Van Ostrand

[JaneDoe]

I've heard/read nothing but good about this kid.  What are your impressions?

[Noe]

I've heard/read nothing but good about this kid.  What are your impressions?

Had a little pop in his bat, looks like a good mistake hitter.  Has a bit of a long swing though which may get exploited more in the upper minors.  If he can shorten the swing a little, still keep the pop in the bat in doing so, he'll be a serviceable major leaguer, probably a reserve power hitter off the bench.  Sometime left fielder, probably a first baseman when all is said and done.

[J.D. of Salem]

I have been watching Van Ostrand this season in Salem. He has a good bat with some power. He is one of the bigger players on the team. He started the season slow at the plate but has been hitting well recently. Last I checked he was over.300.

This past week he hit a monster HR over the  leftfield wall. That wall is 20 feet high and a distance of about 340 feet where he hit it out. The ball cleared the wall by at least 20 feet.

I don't think you will see him playing much outfield at any higher level than A ball. He is slow as snot. He don't get good jumps on balls hit to him, plus with below avarage speed he just don't get to balls. He has however done fine at 1B when he has played there, which he platoons at 1B with Mark Ori, who is also big and has some pop in his bat.

Van Ostrands biggest fault that I have seen is his speed. He is problably the slowest player on the Salem Team. But I guess you don't need speed to hit HR's.

[JaneDoe]

Thanks, JD.

[Duman]

Hopefully, the Olympics will allow some opportunity for us to see him play.  In the qualifying tourney he hit very well and played 1b exclusively for Canada.  It is possible that 3/4 of the infield will be Astros connected, with Klassen, Clapp & Van Ostrand.