Countdown Begins For Astros’ Kyle Tucker: Hit Streak=Compelling Call-Up Watch

Only 13 players in the 151-year history of Minor League Baseball boast a longer hit streak than the one just compiled by third baseman Randy Cesar, who saw his 42-gamer end in a loss for the Houston Astros’ AA Corpus Christi Hooks, June 29. While Cesar is conspicuous by his absence on Houston’s top 30 prospect list, Kyle Tucker snuck into the top spot while no one was looking.

For several months, wunderkind pitcher Forrest Whitley held down the franchise’s #1 MLB Pipeline spot and has now slipped down to #2, likely due more to the lack of stats produced during his recent 50-game suspension than any sudden perceived loss of system traction or performance.

Tucker has even leapfrogged over Whitley’s #10 to sneak into single digits (#9) on MLB’s latest overall list.

Randy Cesar’s Texas League record 42-game hit streak came to an end the same night Kyle Tucker extended his Pacific Coast League hit streak for the Houston Astros’ AAA Fresno Grizzlies to 18 straight, June 29.

Through that date, Tucker is 35-for-76 (.461) during his streak, with five HRs, seven doubles, 16 RBIs, 18 runs, seven walks, and six stolen bases. Unfortunately, Tucker’s consecutive game hit streak ended at 18, with his 0-4, June 30, in Fresno’s 4-3 win over Sacramento. He’ll just have to start another.

UPDATE July 1: First inning fielding error by Sacramento first baseman makes it a close call that may have been scored a single (but wasn’t). Tucker was ejected by the home plate umpire arguing balls and strikes in the third, following a called K. Kyle has hit safely, now, in 18 of his last 20 games.

With 62 RBIs on the season, he trails teammate AJ Reed by five for the most in all Triple-A. Tucker’s .915 OPS is tied with Reed for 11th in the Pacific Coast League, coming into play June 30.

Tucker was the fifth overall selection by the Astros in the 2015 amateur draft. He earned a spot on the 2016 Midwest League All-Star team with the Class A Quad Cities River Bandits with a .305 average in 203 ABs, including 12 doubles, 23 stolen bases (out of 28 attempts), and a .794 OPS.

After hitting .288 with four home runs and 43 RBIs in 48 games for Class A-Advanced Buies Creek in 2017, Tucker was promoted to AA Corpus Christi, where he finished the year at .265, with 21 doubles, 16 homers, and 47 RBIs in 72 games. He earned the starting right field spot on the US team for the All-Star Futures Game, July 9, 2017. He was joined on the team by current fellow Grizzly Derek Fisher, who made his MLB debut three weeks before the Futures Game.

Tucker, affectionately called “Ted” by the Astros in Spring Training (where he hit .409 with five homers and a 1.256 OPS in 20 games), opened 2018 with Houston’s Triple-A Fresno Grizzlies, and his 18-game hit streak has blown some helium into his batting average, shimmering at .317 coming into play the last day of June. That’s a mark about 40 points above where it was before the streak.

Related: Teammate Myles Straw Promoted Before Tucker? Why It Makes Sense

The Family Secret

Most fans know Kyle is the little brother of former Astro outfielder (2012-2017) Preston Tucker, who was traded to Atlanta last December 20 in exchange for either cash or a later-named player. Preston was recently sent down to the Braves’ AAA Gwinnett Stripers.

The brothers recently revealed a little-known family activity that’s been enjoyed for a couple decades. At the retirement of Preston’s Plant High School (Tampa, FL) jersey in February 2016, the older brother proudly pronounced that he digs playing whiffle ball in the family backyard against Kyle.

“We played each other yesterday,” Preston told the Tampa Bay Times, standing with a big grin inside the third base dugout at Plant High, where he and his brother graduated in 2008 and 2015, respectively.

“Mom bought us a new (plastic) bat at the dollar store because our other one broke,” Kyle added, possibly stifling the desire to jump up and down. “We’ve played ever since we were little. We still play whiffle ball like we were kids.”

After the ceremony, where Preston’s name and number banner hangs near Hall of Famer Wade Boggs’, the subject of whiffle ball was somehow resurrected.

“Whiffle ball,” Preston said. “The other day, my sister (Hannah) even hit a home run.”

In the end, the Tuckers think playing whiffle ball has actually helped them over the years with their hand-eye coordination because, as Kyle explained, “the ball moves way more than a baseball. It curves and dives and moves way more.”

Maybe someday soon, the TB Times imagined, Preston and Kyle will play a game of whiffle ball at home before Kyle’s Plant Panther number (30) is retired.

“Sounds good to me,” said Preston, surrounded by friends, family, and former teammates at Plant’s field. “I’m ready.”

Hopefully, Preston won’t encounter a scheduling conflict on the day the Houston Astros retire Kyle’s number. But, first things first:

Let’s get him there!

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