Preston Tucker receives callup to Astros

The University of Florida product had a historic 25-game stretch with Fresno

May 7, 2015

HOUSTON, TX (May 6, 2015) - The Houston Astros have placed outfielder George Springer on the 7-day Concussion Disabled List. To take his spot on the active roster, the Astros will select outfielder Preston Tucker from Triple A Fresno tomorrow. The announcement was made by Astros General Manager Jeff Luhnow.

Tucker will report to the team tomorrow in Los Angeles, at which point the Astros will make a corresponding 40-man roster move.

Tucker, 24, was hitting .320 (32x100) and led all of minor league baseball with 10 home runs and 32 RBI in 25 games for Fresno this season. He has also walked nine times this season, posting a .378 on-base percentage and a 1.028 OPS. Primarily the club's left fielder, Tucker has also seen time in right field and at designated hitter for the Grizzlies.

Tucker was originally a seventh-round pick by Houston in the June 2012 draft, representing the first player from the Astros 2012 draft to make the Major League roster. Since being drafted out of the University of Florida, Tucker has hit .296 (395x1336) with 67 home runs and 267 RBI in parts of four minor league seasons (2012-15).

Additional Notes on Preston Tucker:

Reached base safely in 23 of 25 games with the Grizzlies ... began the season on an 11-game hitting streak, batting .378 (17-45) with two doubles, five homers, 17 RBI, and possessing a 1.196 OPS over the course of the streak ... the hitting streak currently ranks tied for fourth-longest in the Pacific Coast League.
Left the Grizzlies leading the team in 10 offensive categories ... led the club in games played (25), at bats (100), hits (32), multiHIT games (9), runs (19), home runs (10), RBI (32), multiRBI games (11), total bases (65), slugging percentage (.650), and on-base plus slugging percentage (1.028).
The 29 RBI he collected in the month of April was the most by a Fresno Grizzlies player in a single month since John Bowker in June 2009 (also 29 RBI).
Eight of his 10 home runs came with men on base.
Clubbed four homers in a six-game stretch from April 24-30 ... recorded a two-homer game on April 14 vs. Salt Lake ... collected 10 RBI in a four-game stretch from April 16-20, including a season-high tying four RBI in an 8-4 win on April 20 at Las Vegas.

Preston Tucker becomes the second player to open the season on the Grizzlies roster and receive a callup to the Majors. He's also the first player to reach the Majors from a draft class overseen by Astros GM Jeff Luhnow.