On the Farm: Altuve, Austin, Barnes
Stay with cchooks.com in the coming months as we spotlight select farmhands in the Astros minor league system. This week, we profile Jose Altuve, Jay Austin and Brandon Barnes.
Jose Altuve
InfielderHeight: 5-5
Weight: 165
Born: 5/6/90 in Maracay, VZ
Bats/Throws: R/R
Resides: Maracay, VZ
Acquired: Signed as a non-drafted free agent in September, 2006. Career Highlights: Was a South Atlantic League postseason and mid-season All-Star at second base in 2010. Ranked sixth in the SAL in hitting (.308) and fourth in plate appearances-to-strikeout ratio (8.86 TPA/SO). His overall batting average of .301 ranked fifth among all Houston farmhands and third among those with full-season clubs. Led Lexington with 39 stolen bases and ranked second in the system with 42 steals (Jay Austin 54). Was named Lexington's offensive player of the month in July when he hit .346-3-13 with 23 runs and 15 steals in 26 games, posting a .402 OBP and an OPS of .850. Selected as the SAL's Batter of the Week June 7-13 when he hit .368 (7x19) with a double, a triple, 3 HRs, 7 RBIs, 7 runs and 2 SBs. The week included a 4-hit, 2-HR, 4-RBI effort in a 9-8 win over Delmarva June 12 at Applebee's Park. Posted five 4-hit games with Lexington. His .976 fielding percentage ranked second among all second basemen in the system with a minimum of 70 games at the position (German Duran .984 with Round Rock and Corpus Christi). Committed just 13 errors in 544 chances at second base while being involved in 77 double plays. Promoted to Advanced-A Lancaster, making his California League debut August 1. Belted a walk-off grand slam August 13 against Inland Empire as part of a six-run rally in the bottom of the ninth, providing the JetHawks with a 12-8 triumph. Homered in three straight games at home vs. Lake Elsinore (Sept. 2) and Rancho Cucamonga (Sept. 3 & 4), knocking in six in the process. Garnered MVP honors for Greeneville in 2009 and selected as the Appalachian League's All-Star second baseman. Led the circuit with a 13.00 TPA/SO ratio and finished second in doubles (20), third in steals (21) and fourth in OBP (.408). Features 93 career stolen bases in 124 attempts (75% success rate).
YEAR |
CLUB |
AVG |
G |
AB |
R |
H |
2B |
3B |
HR |
RBI |
BB |
K |
SB |
2007 |
VSL Astros (R) |
.343 |
64 |
204 |
40 |
70 |
12 |
4 |
0 |
36 |
28 |
16 |
15 |
2008 |
Greeneville (R) |
.284 |
40 |
141 |
26 |
40 |
9 |
3 |
2 |
21 |
8 |
26 |
8 |
2009 |
Greeneville (R) |
.324 |
45 |
179 |
45 |
58 |
20 |
2 |
3 |
18 |
26 |
16 |
21 |
|
Tri-City (A) |
.250 |
21 |
76 |
13 |
19 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
8 |
10 |
7 |
2010 |
Lexington (A) |
.308 |
94 |
393 |
75 |
121 |
15 |
3 |
11 |
45 |
33 |
49 |
39 |
|
Lancaster (A) |
.276 |
31 |
116 |
18 |
32 |
5 |
2 |
4 |
22 |
9 |
17 |
3 |
|
Totals |
.307 |
295 |
1109 |
217 |
340 |
66 |
14 |
20 |
149 |
112 |
134 |
93 |
Jay Austin
OutfielderHeight: 5-11
Weight: 187
Born: 8/10/90 in Atlanta, GA
Bats/Throws: L/L
Resides: Atlanta, GA
Acquired: Selected in the second round (56th overall) of the 2008 draft out of North Atlanta High School. Career Highlights: Led the Astros organization and California League with 54 stolen bases last season. Tied teammate Albert Cartwright for second in the league with 13 triples. Hit safely in 24 of his first 29 games, including a 10-game hit streak April 9-19. Named the circuit's Batter of the Week May 3-9, going 15-for-26 (.577) with 3 homers, 11 runs scored, 7 RBIs and 4 stolen bases. Concluded the week with a 4-for-4 effort vs. Inland Empire May 9 which included a triple, 4 runs, 1 RBI and 2 steals. Also hit safely in 10 consecutive games June 15-29, batting .311 (14-for-45). Selected to the California League's mid-season All-Star team. Six of his 10 HRs were hit on the road - away from the homer-friendly confines of ClearChannel Stadium. Tied for third among Houston farmhands with 23 stolen bases in 2009. Named Lexington's defensive player of the month for June and offensive player of the month for July (.290-1-10 with 4 triples, 13 runs and 8 steals). Is 8-for-14 (.571) over the last two seasons with the bases loaded, including 4 walks, 2 doubles, 1 triple and 20 RBIs. Is 9-for-20 (.450) in his career with the bases full. Earned first-team High School All-American honors from Baseball America in 2008, hitting .568 with 15 home runs, 52 RBIs and 26 stolen bases during his senior season at North Atlanta. Was a summer league teammate with first-round picks Jason Heyward (14th overall - Atlanta - 2007), Tim Beckham (1st overall - Tampa - 2008) and Ethan Martin (15th overall - Dodgers - 2008).
YEAR |
CLUB |
AVG |
G |
AB |
R |
H |
2B |
3B |
HR |
RBI |
BB |
K |
SB |
2008 |
Greeneville (R) |
.198 |
55 |
212 |
31 |
42 |
4 |
2 |
0 |
14 |
19 |
69 |
14 |
2009 |
Lexington (A) |
.267 |
101 |
397 |
49 |
106 |
22 |
6 |
1 |
33 |
31 |
78 |
23 |
2010 |
Lancaster (A) |
.261 |
131 |
532 |
83 |
139 |
25 |
13 |
10 |
59 |
39 |
126 |
54 |
|
Totals |
.252 |
287 |
1141 |
163 |
287 |
51 |
21 |
11 |
106 |
89 |
273 |
91 |
Brandon Barnes
OutfielderHeight: 6-2
Weight: 210
Born: 5/15/86 in Orange, CA
Bats/Throws: R/R
Resides: Anaheim, CA
School: Cypress (CA) College. Co-MVP in 2005 when he batted .351 with 11 HR's, 44 RBIs and 11 steals. Acquired: Selected in the sixth round of the 2005 draft. Career Highlights: Named Lancaster's Team MVP in 2010. Led the JetHawks with 31 doubles, 27 HRs and 80 RBIs. Stood fifth in the California League in homers. His total of 28 home runs last season led Astros farmhands while his 81 RBIs ranked fifth. Hit one home run for every 18.19 at-bats with Lancaster, fifth-best ratio in the circuit. Picked as the JetHawks' defensive player of the month for June, his 19 outfield assists tied for second in the loop. Hit for the "cycle" June 9 against Visalia - one day after teammate Freddy Parejo accomplished the feat. Barnes' cycle was produced in descending order (HR, triple, double, single). Theirs were the only cycles in the Cal League last year. Plated six runs and belted two homers July 9 in Lancaster's 18-12 victory over Rancho Cucamonga. Tallied eight homers and 25 RBIs in 25 August games. Made his AAA debut September 1 at Omaha and went 2-for-4. Batted .250 with four home runs and 18 RBIs in 20 games for the Peoria Javelinas of the Arizona Fall League. In 2009, his total of 78 RBIs ranked fifth among Astros minor leaguers. Clubbed his first AA home run on the last day of the season (Sept. 7) against San Antonio's Steve Garrison, a solo shot to cap a 5-run bottom of the first. Fashioned a nine-game hitting streak with Lancaster from August 4-13, batting .432 with 3 doubles, 1 triple, 2 home runs and 9 RBIs. Named the JetHawks' defensive player of the month in August. Selected as Lexington's defensive player of the month in July, 2008. In 2007, earned MVP honors for Tri-City, leading the ValleyCats in homers and RBIs. His 10 HRs tied for second in the New York-Penn League.
YEAR |
CLUB |
AVG |
G |
AB |
R |
H |
2B |
3B |
HR |
RBI |
BB |
K |
SB |
2005 |
Greeneville (R) |
.200 |
39 |
145 |
21 |
29 |
5 |
2 |
2 |
13 |
10 |
36 |
3 |
2006 |
Greeneville (R) |
.220 |
52 |
173 |
19 |
38 |
11 |
1 |
2 |
14 |
16 |
47 |
5 |
2007 |
Tri-City (A) |
.251 |
63 |
231 |
34 |
58 |
16 |
1 |
10 |
41 |
31 |
71 |
5 |
2008 |
Lexington (A) |
.241 |
87 |
311 |
27 |
75 |
19 |
1 |
2 |
19 |
18 |
96 |
7 |
2009 |
Lexington (A) |
.264 |
57 |
197 |
23 |
52 |
11 |
3 |
5 |
25 |
10 |
52 |
3 |
|
Lancaster (A) |
.293 |
68 |
266 |
51 |
78 |
19 |
3 |
12 |
52 |
15 |
74 |
1 |
|
Corpus Christi (AA) |
.095 |
7 |
21 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
7 |
0 |
2010 |
Lancaster (A) |
.269 |
126 |
491 |
81 |
132 |
31 |
5 |
27 |
80 |
37 |
122 |
14 |
|
Round Rock (AAA) |
.286 |
6 |
21 |
2 |
6 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
6 |
1 |
|
Totals |
.253 |
505 |
1856 |
260 |
470 |
113 |
16 |
62 |
246 |
141 |
511 |
39 |