Corbin Martin might not be part of the Astros' rotation just yet, but he got a preview of what that will be like when he appeared in Houston's final spring game Tuesday at Minute Maid Park.Houston's No. 5 prospect didn't allow a hit over four innings, striking out six and
Corbin Martin might not be part of the Astros' rotation just yet, but he got a preview of what that will be like when he appeared in Houston's final spring game Tuesday at Minute Maid Park.
Houston's No. 5 prospect didn't allow a hit over four innings, striking out six and walking three in the Astros' 5-1 loss to the Pirates. After the game, Martin told reporters it was "really cool" to get pitch at the home of the big league club.
Still, it wasn't exactly a first-time experience for the Texas A&M product.
"The last time I was here I gave up a walk-off grand slam in the College Classic," Martin said. "So I think this one went a little bit better."
The 23-year-old came on in relief of Houston's No. 6 prospect J.B. Bukauskas to start the fifth inning. He escaped the frame without any damage despite walking Will Craig and plunking Aledmys Díaz. MLB.com's No. 80 overall prospect then retired nine of the next 11 batters. The outing lowered his spring ERA to 3.86 in 16 1/3 innings.
The 56th pick of the 2017 Draft needed to twirl just 19 scoreless innings at Class A Advanced Buies Creek before earning a promotion to Double-A Corpus Christi in his first full season last year. In 21 games -- 18 starts -- for the Hooks, Martin posted a 2.97 ERA.
Bukauskas, Houston's sixth-ranked prospect, was tagged for a two-run homer by Melky Cabrera in the fourth. The right-hander allowed two runs and three hits and one walk while striking out three in four innings.
Pittsburgh's No. 9 prospect Kevin Newman smacked a two-run long ball in the eighth, while second-ranked Ke'Bryan Hayes added a single and a run scored.
In other spring action:
Cubs 16, Red Sox 7
It was a productive day on the basepaths for future Cubs. Chicago's No. 2 prospect Nico Hoerner and No. 11 Zack Short pinch-ran and scored in the fifth. Andy Weber scored a run on a homer by Wynton Bernard. Boston's No. 3 prospect Bobby Dalbec walked and crossed the plate in the eighth. Box score
White Sox 7, D-backs 1
Chicago's No. 5 prospect Nick Madrigal doubled, singled in a run and scored twice. The 22-year-old shortstop finished his first pro spring going 7-for-18 (.389) with just one strikeout. Ninth-ranked Blake Rutherford singled while Caleb Frare (No. 25) and Ryan Burr (No. 30) pitched a scoreless inning apiece, with the latter striking out two. For Arizona, No. 14 prospect Yoan López retired three consecutive batters in the seventh after a leadoff single. Box score
Rockies 5, Twins 5
Colorado's No. 10 prospect Sam Hilliard launched his second homer of the spring -- a solo shot in the eighth. Minnesota's No. 28 prospect Travis Blankenhorn singled and scored. Box score
Braves 7, Reds 5
Fourth-ranked Atlanta prospect Cristian Pache went 1-for-1 and scored a run, raising his average to .359 on the spring. No. 28 Alex Jackson also scored a run, going 1-for-3. Kyle Wright (No. 2) was tagged for three runs on five hits over four innings. Box score
Rays 9, Tigers 3
Tampa Bay's No. 8 prospect Nate Lowe blasted a homer in the seventh. Tyler Frank (No. 23) went 1-for-1 and scored, and No. 29Tristan Gray crossed the plate on a homer by Michael Perez. For Detroit, No. 22 Daniel Woodrow went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run. Jacob Robson (No. 17) walked and scored once and Brock Deatherage (No. 23) singled in a run. Box score
Padres 1, Mariners 0
San Diego's No. 3 prospect Luis Urías supplied the only offense in the game with a sixth-inning homer. The No. 23 overall prospect finished with three roundtrippers in 49 Cactus League at-bats. Mariners' 24th-ranked prospect Nick Rumbelow recorded three strikeouts in a scoreless inning and No. 17 Matt Festa worked around two hits and a walk in his lone frame. Box score
Dodgers 9, Angels 2
Third-ranked Los Angeles prospect Dustin May allowed one run on five hits and a walk over 3 1/3 frames. The No. 69 overall prospect finished the spring with a 1.46 ERA. Angels No. 8 prospect Matt Thaiss went 3-for-3, doubling twice and scoring once to raise his average to .372. Brandon Marsh (No. 3) also got a hit while Jared Walsh (No. 21) scored in the fifth after reaching on an error. Box score
