On The Farm: James & Mayfield
Leading up to Opening Day, cchooks.com will profile select farmhands in the Astros system. Today, we feature RHP Josh James, and INF Jack Mayfield.
Leading up to Opening Day, cchooks.com will profile select farmhands in the Astros system. Today, we feature RHP
Joshua James
Pitcher
BORN March 8, 1993 in Hollywood, FL
OPENING DAY AGE 25
HEIGHT 6'3
WEIGHT 222
BATS Right
THROWS Right
HOMETOWN Hollywood, FL
SCHOOL Western Oklahoma State College
ACQUIRED Selected in the 34th round of the 2014 June draft
Career Highlights: 2017 - Earned Texas League Midseason All-Star honors after posting a 2.94 ERA in 13 outings (52 IP, 47 K, 21 BB, .216 BAA) before the All-Star break. Fared much better as a reliever (1.77 ERA, 35 2/3 IP) than in starting role (6.69 ERA, 40 1/3 IP). Combined for a 2.49 ERA in 36 2/3 innings during April and May. Averaged 8.5 strikeouts per-9 innings. Did not have an outing longer than 5 innings, which was accomplished on 4 separate occasions. Picked up 3 saves in 4 chances. Did not allow a home run until August 25 at San Antonio and that was the lone home run allowed in campaign. Started season with back-to-back outings of 4 scoreless innings (April 10 at Northwest Arkansas; April 15 vs. Arkansas). Allowed just 4 earned runs in 5-game stretch from April 27-May 19 (20 2/3 IP). Went 5 innings with 0 earned runs allowed on June 7 vs. Frisco. Registered a save with 3 scoreless frames on June 25 vs. Frisco. Spent 1st half of July on disabled list. On July 28 vs. Midland, spun 4 scoreless frames (2 H, 5 K, 1 BB) for a save. Struggled in final 4 outings of season, allowing 16 earned runs and 25 hits in 8 2/3 frames from August 13-September 2.
2016 - Tied for 5th in the Astros system in wins. Led Lancaster in victories and strikeouts while ranking 2nd on the club in starts and innings pitched. Averaged 9.9 strikeouts per 9 innings and 3.03 Ks per walk. Converted lone save chance April 29 at Lake Elsinore, permitting 1 walk while striking out 6 over 4 shutout innings. Delivered 5 scoreless frames and a victory in next appearance, a May 4 start at Inland Empire. Racked up 20 strikeouts and 3 walks in 13 innings over 3 assignments April 29-May 11. Named Lancaster Pitcher of the Month for May, going 2-1 with a 1.90 ERA and .198 opponent batting average. Won all 3 June decisions, registering a 2.67 ERA in 5 outings (4 starts). Punched out a career-best 11 batters in a 6-inning triumph June 14 at Rancho Cucamonga. Went 5-2 with a 3.02 ERA and .206 opponent batting average in 12 1st-half assignments. Owned 6.34 ERA and .324 batting average against in 2nd half. Pitched 5 innings of 1-run ball for a victory July 27 at Lake Elsinore. Beat Inland Empire August 9 after scattering 1 run and 7 hits over 6 innings of work. Ended the regular year by holding Rancho Cucamonga to 3 runs on 8 hits and 1 walk while striking out 7 in 5 1/3 frames. Did not fare well at Lancaster's hitter-friendly home park, going 2-2 with a 6.54 ERA. Polished off a 7-3 record and 3.72 ERA on the road. Overall, the California League batted .273 with 11 home runs. Had surrendered 2 home runs in 37 career appearances (574 at-bats) leading up to 2016.
2015 - Led Astros farmhands and ranked 5th in the Midwest League in ERA. Paced the River Bandits in innings pitched, starts (T-1st), WHIP (1.23), opponent batting average (.237) and hit batsmen (16), while ranking 2nd on the club in wins and strikeouts. Surrendered 2 home runs in 431 at-bats, producing a groundout-to-flyout ratio of 1.20. Season debut was a 4-inning save April 13 vs. Clinton. Tossed 5 frames of 1-run ball in next appearance, a start April 18 vs. Kane County. Did not allow an earned run in next 3 outings, totaling 10 2/3 innings. Struck out 6 over 4 shutout frames May 23 vs. Peoria. Hurled 7 scoreless innings, matched a season high with 7 strikeouts and yielded just 2 hits in the nightcap of a June 12 doubleheader vs. Lansing. Earned a victory in next assignment thanks to 4 shutout innings at Clinton. Named Quad Cities Pitcher of the Month for June, going 1-0 with a 2.14 ERA and .186 opponent batting average in 4 appearances. Went 5-2 with a 2.37 ERA in final 7 regular-season appearances (6 starts). Permitted 6 ER in last 6 starts for a 1.50 ERA. Includes August 29 vs. Peoria when he pitched a season-best 8 innings. In 18 total starts, posted a 4-4 record and 2.20 ERA. Won all 3 decisions in relief, authoring an ERA of 4.43. Lefties hit .273 an owned both home runs in 209 at-bats. Right-handers were held to a .203 batting average in 222 at-bats. Lost Game 1 of the playoffs despite allowing 2 earned runs over 5 innings of work.
2014 - Fanned 10.2 batters per 9 innings while averaging 3 strikeouts for every walk issued. Struck out all 3 Elizabethton batters he faced in pro debut June 20. Turned in a scoreless performance in 5 of first 6 assignments, totaling 14 innings.
Career Notes: Averaging 2.55 strikeouts-per-walk and features a 1.19 GO/AO ratio.
Infielder
BORN September 30, 1990 in Del Rio, TX
OPENING DAY AGE 27
HEIGHT 5'11
WEIGHT 191
BATS Right
THROWS Right
HOMETOWN Del Rio, TX
SCHOOL Oklahoma
ACQUIRED Signed as a non-drafted free agent on June 17, 2013
Career Highlights: 2018 - Earned non-roster invite to Major League spring training.
2017 - Hit .283 with 20 home runs, 28 doubles, 67 RBIs, and an .827 OPS in 112 games combined between Corpus Christi and Fresno. Earned Texas League Midseason All-Star honors. Made starts at 2nd base (53), 3rd base (22), and shortstop (28). Hit 32 extra-base hits with Corpus Christi. Batted .258 (66 AB) with 2 home runs and 8 RBIs in 17 games during April with Corpus Christi before promotion to Fresno. In 11 games with Fresno from April 27-May 13, batted .261 with 1 home run and 7 RBIs. Returned to Corpus Christi on May 21. Recorded a hit in 13 of 14 games from May 22-June 7. Best month with Corpus Christi came in June, batting .355 (93 AB) with 3 home runs, 7 doubles, and 14 RBIs. Collected 7 RBIs in 3-game span from June 15-June 17. Picked up a hit in 21 of 23 games during June. Went 3-for-5 on July 15 at Midland, belting 2 home runs with 6 RBIs and 3 runs scored. With Corpus Christi, batted .355 (76 AB) against left-handed pitching and .263 (194 AB) against right-handers. Sent back to Fresno in late July. Went 6-for-29 in 8 games after return to Pacific Coast League. Finest month at Triple-A came in August, hitting .304 (79 AB) with 2 home runs, 5 doubles, and 9 RBIs.
2016 - Hit 11 home runs, 12 doubles while collecting 44 RBIs in 78 games between Corpus Christi and Fresno. Led Corpus Christi with 5 July home runs despite playing in just 9 games during the month. Recorded his only multi-homer game of the year July 5, clubbing a pair vs. Tulsa. Picked up 4 RBIs in 3 separate games, 2 of which were at Fresno. First Triple-A home run was a go-ahead 3-run blast in the 9th inning of the Grizzlies' 4-1 victory June 13 at Sacramento. Began the year with a strong start, going 11-for-24 (.458) with 7 RBIs over an 8-game stretch from April 9-17. Had another hot streak July 1-6: 7-for-16 (.438) with 3 home runs and 7 RBIs. Went 2-for-4 with a home run and 4 RBIs on July 13, his final game played for the Hooks. Missed a month after being injured July 20 at The Dell Diamond. Had starts at second base (30 GM, .985 FP), shortstop (30 GM, .958), and third base (8 GM, 1.000 FP). Committed just 7 errors in 272 total chances between Fresno and Corpus Christi.
2015 - Hit .286 with 80 runs scored, 19 doubles, 4 triples, 14 home runs, 65 RBIs and 5 stolen bases in 114 games between Lancaster and Corpus Christi. Excelled in May, batting .336 with 4 doubles, 3 homers and 19 RBIs en route to California League Midseason All-Star honors. Notched 4 hits in a game on 4 occasions, including May 21 vs. High Desert when he knocked in a career-high 4 runs as Lancaster routed the Mavericks 22-5. Hit safely in 13 of final 15 games with the JetHawks. Went 4-for-4 in Double-A debut July 7 at Springfield. The next night, homered in first Whataburger Field at-bat, belting a 1-2 pitch from Tulsa's
2014 - Batted .282 with 31 doubles, 2 triples, 9 home runs and 55 RBIs in 105 games between Quad Cities and Lancaster. Began the season in the Midwest League and hit safely in 5 of his first 6 contests for the River Bandits. During this run, batted .391 with 3 doubles, 1 home run and 4 RBIs. Saw action at shortstop (22 GM), third base (10 GM) and second base (6 GM). Helped turn 15 double plays and was charged with 7 errors in 135 total chances for a .948 fielding percentage. Hit .313 on the road, clubbing both of his home runs while plating 9 in 18 games. Made California League debut on June 2. Following a slow start with the JetHawks, hit .343 with 12 doubles, 2 triples, 4 home runs and 20 RBIs in 27 July contests. Hit safely in 11 of 12 games July 2-14, raising his batting average from .218 to .317. During this stretch, scored 12 times and drove in 12 runs while notching 7 doubles, a triple and three home runs. Homered in back-to-back contests in late August as part of a 4-game stretch when he plated 7. Batted .351 with 3 homers, 14 RBIs and a 1.011 OPS in 74 at-bats vs. left-handed pitching. Batted .345 with 4 runs, 3 doubles, 1 homer and 4 RBIs during the playoffs as Lancaster captured the California League championship. Fashioned a .965 fielding percentage and turned 37 double plays with 44 of his 63 assignments coming at second base. Also logged 11 contests at short and 8 at third base.
2013 - Debuted with Greeneville three days after signing. Hit safely in 8 of final 10 Appalachian League games, batting .419 with 8 runs, 2 doubles, 2 home runs and 8 RBIs. Joined Tri-City in mid-July. Worked mostly at second base, committing 6 errors in 135 total chances for a .956 fielding percentage. Teamed to turn 16 double plays. For the year, batted a combined .238 with 8 doubles, 4 home runs and 18 RBIs in 55 games between the Appalachian and New York-Penn leagues.
Career Notes: Has appeared exclusively as an infielder, logging time at 2nd base (220 games), shortstop (186 games) and 3rd base (52 games).
College Notes: Hit .263 with 33 doubles, 5 triples, 11 home runs and 85 RBIs in 172 games over 4-year career as a Sooner. Named MVP of the 2013 Kleberg Bank College Classic at Whataburger Field, going 5-for-13 with a home run, 3 RBIs and 3 stolen bases. Led the 2013 Academic All-Big 12 Baseball Team with a 4.0 grade-point average.
Jack Mayfield Career Stats