Tucker, Shirley Earn Monthly Honors

CORPUS CHRISTI - Outfielder Preston Tucker and left-handed pitcher Tommy Shirley earned Corpus Christi player and pitcher of the month honors for April, the Astros announced Monday.

Tucker, Houston's seventh round pick in 2012, hit .295 in the season's first month with six home runs and 17 RBIs. Through May 5 he leads the Texas League in doubles (11), extra base hits (17), total bases (62) and is tied for the circuit lead in long balls. The University of Florida product also ranks among league leaders in at-bats (120), runs batted in, slugging percentage (.517) and runs (20).

Rated the No. 15 prospect in the Houston's system by MLB.com entering 2014, Tucker earned a second-half promotion to Double-A last season and hit .262 with 10 long balls and 29 RBIs. When he was drafted in 2012, he left school as the Gators all-time leader in at-bats, hits, doubles and runs batted in.

Shirley, the Astros' ninth round pick out of Xavier in 2010, pitched in six April games (four starts) and went 2-2 with a 1.27 ERA as part of the tandem starting rotation. He ranks second in the Texas League in WHIP (0.78), third in ERA and strikeouts (34) and fourth in opponents' batting average (.180).

The 25-year-old topped 20 appearances for the first time in his career in 2013 after he was plagued by injuries in his first two seasons. Last year for Lancaster he went 1-4 with a 3.35 ERA in 27 appearances.

Right-handed pitcher Kyle Smith, who the Astros promoted from Lancaster to Corpus Christi May 1, earned JetHawks Pitcher of the Month for April thanks to his 4-0 record and 2.60 ERA in seven games.