Astros Set Pennant Push To Hyperdrive With Kyle Tucker Call-Up

The Houston Astros, July 7, called up top prospect Kyle Tucker, who is slashing .306/.371/.520 with 14 HRs & 66 RBIs in 80 games for the AAA Fresno Grizzlies this season. Tucker is the top-ranked Astros prospect and is ranked No. 8 on MLB‘s top 100 prospects list. Outfielder Jake Marisnick has been optioned to Fresno in a corresponding move.

Marisnick has struggled to a .190/.235/.359 line through 68 games with the Astros. This will be his second stint with Fresno this season.

With the end-of-week trade of OF Jon Kemmer from Fresno to the Minnesota Twins (for cash considerations) and the promotion of outfield prospect Yordan Alvarez to the Grizzlies providing a 24-hour embarrassment of riches in the Fresno outfield, something looked “fishy.”

In fact, the Grizzlies’ front office was apparently getting so much Twitter traffic about a potential Tucker callup, their official account belched forth the cryptic “GUYS TAKE DAYS OFF” (emphasis theirs) in a Friday night reply.

If that weren’t enough, and it certainly should’ve been, this defensive missive from Saturday from the Fresno Grizzlies front office Twitter account, accompanying a photo of a suited-up Tucker in the dugout during Friday’s Fresno game: “Here’s photographic proof he was in uniform at game time [Friday], for all the conspiracy theorists out there. No rule says you can’t get called up on your day off.” Sheesh. Perhaps they’re preparing for a Congressional hearing.

Astros GM Jeff Luhnow had this to say about Tucker’s long-awaited promotion, revealing nothing the astute Astro fan didn’t already know: “Kyle has performed all year, starting in Spring Training, and he deserves this opportunity to show us how he can contribute to this team. He’s one of the top prospects in baseball.”

Astros manager AJ Hinch told MLB.com that Tucker will bat seventh and play left field Saturday afternoon (3 pm CT) against the White Sox in his major league debut. He’ll wear #3, recently worn by outfielders Nori Aoki and Cameron Maybin.

Tucker was set to lead a group of five Grizzlies to the AAA All-Star Game in Columbus, OH, July 11. Look for the Grizz to send a replacement.

More Tucker “Fall-Out”

Hinch met with Tony Kemp before Saturday’s game. He told him he’ll play some centerfield a few more times with Marisnick gone. He said Tucker’s arrival cuts into [Kemp’s] playing time, but “He came up and won the right to stay in the big leagues. I’m very proud of what Tony’s contributed for this team.”

Third base coach Gary Pettis was seen smacking balls off the unpredictable left field wall before Saturday’s game, giving Tucker a chance to practice fielding some funky bounces. Tucker will also see the occasional game in right field, which plays a little more conventionally.

As for how often he’ll play, Hinch fielded that one: “He’s one of the best prospects in baseball. We did call him up to play regularly.”

At 21 years and 171 days old, Tucker is the youngest active player in the American League. He’s the youngest Astro to make his debut since Carlos Correa, as a 20-year-old, went 1-for-4 against these same White Sox, in Chicago, on June 8, 2015.

Fresno outfielder Myles Straw was seen playing shortstop during a recent Grizzlies game, and word is that Astro brass wants him to work on some defensive flexibility, to perhaps aid in his eventual MLB promotion.

Oddly enough, even with Kemmer being dealt, and Tucker being promoted, the Fresno outfield is deep, what with the promotion of Yordan Alvarez to Fresno following the Kemmer trade. On any given night, the Grizzlies can field Alvarez, Derek Fisher and Straw, with now, Marisnick in the mix. And, up-and-coming outfielder Drew Ferguson is dangerous, as well, but is currently on the DL. Hence, the Straw move to the infield, on occasion.

To add to an already-busy Friday, the Astros traded AAA reliever James Hoyt to the Indians for Tommy DeJuneas, a Class A right-handed reliever.

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