Astros prospect Singleton to join Bandits
The Houston Astros will send Jonathan Singleton, the top-rated first base prospect in baseball according to MLB.com, to join the Astros Class-A affiliate, the Quad Cities River Bandits, for the start of the Midwest League team's three-game home stand on Tuesday, May 28, when the River Bandits host the Kane County Cougars at 7 p.m. at Modern Woodmen Park.
Ranked by MLB.com as the Astros' top minor league prospect and the system's No. 2 prospect according to Baseball America, Singleton joins a roster that already includes four of the top 13 prospects in the organization, according to Baseball America. River Bandits shortstop Carlos Correa, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 First-Year Player Draft is ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the Astros system according to Baseball America and ranks second to Singleton, according to MLB.com. The River Bandits' other top prospects according to Baseball America include Astros 2012 first supplemental round pick, pitcher Lance McCullers (No. 4), third baseman Rio Ruiz (No. 8), and pitcher Vincent Velasquez (No. 13).
Singleton, 21, will make his season debut with Quad Cities after serving a 50-game suspension while on Double-A Corpus Christi's roster. In 2012, his first full season in the Astros organization, Singleton posted career highs with 131 games played, 21 home runs, 79 RBIs, 94 runs, and a .497 slugging percentage to be named the team Most Valuable Player for the Corpus Christi Hooks in the Texas League. He was named a Baseball America Minor League All-Star, a Texas League Midseason and Postseason All-Star. He was selected to play in both the 2012 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game and Arizona Fall League's Rising Stars Game.
A native of Lakewood, Calif., Singleton was originally draftd by the Philadelphia Phillies in the ninth round of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft. Following his rise to No. 2 among the Phillies' top prospects according to Baseball America in 2011, Singleton was traded to Houston on July 29, 2011, along with minor league pitchers Jarred Cosart and Josh Zeid and outfielder Domingo Santana for major league outfielder Hunter Pence. Singleton has a .291 batting average with 50 home runs and 231 RBIs in 394 career minor league games.
Quad Cities hosts the Kane County Cougars for three 7 p.m. games Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, with first pitch at 7 p.m. each night at Modern Woodmen Park
UP NEXT: All tickets are buy-one-get-one free for the River Bandits' home stand opener on Tuesday at 7 p.m. Kids Eat Free and fans can bring an empty can or bottle of Mountain Dew to exchange for a free soda voucher on a Dew for Twosday presented by Pepsi, WOC and Q106.5. Single game tickets are on sale at the River Bandits box office at Modern Woodmen Park, by phone at 563-324-3000 and online at www.riverbandits.com. Season ticket and mini-plan packages start at just seven games and begin at less than $50. Call a River Bandits account representative today to choose your seats and get the details of our various mini-plan packages.
ABOUT THE BANDITS: The River Bandits ownership is making one of the biggest improvements to Modern Woodmen Park since the ballpark was first built back in 1931! A new Ferris wheel, standing 112 feet over the playing field, is planned for the ballpark, along with a new dual zip line, a carousel, a Mediacom Frog Hopper, new bounce houses and many other fun attractions. The team also boasts a new major league affiliate, the Houston Astros, and fans will see last year's No. 1 overall draft pick, Carlos Correa. The Astros will also make the very first selection in the major league draft on June 6 and could have another top pick end up in the Quad Cities. With new rides, new attractions, new improvements, a new affiliate and future major league stars, this season will be one every fan will not want to miss!