VanOstrand, Simunic Visit Academy Saturday

CORPUS CHRISTI - Hooks first baseman Jimmy VanOstrand and utility man Andy Simunic appear at Academy Sports & Outdoors this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The pair will sign autographs and visit with fans at Academy's Corpus Christi store, 5001 South Padre Island Drive, in the second of four player appearances at the location this season.

VanOstrand is in his fourth year with the club. The popular Canadian played collegiately at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. He was taken by Houston in the eighth round of the 2006 draft. VanOstrand has competed for Team Canada at the international level.

Simunic is a first-year Hook who played college baseball at Tennessee. A 17th-round selection of the Astros in 2008, he's played every position as a minor leaguer except pitcher and catcher.