On The Farm: Michelena, Nunez, Nunn
Leading up to Opening Day, cchooks.com will profile select farmhands in the Astros system. Today, we feature IF Arturo Michelena, IF Antonio Nunez, and LHP Chris Nunn.
Leading up to Opening Day, cchooks.com will profile select farmhands in the Astros system. Today, we feature IF
Infielder
BORN October 15, 1994
OPENING DAY AGE 23
HEIGHT 5'11
WEIGHT 199
BATS Right
THROWS Right
HOMETOWN Maracaibo, Venezuela
ACQUIRED Signed as a non-drafted free agent in July 2011
Career Highlights: 2017 - Hit .218 with 7 doubles, 1 triple, 1 home run, 19 RBIs, and a .278 on-base percentage in 84 games between Buies Creek and Corpus Christi. Made starts at 2nd base (16), 3rd base (56), and shortstop (7). Committed 6 errors. Had 9 extra-base hits. Started campaign on 3-game hit streak with Buies Creek from April 7-April 11. Went 3-for-5 with 2 runs scored on April 15 at Winston-Salem. Put together 5-game hit streak (7-for-23) with 5 runs scored and 2 RBIs from May 12-May 18. Collected 3 hits on May 20 at Down East. With Buies Creek, batted .143 (42 AB) against left-handed pitching and .282 (71 AB) against right-handers. Made Corpus Christi debut on May 31 at Springfield. With Corpus Christi, batted .121 (33 AB) against lefties and .233 (129 AB) against right-handers. Recorded 4 hits in 11 games to begin time with Corpus Christi. Went 3-for-25 in 9 games during June. Played 19 games in July and put together best month, hitting .262 with 3 RBIs. Picked up a hit in 6 of 8 games from June 25-July 10, going 10-for-31 with 5 runs scored and 2 RBIs in the span. Batted .182 with 1 home run and 3 RBIs in 18 games during August. 3rd career home run and lone shot of season came on August 9 vs. Tulsa, a 2-run homer against right-hander
2016 - Began year in extended spring training and joined Quad Cities in late May. Hit .143 (49 AB) against left-handers and .240 (217 AB) against right-handed pitching. Had a pair of career-high 4-hit performances in 1st week with Quad Cities. Went 4-for-4 with 3 RBIs and 2 runs scored on May 21 at Cedar Rapids. Went 4-for-5 again with an RBI and run scored on May 27 vs. Peoria. Batted .250 (64 AB) in June with 2 doubles and 4 RBIs. Struggled after the All-Star break, hitting .190 (195 AB) in with 13 RBIs.
2015 - Hit 1st pro home run on July 27 vs. Kingsport. Went 3-for-5 with a career-high 4 RBIs and a run scored on July 28 at Bristol.
Career Notes: Has made starts at 2nd base (133), 3rd base (123), and shortstop (55). Has a career .283 on-base percentage and .283 slugging percentage. Signed by Houston at the age of 16.
Arturo Michelena Career Stats
Shortstop
BORN January 10, 1993 in Brooklyn, NY
OPENING DAY AGE 25
HEIGHT 5'9"
WEIGHT 165
BATS Right
THROWS Right
HOMETOWN Brooklyn, NY
SCHOOL Western Oklahoma State College
ACQUIRED Selected in the 18th round of the 2014 draft.
Career Highlights: 2017 - Hit .280 vs. left-handers (82 AB) and .206 against righties (281 AB). Played 92 games at shortstop and committed 17 errors (.955 fielding percentage). Played 21 games at second base and committed 5 errors (.947 fielding percentage). Hit .282 (163 AB, .364 OBP) in 1st half with 2 homers and 17 RBI, but struggled in 2nd half (.175 BA, .276 OBP, 0 HR, 8 RBI) in 200 at-bats. Struggled with RISP (.191 BA, 89 AB). Hit first professional home run on April 29 vs. Frisco, belting a solo shot off LHP
2016 - Hit .259 with 64 runs, 9 doubles, 2 triples, 32 RBIs and 21 steals with Quad Cities, Lancaster, and Corpus Christi. Posted a .375 OBP in 106 total games. Went 21-for-29 on stolen base attempts between the 3 teams. Excelled in RISP situations at Corpus Christi (7-for-12, 7 RBIs) and Lancaster (.314 BA, 20 RBIs). Opened the year in the Midwest League before being promoted to the JetHawks in mid-May. Went 1-for-3 with an RBI and a walk in AA debut July 27 at San Antonio. Recorded the winning hit in Game 2 of the Texas League South Division Series, sending a 9th-inning RBI single into center field, which vaulted the Hooks to a 5-4 triumph over Midland at Whataburger Field. Played mostly shortstop in 2016 (82 GM, .952 FP), committing 16 errors. Also manned third base at Lancaster and Quad Cities (22 GM, .884 FP), causing 5 errors in 43 total chances.
2015 - Boasted a .378 on-base percentage with the Valley Cats. Recorded 6 multi-hit games, including a pair of 3-hit performances. Hit significantly better against LHP (.304 BA, 46 AB) than RHP (.212 BA, 66 AB). Played both shortstop (33 GM, .957 FP, 5 E) and second base (4 GM, 1.000 FP, 0 E).
2014 -Made professional baseball debut on June 20 vs. Elizabethton and went 2-4. Picked up first RBI of pro career vs. Princeton on June 23. Tied for 3rd in the Appalachian League in free passes. Led Greeneville in walks and ranked 3rd on the club in runs scored.
Career Notes: Owns a .348 on-base percentage and features a 63% stolen-base success rate.
College Notes: Hit .371 in his final season at Western Oklahoma State College while scoring 55 runs and stealing 35 bases in 51 games played. Before college, attended Xaverian High School in Brooklyn, NY. The high school has produced five MLB players, including 2001 All-Star infielder Rich Aurilia.
Antonio Nunez Career Stats
Pitcher
BORN October 5, 1990 in Cordova, TN
OPENING DAY AGE 27
HEIGHT 6'5
WEIGHT 200
BATS Left
THROWS Left
HOMETOWN Memphis, TN
SCHOOL Lipscomb
ACQUIRED Selected by the Astros in the Triple-A Phase of the 2017 Rule 5 Draft
Career Highlights: 2017 - Signed a minor league contract with Milwaukee in late April but did not appear in action. Signed by Evansville of independent Frontier League and made 1 start in mid-August. Signed by Chicago (NL) to minor league contract in late August. In 1st career minor league start, allowed 4 earned runs and was unable to complete the 1st inning on August 18 vs. Chattanooga. Went 5 innings and allowed 2 earned runs (4 H, 4 K, 4 BB) on August 23 at Montgomery. Pitched 5 1/3 frames while allowing 3 earned runs (4 H, 5 K, 3 BB) on August 28 at Birmingham. Completed campaign with 6 scoreless innings (2 H, 4 K, 1 BB) on September 3 vs. Jackson.
2015 - Went 4-0 with a 7.03 ERA in 47 appearances between Lake Elsinore and San Antonio. Recorded 51 strikeouts and 44 walks with a .302 batting average against in 56 1/3 innings of work. Had a 1.99 WHIP between the levels. Began campaign with San Antonio. Went 2 innings (1 ER, 2 K, 1 BB) in season debut on April 11 at Tulsa. Allowed 2 earned runs and a home run in an inning of work on April 16 vs. Tulsa. Gave up 4 earned runs and a home run in 1 inning on April 19 vs. Springfield. Allowed 1 earned run in span of 3 appearances (3 1/3 IP) from April 23-April 25. Sent down to Lake Elsinore in late April. Posted a 8.35 ERA in 19 appearances during season's 1st half, with California League hitters batting .346. Had a 5.76 ERA in 21 appearances during 2nd half. Had 2-week stint on disabled list during mid-August. Released by San Diego prior to start of 2016 season.
2014 - Held California League hitters to a .234 batting average against while setting career-high in strikeouts. Averaged 11.7 strikeouts per-9 innings. Posted a 3.75 ERA in 9 games (12 IP) during May. Best month was July, recording a 1.93 ERA in 9 games (14 IP) with 16 strikeouts and 5 walks.
2013 - Set career-high in appearances and career-low in ERA. Averaged 9.1 strikeouts per-9 innings.
2012 - Northwest League Postseason All-Star after stellar season with Eugene. Held circuit to .159 batting average against.
Career Notes: Originally selected by San Diego in the 24th round of the June 2012 draft.
College Notes: Posted a 5.27 ERA in 41 innings during junior season at Lipscomb.
Personal Notes: Was a state champion for Harding Academy (TN) in both baseball and basketball in 2008.
Chris Nunn Career Stats