On the Farm: Sogard, Springer, Stassi

Leading up to the 2013 season, cchooks.com spotlights select farmhands in the Astros system. Today, we feature LHP Alex Sogard, OF George Springer and C Max Stassi.

Alex Sogard
Pitcher
Height:  6-3
Weight:  221
Born:  7/25/87 in Phoenix, AZ
Bats/Throws:  L/L
Resides:  Austin, TX

School:  North Carolina State.  After recovering from shoulder surgery, went 2-2 with a 5.26 ERA in 15 appearances, 11 starts, during senior season.  Transferred to NC State as a red-shirt sophomore in 2008 from Oregon State where he was a part of two national championship teams.  Made just four appearances in his tenure with the Beavers.  Originally taken in the 26th round of the 2008 draft by Arizona.

Acquired:  Selected by the Astros in the 26th round of the 2010 draft.

Career Highlights:  2012 - Notched a composite 3-3 record and 3.62 ERA in 39 relief appearances between Lancaster and Corpus Christi.  Fanned 52 batters and walked 33 over 69.2 innings.  Began the year with Lancaster and did not allow an earned run in his final four appearances with the JetHawks.  Made Double-A debut on April 30 at Frisco's Dr Pepper Ballpark.  Struggled thru May (0-1, 7.59) before hitting his stride in the second half.  Over his final 20 regular-season outings, went 3-0 with a 2.41 ERA, striking out 20 against six walks in 33.2 frames.  Excelled in August, holding the opposition to a .214 batting average.  Was 1-0 with a 1.76 ERA for the month, yielding three earned runs in 15.1 innings.  Crafted a 2.58 groundout-to-air out ratio with the Hooks, inducing 13 double plays.  Left-handers hit .333 against him in 81 at-bats, compared to a .264 mark over 125 at-bats vs. right-handed batters.  Fared much better on the road (1-0, 2.87, 17 G) than at Whataburger Field (2-1, 5.24, 16 G).  Made 11 appearances for Mesa of the Arizona Fall League.  Also suited up for one appearance with the Czech Republic in the World Baseball Classic's qualifying round.

2011 - Led Lexington in strikeouts and ranked fourth on the club in innings pitched.  His K total also slotted fifth among Astros farmhands.  Averaged 4.48 strikeouts per walk and registered a 9.66 K/9 IP ratio.  Began the season out of the bullpen and went 4-for-5 in save chances.  All of his starts came in consecutive fashion from June 2 to July 24.  Was 0-3 with a 5.18 ERA as a starter, compared to a 3-1 record and 3.23 ERA in a relief role.  Tabbed the Legends' Pitcher of the Month for August when he went 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA in seven appearances.  Struck out 33 and walked six in 26.0 innings for the month.  Fanned a career-high 10 batters thru five frames of relief vs. Asheville on August 25.  Confined the Tourists to one run on four hits and one walk.

2010 - Made pro debut on June 19 for the New York-Penn League champion Tri-City ValleyCats.  Yielded just one run, via a solo homer, thru his first nine appearances, striking out 13 against four walks in 13.0 innings.  In August, carried a 1.89 ERA thru nine appearances (one start), limiting opponents to a .200 batting average.  Posted scoreless outings in 15 of his 19 relief appearances.  Was 1-0 with a 1.67 ERA out of the bullpen, striking out 29 while walking eight.

Career stat note:  Has a 2.86 strikeout-to-walk rate thru three seasons.

George Springer
Outfielder
Height:  6-3
Weight:  200
Born:  9/19/89 in New Britain, CT
Bats/Throws:  R/R
Resides:  New Britain, CT

School:  University of Connecticut.  Started in center field and was the three-hole hitter for the 2011 Huskies, who advanced to the NCAA Super Regionals.  Tabbed Big East Player of the Year, hit .343 during junior campaign with 12 home runs, 77 RBIs and 31 stolen bases.  Led the conference in RBIs, steals, runs scored (61) and total bases (149), and finished fourth in hitting.  Other collegiate highlights include 2011 First-Team All-American, 2010 USA College National Team, 2010 All-Big East Second Team, 2009 Big East Rookie of the Year and 2009 Silver Slugger All-American.  Batted .348 with a 1.123 OPS in three-year tenure at UConn, notching 219 runs scored, 53 doubles, 10 triples, 46 home runs, 196 RBIs and 76 stolen bases.  Holds school records for career home runs and runs scored.  Also owns the single-season runs mark, crossing the plate 84 times in 2010.  Became the highest drafted Husky in program history.

Acquired:  Selected in the first round (11th overall) of the 2011 draft.  Originally drafted by Minnesota in the 48th round following senior season at Avon Old Farms High School in New Britain, CT.

Career Highlights: 2012 - A non-roster invitee to Big League camp, enters the 2013 season as Houston's No. 3 prospect, according to MLB.com.  For the second consecutive year, rated by Baseball America as the top defensive outfielder and best outfield arm in the organization.  Last season, posted a composite .302 batting average and .908 OPS between Lancaster and Corpus Christi, totaling 109 runs scored, 21 doubles, 10 triples, 24 home runs, 87 RBIs and 32 stolen bases (8 CS) in 128 games.  Ranked fourth in the Astros system in home runs, RBIs and steals, and tied for sixth among full-time farmhands in average.  A Mid- and Post-season California League All-Star, was a mainstay on the circuit's leaderboard at the time of his Double-A promotion in late May: first in runs and total bases (241), second in hits, extra-base hits (50) and OPS (.955), third in triples and slugging percentage (.557), tied for third in home runs and strikeouts, fifth in RBIs and walks, sixth in steals and on-base percentage (.398), and eighth in batting average.  Named Lancaster's Defensive Player of the Month for July, fired seven assists and only committed two errors in 246 total chances as a center fielder for the JetHawks.  His .992 fielding percentage ranked second among league outfielders.  On Opening Day, belted a grand slam at High Desert en route to a five-RBI performance.  Voted CL Player of the Week for May 7-14 after going 12-for-23 (.522) with eight runs, one triple, five home runs and 10 RBIs.  The week included a three-homer night on May 11 vs. Lake Elsinore.  Springer posted a 16-game hitting streak from June 23 to July 8, batting .455 with 19 runs scored, six doubles, one triple, three home runs and 15 RBIs.  Reached base safely in 29 consecutive home games from May 25 to July 19, hitting .409 with 33 runs scored, five home runs, 26 RBIs, 28 walks and a .532 OBP.  It stood as the second-longest home on-base streak in the loop.  Selected as Lancaster's Offensive Player of the Month in May and July.  Following a modest April, posted the third-highest OPS (1.055) in Class A from May through July, batting .327 with 87 runs scored, 13 doubles, seven triples, 20 home runs, 64 RBIs and 22 stolen bases.  Joined the Hooks on August 9 and clubbed his first Double-A home run on August 30 at Frisco.  Hit .286 with a 1.012 OPS in 21 games for Mesa of the Arizona Fall League.  Registered 17 runs, four homers, 14 RBIs and five stolen bases with the Solar Sox.

2011 - First professional hit was as a home run, August 29 vs. Lowell.

Career stat notes: Started 124 games in center field, seven in right.  Caught stealing eight times in 44 attempts. 

Max Stassi
Catcher
Height:  5-10    
Weight:  206
Born:  3/15/91 in Woodland, CA
Bats/Throws:  R/R
Resides:  Yuba City, CA

Acquired:  Via trade, with 1B Chris Carter and RHP Brad Peacock, from Oakland in February 2013 for INF Jed Lowrie and RHP Fernando Rodriguez.  Originally selected by Oakland in the fourth round of the 2009 draft.

Career Highlights:  2012 - Was rated by Baseball America as the Athletics' best defensive catcher prior to the trade. Widely considered as the top catching prospect in the Houston system, he'll report to Big League camp this spring as a non-roster invitee.  Posted a .799 OPS in 84 games at Stockton en route to being named an MiLB.com Organizational All-Star.  Was charged with just seven passed balls and committed five errors in 485 total chances for a .991 fielding percentage.  Tabbed California League Batter of the Week for July 16-23 when he hit .296 with six runs scored, one double, four home runs and five RBIs.  Also led the league in sacrifice flies (11).  Saw limited action in April and August, battling ankle and oblique injuries.  Over 23 games in May, batted .287 with 14 runs scored, six doubles, three home runs and 13 RBIs.  In July, smacked seven home runs and plated 17, notching an OPS of .832.  Produced a season-high four RBIs on July 26 at Visalia, thanks in part to a two-out, three-run blast in the fifth inning.  Hit .294 and featured a .903 OPS at the Ports' Banner Island Ballpark, compared to .260 and .712 marks on the road.  With Phoenix of the Arizona Fall League, batted .271 with four runs, three doubles, a home run and 11 RBIs in 13 games.

2011 - Was limited to DH duties as he rehabbed a right-shoulder strain.  Clubbed a grand slam on April 21 at Lancaster en route to a career-high five-RBI night.  Was placed on the disabled list in mid-May and underwent season-ending shoulder surgery.

2010 - A Mid-Season Midwest League All-Star, paced Kane County in strikeouts and tied for the team lead in home runs.  Threw out 42 of 125 base runners for a .336 caught-stealing percentage, which ranked fourth in the circuit.  Prior to the all-star break, batted .247 with nine home runs and 37 RBIs.  Went 2-for-6 with a run and a walk in two playoff games for the Cougars.

Career stat notes: Features a .987 fielding percentage and has been charged with 19 passed balls in 1,486 total chances.  Has thrown out 29% of base runners attempting to steal.

Prep notes: Hit .538 with 11 home runs and 38 RBIs during senior season at Yuba City (CA) High School.  Was named the Tri-County Conference Co-Player of the Year.