA.  He is signed and appears headed to Greeneville.

Signed 6/13.  Assigned to Greeneville.

36th Round: Albert Cartwright; CF; R/R; 5’10”, 180; DOB 10/31/1987; Polk Community College, Florida.

Cartwright hit .344 over 183 at-bats with 7 doubles, 3 triples, and 1 homer.  He stole 21 bases.  Albert drew 17 walks and struck out 42 times.  If he signs he’ll go to Greeneville.

Signed 6/29.  Assigned to Greeneville.

37th Round: Robert Leonhardt; RHP; R/R; 6’5”, 220; DOB 9/27/1984; Stephen F Austin State University.

Previously drafted by Washington in 2005, Leonhardt is the last of the Lumberjacks taken in this draft.  He went 29.1 innings over 13 appearances that included 5 starts.  He gave up 32 hits and 15 walks.  He struck out 19 and finished with a 7.98 ERA.  He is signed and has been assigned to Tri-City.

Signed 6/13.  Assigned to Tri City.

38th Round: Robert “Robbie” Weinhardt; RHP; R/R; 6’2”, ; DOB 12/08/1985; Oklahoma State University.

Cowboy relief pitcher Weinhardt made 21 appearances including 1 start.  He threw 41 innings allowing 45 hits and 9 walks.  He earned a 4.39 ERA and struck out 47.  A junior, if he signs Robbie will likely be sent to Tri-City.

39th Round: Scott Fletcher; SS; R/R; 6’0”, 175; DOB 10/26/1988; Starrs Mill High School, Georgia.

Brian is the son of former MLBer Scott Fletcher.  He hit .412 with 8 homeruns and 25 RBI for the Starrs Mill Panthers last season.  He has signed to play college ball with Auburn University, making him the third draftee with Auburn ties.  Early indications are that he will go to college. If he signs with the Astros, he will be assigned to Greeneville.

40th Round: Kyle Erdman; LHP; L/L; 6’5”, 210; DOB 1/11/1988; Oakton Community College, Illinois.

The second player taken from Oakton, Kyle, a freshman, was 2-1 with a 3.54 ERA in 20.1 innings in 10 games for the Raiders.  He fanned 17 batters.  If he signs he is likely headed to Greeneville.

41st Round: Jim “Colton” Pitkin; LHP; R/L; 6’3”, 210; DOB 8/10/1989; Ross S Sterling High School, Texas.

Colton is the second of the LHP taken by the Astros in this draft.  He brings a low 90’s fast ball, and a curve.  He is reportedly working on adding a change up.  He got a chance to try out for scouts from the mound at Minute Made Park with Nolan Ryan observing.  His cousin Cade Johnson played AA ball as a catcher and has been working with Colton to prepare him for the life of a pro ball player.  He has been taking classes at San Jacinto while waiting for a contract to be negotiated.  When and if he signs he will be assigned to Greeneville.

Signed 6/29.  Assigned to Greeneville.

42nd Round: Christopher Turner; OF; S/R; 5’10”, 175; DOB 10/21/1988; Brandon High School, Florida.

Chris is a speedster outfielder out of Florida.  It is reported that his sixty time ranges from 6.47 to 6.59.  He is also reported to have gap power.  Chris committed to attend Vanderbilt.  He has signed with the Astros and should be heading to Greeneville.

Signed 6/13.  Assigned to Greeneville.

43rd Round: Marques Williams; RF; R/R; 6’0”, ; DOB 10/24/1985; Compton Community, California.

Williams is far and away the feel good pick of the draft.  A year ago, he was attending Cal State Fullerton and had been refused the chance to walk on to the baseball team as a freshman.  He kept playing Sunday sandlot ball and was referred to the Urban Academy at Compton CC.  He ended up transferring from Cal State Fullerton to Compton to be able to play ball.  He is another speedy outfielder.  He has one more year of eligibility if he chooses to pass up the chance to sign with the Astros.   If he signs he will likely go to Greeneville.

Signed 8/9.  Assigned to Greeneville.

44th Round: Cat Everett; SS; S/R; 6’1”, 190; DOB 10/05/1985; Tulane University.

Yet another draft pick with local ties, Everett played in all 60 games for the Green Wave in this his junior season.  He hit .307 with 5 extra base hits (all doubles).  He was 9 of 13 in stolen bases. He struck out 32 times in 228 at bats.  He made 8 errors.   He has played in wooden bat leagues the last two summers.  He hit .246 in the Valley league in 2005 and .177 in the Cape Cod League.  Despite his poor average, he led the league in sacrifice bunts (12).  He has signed and should be reporting to Tri-City.

Signed 6/13. Assigned to Tri-City.

The Astros went with higher risk players early in this draft selecting high schoolers with 3 of their first 6 picks.  Further they took 2 raw collegians and 1 player who sat out all year with an injury.  Still, they stuck mostly to collegians using 23 of their first 30 selections on college players.  The Astros also selected a couple of high risk/high reward players.  They took two players who have NLI’s to play football for high profile BCS schools.  Owing to the leverage of being a stellar athlete in more than one sport both are major signability issues.  Signing either or both could be a major coup for the Astros.  Other than the lack of left-handed pitchers, who were rare after the first 2 rounds, Ricciarini believes they did a good job of getting a balanced draft class.  The quality of this draft class is dependent on the development of the young, raw players selected in this draft.  Give them at least 5 seasons before grading them out.