Corpus Christi at NW Arkansas Thursday, April 5, 2018 • Arvest Ballpark • Springdale, AR • 6:25 P.M
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Corpus Christi at NW Arkansas Thursday, April 5, 2018 • Arvest Ballpark • Springdale, AR • 6:25 p.m. ON THE RECORD: 0-0 Home | 0-0 Road | 0-0-0 Series | 0-0 Sweeps | - Streak | 0-0 Last 5 | 0-0 Last 10 HAPPY NEW YEAR: The Hooks lift the lid on their 14th season of play with the opener of a three-game set against the Naturals. Corpus Christi went 67-71 last season, and despite winning nine of its final 10 games, lost the tiebreaker with Midland for a “wild card” postseason berth. It marked just the second time in the past six seasons the Hooks missed the playoffs. Corpus Christi boasts a new staff in manger Omar Lopez, hitting coach Troy Snitker, pitching coach Bill Murphy, development coach Mycal Jones, athletic trainer John Gregorich, and strength coach Rachel Balkovec. Closer Riley Ferrell and starters Akeem Bostick, Framber Valdez, Josh James, Brock Dykxhoorn, and Yoanys Quiala headline a group of 11 returning pitchers. Catcher Jamie Ritch- ie, infielders Ryne Birk, Arturo Michelena, and Nick Tanielu all have Double-A experience. Outfielder Myles Straw, a 2017 Midwest League Postseason All-Star, returns to the Hooks after finishing last year in the Texas League. Yordan Alvarez, rated by MLB.com as Houston’s No. 4 prospect, is slated to make his Double-A debut tonight. Stephen Wrenn and Carmen Benedetti fill out the outfield corps. Wrenn and Benedetti are among the eight 2018 Hooks who were drafted in 2016. HOOKS | TONIGHT’S PITCHING MATCHUP | NATURALS LH Framber Valdez (7-8, 4.16 in ‘17) LH Foster Griffin (15-7, 3.35 in ‘17) • Signed by the Astros as a non-drafted free agent in March • Selected by Kansas City in the 1st round (28th overall) of 2015 at the age of 21...hails from San Cristobal, DR the 2014 draft out of The First Academy HS in Orlando • Posted 7-8 record & 4.16 ERA in 25 GM (18 GS) for CC & • 22-year-old currently resides in Orlando Buies Creek in 2017...126 K, 52 BB, 101 H, 7 HR, 110 IP • Went 15-7 w/ a 3.35 ERA in 28 GS between NWA & Wil- • Went 1-1 w/ 3.20 ERA in 6 GS of Mesa Solar Sox of AFL mington last season (141 K, 54 BB, 151 H, 13 HR, 161 IP) • Carved out a 2.79 ERA & .185 BAA in 13 GM for BC • Tabbed the Royals Minor League Pitcher of the Year, and • Averaged 10.7 K per 9 IP in Carolina League represented org at 2017 All-Star Futures Game in Miami • Notched career-highs for IP & K Jun 28 vs. Carolina, strik- • Finished the year with the Naturals (11-5, 3.35) after ing out 11 while allowing 1 R on 3 H & 2 BB in 8.0 IP opening campaign in Carolina League • Earned July 4 W over ARK: 6.0 IP of 2-hit, 1-run ball • Permitted 2 ER or less 18 of his 28 GS (64%) in 2017 • 1st Travs hit was a Chuck Taylor 2-out double in 6th • Struck out career-high 10 batters over 6.0 IP Jul 1 vs. CC, yielding 2 R on 5 H...threw 66 of 101 pitches for strikes • Lost AA debut Jun 9 to FRI, allowing 2 R in 6.0 IP (4 BB) • Hooks got to him for 3 R on 8 H (Mayfield & Laureano HR) Logged a 7.05 ERA in final 10 Hooks appearances • in 4.0 IP July 6 at Whataburger FIeld • Averaged 3.10 GO/AO in Texas League action • Named TL Pitcher of the Week after hurling 6.0 shutout IP • Pitched shutout ball in 4 of 5 Grapefruit League outings for W Jun 25 at TUL (5 H, 2 BB, 6 K) • Went 4-5 with a 3.19 ERA in 14 GM (11 GS) between • Held LH to .206 AVG in TL...RH batted .294 Greeneville, Tri-City, Quad Cities & Lancaster in 2016 • Went 6-14 with 5.43 ERA in 27 GS for Wilmington & Lex- • Struck out 79 & walked 23 in 73.1 IP, permitting 1 HR ington in 2016 (105 K, 52 BB, 12 HR, 132.2 IP) • Averaged 3.6 groundouts per air out • Registered a WHIP of 1.64 • Made debut w/ Quad Cities July 30 at Beloit (5 IP, 1 ER) • Rated by Baseball America as the No. 13 Royals prospect • Promoted to Lancaster for 1 start on September 5 vs. In- entering the season land Empire and allowed 3 ER through 5 2/3 innings. • Made 22 GS for Lexington in 2015, going 4-6 with a 5.44 • Held left-handed hitters to a combined .243 BAA (78 AB) ERA...yielded nearly 11 H per 9 IP • Made 16 appearances for the DSL Astros in 2015 • Owns a 25-29 record & 4.49 ERA in 88 pro starts • In first 2 pro campaigns, did not yield an extra-base hit to • Was committed to pitch for Ole Miss before signing w/ KC a left-handed batter • Averaging 9.8 strikeouts per 9.0 IP UPCOMING PROBABLES Date Opp. Pitchers - Opponent vs. Corpus Christi Time Fri, April 6 @NWA RH Zach Lovvorn (4-9, 4.83 in ’17) vs. RH Brock Dykxhoorn (3-5, 4.62 in ‘17) 7:05 Sat, April 7 @NWA RH Scott Blewett (7-10, 4.07) vs. RH Yoanys Quiala (9-5, 2.57 in ‘17) 6:05 PAGE 2 HOOKS MEDIA INFORMATION • THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 2018 • NW ARKANSAS READY IN RELIEF: RH Josh James (4-8, 4.38 in ‘17) • 25-year-old was selected by Houston in the 34th round of • Averaged 9.9 strikeouts per 9 IP and 3.03 Ks per walk the 2014 draft out of Western Oklahoma State College • Racked up 20 strikeouts and 3 walks in 13 innings over 3 • Went 4-8 with a 4.38 ERA & 3 SV in 21 GM (11 GS) for CC assignments April 29-May 11 last season...72 K, 32 BB, 79 H, 1 HR, 76 IP • Lancaster May POM: 2-1, 1.90 ERA, .198 BAA • Owned a 2.16 ERA & .200 BAA in first 10 GM (5 GS) with • Won all 3 June decisions, registering a 2.67 ERA in 5 GM the Hooks, yielding 1 ER or none 8 times during span • Career-high 11 K in 6-IP W Jun 14 at Rancho Cucamonga • Permitted 6 R over 1.1 IP in final GM of season - Sept 2 vs. • 5-2 w/ 3.02 ERA and .206 BAA in 12 1st-half assignments SA, raising season ERA from 3.74 to 4.38 • 6.34 ERA and .324 batting average against in 2nd half • Spent first half of July on DL • Had surrendered 2 home runs in 37 career appearances • Spread 3 R (1 ER) over 5.0 IP Jun 30 in lone GM at NWA (574 at-bats) leading up to 2016 • 3-1 w/ 1.77 ERA out of pen | 1-7 w/ 6.69 ERA in 11 GS • Posted 7-4 record & 2.63 ERA in 24 GM (18 GS) for Quad • Went 9-5 w/ 4.81 ERA in 23 GM (19 GS) for Lancaster in Cities in 2015 (89 K, 41 BB, 116.1 IP) 2016...struck out 121 & walked 40 in 110.1 IP • Led HOU system & was 5th in the MWL in ERA • Overall, the California League batted .273 with 11 HR MEET THE SKIPPER: Omar Lopez begins his first season as Corpus Christi’s field chief in 2018. Lopez, the seventh skipper in the 14-year history of the Hooks, enters his 20th campaign with the Astros organization. Last season, Lopez, 41, guided the Advanced A Buies Creek Astros to a 74-65 record, which topped the Carolina League Southern Division. Lopez managed the Mesa Solar Sox of the Arizona Fall League. The Solar Sox, outfitted with farmhands from the Astros, A’s, Cubs, Nationals and Tigers organizations, lost to Peoria in the AFL championship game. Lopez has won two Venezuelan Professional Baseball League championships in four years as manager of Caribes de Anzo- ategui. Caribes claimed the crown this winter, defeating Cardinales de Lara, 4-2, in the title series. In his first year as skipper, Lopez was named 2014-15 LVBP Manager of the Year after piloting Anzoategui to a 39-24 record and circuit title. His other managerial stops include Class A Quad Cities (2013-14, 2016), Advanced A Lancaster (2015), Rookie Level Greene- ville (2011-12), Gulf Coast League (2009-10) and Venezuelan Summer League (2007-08). A native of Valencia, Venezuela, Lopez led Quad Cities to an 81-57 finish and a Midwest League title in 2013. Lopez was the first manager of future American League MVP Jose Altuve. With the 2007 Venezuelan Summer League Astros, the 17-year-old Altuve hit .343 with 40 runs scored, 36 RBIs, and a .429 on-base average in 64 assignments. The club posted a 48-22 record, and won the VSL championship YULI BEGINS REHAB: 1B Yuli Gurriel, who underwent surgery to remove the hook of the hamate bone in his left hand Feb. 28, starts a rehab stint with Corpus Christi tonight. Gurriel is in the lineup, batting second and playing first base. The Cuban standout took live BP Monday, facing 25-30 pitches from RHP James Hoyt (left oblique strain), who is beginning a rehab as- signment with Triple-A Fresno tonight. Gurriel finished fourth in American League Rookie of the Year voting last year, hitting .299 with 43 doubles, 18 home runs, and 75 RBIs in 139 games for the defending World Series champion Houston Astros.