On the Farm: Meyer, Mier, Muren

Leading up to the 2013 season, cchooks.com spotlights select farmhands in the Astros system. Today, we feature IFs Jonathan Meyer and Jiovanni Mier and OF Drew Muren.

Jonathan Meyer
Infielder
Height:  6-1
Weight:  205
Born:  11/1/90 in Simi Valley, CA
Bats/Throws:  S/R
Resides:  Simi Valley, CA

Acquired:  Selected by the Astros in the third round (supplemental) of the 2009 draft.

Career Highlights:  2012 - Rolled thru the playoffs, hitting .343 with three doubles, two home runs, 10 RBIs and a 1.039 OPS in 10 games as Lancaster captured its first California League championship.  Ranked within the JetHawks' top five in games (1st), at-bats, (1st), hits (T-3rd), runs (4th), doubles, RBIs (5th) and total bases (189, 5th).  The two-time Lancaster defensive player of the month (April & May) led league third basemen in fielding percentage (.954) for the second straight season, while fashioning a circuit-best 24 double plays.  Went 2-for-4 with two runs and a double on Opening Day, wrapping up a 24-game road on-base streak which dated to July 17, 2011.  Notched his first multi-homer game and drove in a career-high five runs on the final day of the regular season.

2011 - Named Lancaster defensive player of the month in April and June.  Paced California League third sackers in fielding percentage (.953), put-outs (88), assists (240) and double-plays (29).  Tied for first on the JetHawks in doubles and sacrifice flies (6) while ranking second on the club in games, at-bats, runs, hits, HRs, RBIs, total bases (193) and walks.  Put together a season-best 14-game hitting streak July 24 to August 8, batting .315.  Also reached base safely in 31 straight games July 24-August 29 with a .388 OBP, was the longest streak for a JetHawk in 2011 and only five players in the league had longer on-base streaks.  Hit .302-4-14 with 16 walks in August, posting a .927 OPS in the process.  For the year hit .302 with runners in scoring position and .333 with RISP and two outs.

2010 - Won Lexington's defensive player of the month honors in July and August.  Led South Atlantic League third basemen in putouts (89).  Batted .400 (22x55) with 7 runs, 5 doubles and 8 RBIs during a 14-game hitting streak April 8-21.  Hit .310 as a right-handed batter in 137 plate appearances, compared to a .220 mark from the left side.  Got off to a fast start, hitting .345 in 21 April games with 8 doubles and 10 RBIs.

2009 - Led Appalachian League third basemen in games, total chances (201) and put-outs (55), finishing the year with a .920 fielding percentage.  Also paced the circuit in walks.

2008 - As a shortstop at Simi Valley High School, helped lead the Pioneers to the Southern Section Division I championship.

Career stat note:  Has a .938 fielding percentage (334 PO, 840 A, 78 E) at third base, with 422 of his 423 career starts in the field at third (1 start at SS).

Jiovanni Mier
Infielder
Height:  6-2
Weight:  200                                         
Born:  8/26/90 in Pomona, CA
Bats/Throws:  R/R
Resides:  Las Vegas, NV

Acquired:  Selected by the Astros in the first round (21st overall) of the 2009 draft.

Career Highlights:  2012 - Walked in 15.3 percent (15 BB /98 PA) of his April plate appearances for Lancaster, producing a .406 on-base percentage.  Strung together a five-game hit streak at the beginning of May, going 9-for-18 (.500) with three runs scored, three doubles and a solo home run.  This stretch ended with a hamstring injury which sidelined him for three months.  Returned to the field on July 30 as a member of the Gulf Coast League Astros.  Hit safely in three of five GCL contests before rejoining the JetHawks August 9.  Drove in a career-high four runs August 20 against Rancho Cucamonga, smacking a double, two-run homer and sac fly.  Hit safely in 11 of his final 14 regular-season games, posting a .293 batting average, 13 runs scored, three doubles, one home run, 12 RBIs and 10 walks.  For the season, batted at a .356 clip (16-for-45) with runners in scoring position.  Lancaster went on to sweep Modesto in the championship series to capture the franchise's first California League crown.  Hit .297 with 10 runs scored, eight doubles and seven RBIs in 17 games for Mesa of the Arizona Fall League.

2011 - Tabbed by Baseball America as Houston's No. 5 prospect entering the season.  Split time between Lexington and Lancaster, batting a combined .239 with 74 runs scored, 21 doubles, seven home runs, 52 RBIs, 66 walks and 11 stolen bases in 114 games.  A Mid-Season South Atlantic League All-Star, earned Legends' defender of the month honors for April.  Committed 10 errors in 266 total chances for a .962 fielding percentage with Lexington, turning 35 double plays.  Promoted to Lancaster in late June and went 2-for-4 with a run and RBI in his debut.

2010 - Led SAL shortstops in games played (129) and tied for first in double plays (80).  Best month at the plate was in August when he hit .304 with 24 runs scored, six doubles, one triple, one home run and 11 RBIs.

2009 - Led the Appalachian League in walks and tied for first in triples.  Rated by Baseball America as the No.2 prospect in the circuit at season's end.

Career stat note:  Has played exclusively shortstop and owns a .946 fielding percentage (524 PO, 960 A, 85 E).

Prep note: Hit .394 with 10 doubles, five home runs, 18 RBIs, 22 walks and a .545 on-base percentage at Bonita High School in Southern California.  

Drew Muren
Outfielder
Height:  6-6
Weight:  195
Born:  11/22/88 in Poway, CA
Bats/Throws:  L/R
Resides:  Ramona, CA

School:  California State - Northridge.  Final campaign with the Matadors was as a junior when he hit .306 in 56 games.  Led the team in runs scored (39), doubles (17), RBIs (32) and slugging percentage (.451).  Ranked second in the Big West in doubles and was named second team all-conference.  Originally taken by Pittsburgh in the 35th round of the 2010 draft.

Acquired:  Selected by the Astros in the 22nd round of the 2011 draft.

Career Highlights:  2012 -  Split the season between Lexington, Corpus Christi and Lancaster, batting a combined .291 with 20 doubles, three triples, six home runs, 36 RBIs and 14 stolen bases.  Earned defensive player of the month honors for the Legends in April.  With Lexington, committed one error and notched two assists in 98 total chances for a .990 fielding percentage while patrolling center (35 G) and right (13 G) fields.  Hit safely in 11 consecutive games from April 28 to May 11, raising his batting average 46 points (.242 to .288).  Batted at a .395 clip during the streak, producing seven runs scored, five doubles, one triple, one home run and four RBIs.  Promoted to Corpus Christi on June 13 and cracked an RBI triple in his debut against San Antonio.  On June 17 at Frisco, went 3-for-6 with three runs scored, two doubles and two stolen bases.  His 13-game hitting streak, which ran from June 24 to July 15, ranked second on the club and stood as the sixth longest in the Texas League.  Reached base safely in 22 consecutive games from June 16 to July 15, registering a .416 on-base percentage.  Hit safely in 21 of his first 25 games with the Hooks, boasting a .345 batting average and .885 OPS.  Shipped to the JetHawks in late July, he feasted on right-handed pitching, hitting .400 (22-for-55) with seven walks, two doubles, two homers, 13 RBIs and a 1.006 OPS.  Went 4-for-4 on August 17 at Inland Empire and featured a pair of three-RBI nights.  Notched a .417 (10-of-24) batting average with runners in scoring position.

2011 - Tabbed Tri-City's defensive player of the month for July.  Fired 14 outfield assists for the ValleyCats, committing four errors in 142 total chances for a .972 fielding percentage.

Career stat note:  Has logged 81 appearances in centerfield, 68 in right and 20 in left.  Owns 21 assists and has been charged with eight errors in 346 chances for a .977 career fielding percentage.