Boosted by family dream, Luciano climbing ranks
FREDERICKSBURG, Va. -- As a young ballplayer, Waner Luciano spent months away from his home in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, for the chance to play baseball in the United States. And he did that for one main reason -- to make the dream he and his dad shared of signing
José Abreu agrees to be optioned to Minors to work through struggles
HOUSTON -- Astros first baseman José Abreu agreed to be optioned to the Minor Leagues, general manager Dana Brown said Tuesday. The move will be effective on Wednesday, with a corresponding roster move to be announced then. Abreu will report to the Astros' Spring Training facility in West Palm Beach,
Space Cowboy sends 479-ft. homer ... to the moon?
Pedro León was already having the best season of his Minor League career for Triple-A Sugar Land, but one swing of the bat has made his hot start much more impressive. The Astros’ No. 27 prospect needed to see just two pitches in his at-bat in the bottom of the
'He made you smile': Fayetteville remembers Garcia
As Single-A Fayetteville assembled for its series opener with Down East on Tuesday, an additional jersey was prepared for the game. This uniform top was never meant to be worn that day, though. It didn't serve a purpose to identify any player on the field; it was an opportunity to
Loperfido keeps blasting off for Space Cowboys
Since 2013, only two batters in Triple-A have started the season loaded with power, launching 12 home runs between March and April, and both hail from the same organization -- Yordan Alvarez and now Joey Loperfido. The Astros’ No. 6 prospect reached the dozen dinger mark after going yard twice
Sugar Land slugger: Loperfido's out of this world
Prior to Friday night, Joey Loperfido sat atop professional baseball’s home run leaderboard alongside three-time American League MVP Mike Trout, among others. Just a few hours and three big swings later, the 24-year-old slugger has sole possession of pole position with nine home runs for Triple-A Sugar Land. In Sugar
Honoring Black baseball's rich and storied history
When Jackie Robinson made his debut as a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers organization in Spring Training of 1946, his jersey number was not the 42 he'd come to be associated with. That spring in Daytona Beach, and throughout the ensuing season with the Triple-A Montreal Royals, he wore number
Minor League ballparks light up for holidays
This is an excerpt from the latest edition of the Ben's Biz Beat Newsletter, bringing Minor League Baseball business and culture news to your inbox each and every Thursday. Check out the full newsletter HERE. Subscribe HERE. At Minor League ballparks all over the country, peanuts and Cracker Jack have
Road to The Show™: Astros’ Melton
Each week, MiLB.com profiles an elite prospect by chronicling the steps he's taken toward achieving his Major League dream. Here's a look at top Astros prospect Jacob Melton. For more stories about players on The Road to The Show, click here. Although the Astros have been willing to dip into
Space Cowboy belts 477-ft HR to ... new galaxy?
Pedro León did something must-see with a 69.7 mph curveball Saturday night for Triple-A Sugar Land. The No. 5 Astros prospect connected on the slow offspeed pitch, turning it into a 111.2 mph laser that went clear out of Las Vegas Ballpark. Traveling 477 feet, it not only left the
Asheville Blues coast to victory again
The Asheville Tourists morphed into the the Asheville Blues on Friday night, and cruised to a 6-1 victory over the Winston-Salem Dash in front of a sellout crowd at McCormick Field. It was a familiar result for the Blues, who were one of the most successful professional Black baseball teams
Copa de la Diversión transforms ballpark fare
Each month, MiLB.com spotlights a particular aspect of Copa de la Diversión, Minor League Baseball's Hispanic fan engagement initiative sponsored by Nationwide, the program's official insurance partner. After focusing on the new on-field identities for 2023 and some of the clubs' community connections, this edition dives into the ballpark food
Batting practice on a boat: Blue Ghost Weekend
Remember the “Seinfeld” episode where Kramer takes an old bucket of Titleists down to the beach and launches them into the ocean? Imagine that, but make it baseball, that’s how the Corpus Christi Hooks took batting practice during Blue Ghost Weekend. The event, which was held on Memorial Day weekend,
Tourists crash party to celebrate Costner character
The Durham Bulls may be the Minor League team most often associated with the “Bull Durham,” but they’re not the only one from North Carolina with ties to the 1988 rom-com. Main character Crash Davis ends the movie playing 224 miles west of Durham with the Asheville Tourists, where he
Draft Picks: Woodpeckers feature special red beer
This is the third in a series of MiLB.com Draft Picks articles about clubs crafting unique and interesting beers for their respective fan bases. Already profiled: Gwinnett's 6-4-3 Pilsner and Spokane's Redband Tangerine Wheat Beer.
Woodpeckers flying high as Eighty Deuces
The military community is an integral part of the City of Fayetteville, and on Friday, the Fayetteville Woodpeckers pay tribute to them via the clothes on their very backs. The Astros’ Single-A affiliate took inspiration from the concept of City Connect jerseys to create the Fayetteville Eighty Deuces, an homage
Women thrive in front offices: ‘We just do the job’
Kristin Call’s approach to her job as Single-A Myrtle Beach general manager is relatable to the ethos of Minor League Baseball. “Everybody in this industry has somebody that they can influence,” Call said. “We've had [seasonal employees] that we've been trying to coach up. … ‘How can we best prepare
The best of the Astros' Minor League ballparks
The Minor League Ballpark Guides series, presented by Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, brings all the most fun features of Minors ballparks across America (and one in Canada!) onto your desktop, tablet or mobile device, whether you're interested in taking a virtual tour from where you sit or planning a trip
Lee's 6 hits key Space Cowboys' sonic boom
To remember a day like he had at the plate on Sunday, Korey Lee said he needs to think back "probably to Little League or high school, or something like that." When they happen at this level, they're hard to forget. "Just from a hitting standpoint, (today) was probably the
Gilbert has got game in first multihomer outing
Consider it an achievement unlocked for Gillygoobear. . Who's that? Well, that's the moniker Drew Gilbert uses for his Twitter and Instagram handles, a nickname he created in 2015 when choosing a gamertag for his Xbox. The top Astros prospect has come a long way since then. On Tuesday night,
Lucky 21: Fayetteville sets franchise K record
The last time Andrew Taylor and Michael Knorr pitched in the same game for Single-A Fayetteville, the two combined to strike out 10. This time, they doubled that total. Taylor and Knorr -- the Astros’ No. 15 and No. 25 prospects, respectively -- combined to strike out 20 across eight
The Road to The Show™: Astros’ Barber
Each week, MiLB.com profiles an elite prospect by chronicling the steps he's taken toward achieving his Major League dream. Here's a look at third-ranked Astros prospect Colin Barber. For more stories about players on The Road to The Show, click here. A series of injuries has severely limited the beginning
Prospect Primer: American League West
Some prospects are on the verge of stardom, others are entering a crucial phase of their development and others are getting their first tastes of full-season ball. As the 2023 season approaches, MiLB.com goes through each MLB division to take a look at the most intriguing prospects. Other Prospect Primers:
Loperfido, Brown can help maintain Astros' dynasty
Each offseason, MiLB.com goes position by position across each organization and honors the players -- regardless of age or prospect status -- who had the best seasons in each farm system. Next up in our 2022 Organization All-Stars series are the Houston Astros.
Prospect Q&A: Astros outfielder Dirden
The shortened Draft in 2020 created some unique circumstances for players like Justin Dirden. The Astros' No. 12 prospect was in the midst of a breakout senior season at Southeast Missouri State before the shutdown, batting .414 with nine homers and 26 RBIs in 17 games. He was in a