Tucker stays hot for River Bandits
Kyle Tucker doesn't get to talk to his older brother, Preston, much, not with the elder Tucker playing in the Majors for the Astros. But if Houston's No. 4 prospect keeps hitting as well as he has for Class A Quad Cities, he might be dispensing his own advice soon enough.
Tucker went 4-for-6 with an RBI for the River Bandits, who were swept in by Beloit on Saturday at Pohlman Field. MLB.com's No. 70 overall prospect collected a pair of singles in each game, giving him 13 multi-hit games this season and nine in his last 11 contests.
"I'm not around him enough and can't talk to him as much as I'd like," Tucker said of his brother. "I watch him on TV as much as I can because you can't always get the best information just by talking. I try and watch him and the way he does things or the way he reacts and how he handles things. He's definitely been a big help to me along the way, but I also have to experience it myself. But just knowing that I can use someone like him who has that experience is a great thing."
Tucker struck out in his first at-bat in Game 1. He reached on a bunt single in the fourth inning, then lined an RBI single to left in the sixth for Quad Cities in the 7-1 loss.
He singled to right in the first inning of the nightcap and collected his fourth consecutive hit with a line drive to right leading off the fourth. He went down swinging in his final at-bat of the River Bandits' 6-1 setback.
Less than a year removed from high school, Tucker has done everything he can in his first full professional season to show the Astros they made a wise choice by selecting him with the fifth overall pick in the 2015 Draft.
"I just feel a lot more comfortable out there now compared to the beginning of the season," the Tampa native said. "I'm putting better at-bats together and it's been working out for me. You know, when I first came in this season, it was a little bit of a struggle. You just have to make the adjustments. I always knew I could hit and hit well, but you need to find things that help you out when you're not hitting as well, and I've done that."
What Tucker has done is raise his average 81 points to .328 by hitting .477 with nine RBIs in his last 11 games. Not that any of this is a surprise to the 19-year-old, who batted .246 in his first taste of pro ball last season in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast and Appalachian leagues.
"I always set high expectations," Tucker said. "I'd rather have high or unreal expectations than set the bar too low. I'll set both personal and team goals and just try my best to hit as many as I can. But again, it's about making adjustments. As you get further up in the Minors, the pitching and defense get better and you're faced with more than you would at the lower levels. You've got to hit the stuff you can handle and go up there with that approach and mindset.
Edwin Diaz went 5-for-7 with a pair of doubles and five RBIs for Beloit.
Michael Avallone is a contributor to MiLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @MavalloneMiLB.