On the Farm: Frias, Gonzalez & Gregor

This cchooks.com feature profiles select farmhands in the Astros system. Today, we look at RHP Edison Frias, C Alfredo Gonzalez and 1B Conrad Gregor. 

Edison Frias
Pitcher
BORN December 18, 1990 in Gaspar Hernandez, DR
OPENING DAY AGE 25
HEIGHT 6'1
WEIGHT 199
BATS Right
THROWS Left
RESIDES Gaspar Hernandez, DR
ACQUIRED Signed as a non-drafted free agent on March 14, 2011

Career Highlights: 2015 - Went 12-5 with a 4.53 ERA in 26 games, including 20 starts, for Lancaster and Corpus Christi. Started with the JetHawks and was named California League Pitcher of the Week for April 9-20. Allowed 3 hits, 2 walks, and fanned 9 in 9 shutout frames across 2 appearances. Earned the win April 9 against San Jose and April 15 vs. Stockton. Picked up win in 4 consecutive appearances May 6-24 (4-0, 3.05 ERA) and in 6 straight decisions May 6-June 17. Lancaster's Pitcher of the Month for June, going 2-0 with a 3.57 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 4 games (3 starts). In May and June combined, posted a 3.73 ERA. Promoted to Corpus Christi July 30. Made first Hooks start August 1 at Midland and allowed 4 earned runs on 8 hits in 4 2/3 innings - did not factor into the decision. Picked up win in 4 of 5 appearances to close regular season, allowing 8 ER in 24 1/3 innings (2.96 ERA). Texas League left-handed batters hit .379 (22-for-58) against him, while righties batted .268 (22-for-82). Made 1 playoff appearance out of the bullpen and pitched 2 shutout innings.

2014 - Spent the entire season with Quad Cities. In the first half of the season posted a 7.18 ERA in 8 outings (25 ER in 31 1/3 IP), then drastically improved in the second half to the tune of a 3.12 ERA in 9 appearances (15 ER in 43 1/3 IP). Combined with Evan Grills and Frederick Tiburcio for a shutout on June 6 against Burlington. Started the game and allowed 2 hits in 5 innings. In June went 3-0 with a 1.89 ERA in 4 games (3 starts). Walked 3 and struck out 15. Closed the season by going 3-0 with a 1.93 ERA over his final 4 starts July 20-August 6. Pitched season-best 7 1/3 innings in a win against Burlington August 6. Lefties hit .346 against him, while righties batted .230.

2013 - Pitched in 12 games with Greeneville and Tri-City, going 4-3 with a 4.06 ERA in 57 2/3 innings. Began year with the ValleyCats and allowed 2 earned runs in each of first 2 appearances, totaling 5 innings. Sent down to Greeneville and allowed 6 runs, 5 earned in 3 2/3 innings June 25. Over next 6 starts, went 2-2 with a 1.69 ERA. Lefties hit .310 against him, while righties batted .248. Posted a 5.29 K-to-BB ratio with Greeneville. Made final appearance of season for Tri-City August 25, allowing 1 earned run on 3 hits in 6 innings in win over Staten Island.

2012 - Part of a pair of combined shutouts against the GCL Marlins: June 20 tossed 4 1/3 innings and July 3 threw 5 scoreless frames. GCL Astros Pitcher of the Month for August, when he allowed 3 earned runs in 16 1/3 innings pitched (1.65 ERA).

2011 - Made pro debut July 29 at the DSL Athletics and yielded an earned run on 3 hits in 2 innings of relief. Fanned a career-high 10 hitters on August 2 against the DSL Rays.

Career Notes: Left-handed hitters have batted .294 against him, while righties have hit .254.

Alfredo Gonzalez
Catcher
BORN July 13, 1992 in Santa Teresa del Tuy, VZ
OPENING DAY AGE 23
HEIGHT 6'1
WEIGHT 227
BATS Right
THROWS Right
RESIDES Santa Teresa del Tuy, VZ<
ACQUIRED Signed as a non-drafted free agent on July 23, 2008

Career Highlights: 2016 - Member of the Astros 40-man roster. Rated as the best defensive catcher in the Houston system by Baseball America in the publication's annual best tools survey.

2015 - Across 3 levels, hit .321 with 2 home runs and 35 RBIs in 72 games with Quad Cities, Lancaster, and Corpus Christi. Games played mark shattered previous career-high of 46. Threw out 24 of 51 would-be base stealers. Began season with the River Bandits and had multiple hits in 3 straight games April 21-26 (6-for-13). Played first game for Lancaster May 9 and collected hits in first 4 games (7-for-15). After going hitless in next 3, hit safely in 18 of next 20 games at a .358 clip, raising average from .267 to .340. Hit .404 in 14 June contests. Promoted to Corpus Christi June 29. Hit in first 7 games as a Hook (11-for-26). Reached base in 15 straight home games July 8 through the season's end, hitting .438 with a .526 OBP in that stretch. Hit .319 against Texas League right-handed pitchers, but .258 vs. southpaws. Batted a stout .438 in 16 games at Whataburger Field and .173 in 16 road tilts. Went 3-for-4 with a run scored in one playoff start.

2014 - Got off to a slow start, hitting .111 (3-for-27) in June, but bounced back by posting a .318 July batting average (14-for-44). Hit in 4 of 5 games July 29-August 9 (7-for-20). Ranked second in the New York-Penn League by throwing out 46% of would-be base stealers (15 of 33). Went 3-for-15 at the dish in the playoffs with 1 RBI.

2013 - Collected hits in 5 of 6 games August 2-14, raising average from .196 to .247. Posted a 4-hit effort August 22 at Danville with 1 run scored. Slow June in which he hit .033 (1-for-30) torpedoed batting average during a summer in which he otherwise hit .324. Threw out 10 of 24 (42%) runners who tried to steal on him. Batted .194 (6-for-31) against lefties, but .260 (19-for-73) against right-handed pitching. Thrived on the road, where hit .313 (15-for-48), as opposed to .179 (10-56) at home.

2012 - Had a 5-game hitting streak August 7-13 (8-for-14). Gunned down 37 percent (10 of 27) of attempted base stealers. 2011 - Finished second in the Gulf Coast League, throwing out 33% of would-be base stealers (12 of 36) 2010 - Did not play due to injury.

Career Notes: Has thrown out 36.5 percent of baserunners attempting to steal (80 of 219).

Conrad Gregor
First Baseman
BORN February 27, 1992 in Carmel, IN
OPENING DAY AGE 24
HEIGHT 6'3
WEIGHT 225
BATS Left
THROWS Right
RESIDES Carmel, IN
SCHOOL Vanderbilt
ACQUIRED Selected in the 4th round of the June 2013 draft

Career Highlights: 2015 - Finished 5th in the Texas League with 73 RBIs. Collected hits in 7 consecutive games April 21-29, hitting .393 (11-for-28). Put together a 6-game hitting streak May 2-7, in which he went 8-for-19 (.421) to raise batting average to a post-April high .310. Hit first home run May 27 at Northwest Arkansas in 149th at-bat and 41st game of the season. Went deep the next night as well. Posted a 4-hit night with a long ball and 4 RBIs June 15 at San Antonio in Game 2 of a twin bill. Named a Texas League Midseason All-Star after he hit .266 with 3 home runs and 33 RBIs in the first half. Hit a grand slam July 5 at Springfield. Homered in 3 straight games July 17-19, going 5-for-14 with 7 RBIs. Overall struggled in July, hit .203 with a .298 on-base percentage. A left-handed hitter, fared better against southpaws (.280) than right-handed pitching (.227). Walked in 12.7 percent of plate appearances. Started 101 games at first base and 23 as the designated hitter. Saw first ever pro action at third base in relief of rehabbing Astro Jed Lowrie July 27 against San Antonio and handled only chance cleanly.

2014 - Hit .311 with 16 HR and 86 RBIs at 3 different stops. Started the year with Quad Cities and strung together 4 straight multi-hit games April 19-25, going 11-for-20 (.550). Hit in 12 of 13 games from May 8-24 at a .413 clip (19-for-46) to raise average from .259 to .305. Reached base safely in all 22 road games he played for the River Bandits, hitting .365 with a .461 OBP away from Modern Woodman Park. Posted multi-walk games 7 times in 44 contests. Hit .360 against left-handed pitching. Promoted to Lancaster May 27. Hit in 18 straight games from June 8-July 1, batting .387 with 17 RBIs and a .452 OBP. Also collected hits in 18 consecutive games at home June 2-July 6, hitting .437 with a .512 OBP. June 4 against Inland Empire went 5-for-5 with 3 runs, a home run and 4 RBIs. Had a monster June, hitting .396 with 6 HR and 25 RBIs. Drove in 5 runs July 17 against Visalia, going 4-for-5 with 3 runs scored and 2 home runs. Hit .397 with 10 of his 12 HR against right-handers. Batted .402 at home and .302 on the road. Promoted to Corpus Christi July 20. Hit safely in his first 4 games as a Hook July 21-24. Hit in 7 of 8 games August 12-23, going 11-for-26 to raise average from .230 to .287.

2013 - Made pro debut June 17 against Vermont. Cracked first home run June 22 at Lowell. Finished 2nd in the New York-Penn League in games and walks, T-3rd in hits and 10th in hitting. Led circuit first basemen in fielding percentage (.995). Tabbed NYPL Player of the Week for August 5-12 after he hit .583 (14-for-24) with 8 RBIs. Average climbed each month: .235 in June, .259 in July, .324 in August and went 5-for-9 in September.

Career Notes: Owns a career on-base percentage of .373 and has walked in 12.5 percent of plate appearances. Was selected out of high school by Chicago (AL) in the 40th round of the 2010 draft.

College Notes: At Vanderbilt, named a Louisville Slugger Pre-Season All-American in 2013 and went on to hit .308 with 3 HR and 48 RBIs as a junior. In 2012 finished second on the team in hitting (.328) and led the way with a .463 slugging percentage. Led Commodores in hitting (.353) as a freshman in 2011 and was tabbed a Freshman All-American and Second Team All-SEC.