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Astros Promote IF Danny Worth From AAA Fresno

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  • Updated: June 14, 2016

Tuesday afternoon (June 14), the Houston Astros confirmed their selection of the contract of infielder Danny Worth from their Triple-A Fresno Grizzlies affiliate. He will start at third base Tuesday night in St. Louis, batting second.

Worth will take the 25-man roster spot vacated by Houston reliever Luke Gregerson, who was placed on the family medical emergency list in a corresponding move.

To make room for Worth on the team’s 40-man roster, right-handed reliever Juan Minaya was designated for assignment. Minaya (3.91 ERA in 25.1 relief innings) was Houston’s #23-ranked prospect, according to MLBPipeline.com.

Worth is a 30-year-old right-hand hitting utility infielder, and was leading Fresno (8th in the Pacific Coast League) with a .340 batting average, 12 doubles, 8 homers, 36 RBIs, and .998 OPS (5th in the PCL) in 191 at-bats. His .449 on-base percentage led the PCL. His high walk total (37) was second in the league, and nearly matched his strikeout total (43).

Related: What’s Danny Worth? More Than He’s Paid Now

Primarily a shortstop and second baseman, the 6’1″, 195-pound veteran played third base twice last weekend, a hint that he might be called on to play third against lefties for Houston in the coming days. He has also played a few games at first base in the past. Worth hasn’t played in the majors in two seasons.

The Astros play the St. Louis Cardinals and their lefty starter Jaime Garcia on Tuesday (vs Houston’s Doug Fister), and are scheduled to face Cincinnati Reds left-handers John Lamb and Brandon Finnegan on Friday and Sunday, respectively. Houston has a day off Thursday, after the Wednesday finale of the two-game series with the Cards.

The Detroit Tigers drafted Worth out of Pepperdine in the 2nd round of the 2007 draft. He got most of his MLB playing time as a 2010 rookie, batting .255 with a .653 OPS in 106 at-bats.

He spent 2015 with the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Class AAA Reno Aces affiliate, batting .316 with an .863 OPS in 350 at-bats. The Astros signed him to a free agent contract in late January, with an invitation to spring training, where he hit .326 (14 for 43) with two home runs, 5 doubles, and 7 RBIs.

The Bottom Line

Gregerson’s absence likely won’t be much longer than a week, which should give Astros brass a chance to see what Danny is worth, in much the same way fellow Grizzlies 3B Colin Moran was promoted to Houston for the last two weeks in May.

Moran hit .105 in 19 ABs, striking out 6 times, with only two hits in his brief stay with the ‘Stros. In his last ten games with Fresno, though, Moran has hit .289 on 11 for 38, with a homer and 7 RBIs.

If Worth should stick with Houston (with a corresponding roster move to clear the way upon Gregerson’s return), the path might be made clear, then, for Houston to promote SS/3B Alex Bregman from Double-A Corpus Christi to Fresno. Bregman has been playing more third base lately, but what to do, then, with Moran?

Related: The Persistence of Astros’ #1 Prospect Alex Bregman

And, if Worth sticks with Houston, will that impede the much-anticipated and long-awaited big league debut of Bregman, just voted in as a starter for the Texas League All-Star team?

By the way, don’t think the Astro brass isn’t aware that the Texas League All-Star Game will be played June 28. A South Division-leading eight Corpus Christi Hooks will be on the All-Star Team, and it’s doubtful the Astros would yank Bregman from that showcase to promote him to Fresno or……wait for it……Houston.

In the meantime, look for Danny Worth to prove his worth value to the parent club in the coming days.

Brad Kyle

Brad Kyle

Seen here, meeting Nolan Ryan at Dell Diamond in Round Rock (TX), around the turn of the century.

Brad was born and raised in the shadow of what eventually became Colt Stadium, and then, in '65, the Astrodome.

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