Drew Gilbert makes Double-A debut, Astros prospects play big part of Hooks victory

Corpus Christi Hooks and Houston Astros top prospect Drew Gilbert. The Corpus Christi Hooks, the Double-A farm club of the Houston Astros, beat the San Antonio Missions 5-2 on Wednesday, April 10, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Corpus Christi Hooks outfielder and Houston Astros top prospect Drew Gilbert in Wednesday night’s second game in San Antonio.
Drew Gilbert, the Houston Astros’ top minor-league prospect, moved up and made an instant impact on Wednesday night at Wolff Stadium in San Antonio.

The Corpus Christi Hooks, the Astros’ Double-A farm club, beat the San Antonio Missions 5-2 in the first game of a doubleheader.

Gilbert recorded his first Double-A RBI in an unusual way in his second plate appearance. He reached base on a catcher’s interference with the bases loaded in the third inning to push across the Hooks’ first run of the game.

Gilbert got his first Double-A hit on a double to center in the top of the seventh inning. He batted second in the order and played center field. In the night’s second game, he went 0-for-3 at the plate and played right field.

The 22-year-old Gilbert was a first-round draft pick by the Astros in 2022. He was batting .360 with with 18 RBIs and six home runs in 21 games in Class A before being promoted to Corpus Christi on Tuesday.

– Colin Barber, the No. 3 prospect in the Astros’ system, was the DH and had three hits including a home run and scored three times in the Hooks’ victory. He is batting .304 with three home runs and 14 RBIs in 21 games.

– Will Wagner, the Astros’ No. 12 prospect, played third base and had a hit and a walk.

– Joey Loperfido, the No. 16 prospect, played second base and had a hit, an RBI and a walk.

– Quincy Hamilton, the No. 22 prospect, played right field and had two hits.

– Hooks starter Rhett Kouba is not listed as one of the Astros’ top-30 prospects but pitched 6 1/3 innings for the win to raise his record to 2-1. He allowed two runs on seven hits with no walks and three strikeouts. He is a 23-year-old right-hander who was a 12th-round draft pick in 2021 from Dallas Baptist.

Corpus Christi Hooks starting pitcher Rhett Kouba. The Corpus Christi Hooks, the Double-A farm club of the Houston Astros, beat the San Antonio Missions 5-2 on Wednesday, April 10, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Corpus Christi Hooks starting pitcher Rhett Kouba.
Corpus Christi Hooks DH and Houston Astros prospect Colin Barber. The Corpus Christi Hooks, the Double-A farm club of the Houston Astros, beat the San Antonio Missions 5-2 on Wednesday, April 10, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Corpus Christi Hooks DH and Houston Astros prospect Colin Barber.

Texas Rangers top prospect Evan Carter hits two home runs in one game for Frisco

Texas Rangers top prospect Evan Carter hits his first of two home runs against the San Antonio Missions on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Texas Rangers top prospect Evan Carter hits his first of two home runs Wednesday.
Texas Rangers top prospect Evan Carter hits his second of two home runs against the San Antonio Missions on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Texas Rangers top prospect Evan Carter hits his second of two home runs Wednesday.

Evan Carter is No. 1 on the list of Texas Rangers prospects on MLB.com.

The 20-year-old outfielder is currently playing for the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders of the Texas League.

Carter is projected to reach the majors next summer. Which is not to say he couldn’t get there sooner if he keeps having games like he did had Tuesday night in San Antonio.

Texas Rangers 2023 prospects rankings on MLB.com

Carter hit two home runs and walked twice while batting in the leadoff spot against the San Antonio Missions on Tuesday at Wolff Stadium. His homers helped power Frisco to a 7-1 victory over San Antonio.

And by the way, Carter plays center field.

Carter is hitting .333 in five games so far this season with six hits and eight RBIs. Carter batted .295 last season at High-A and Double-A combined with 12 home runs and 73 RBIs in 106 games.

A native of Tennessee, the Rangers picked Carter in the second round of the 2020 draft.

Texas Rangers top prospect Evan Carter chases down a fly ball in center field against the San Antonio Missions on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Texas Rangers top prospect Evan Carter chases down a fly ball in center field in the Frisco Rough Riders’ 7-1 victory.

Former Missions invited to Padres’ spring training

San Antonio Missions starter Aaron Leasher pitched six innings and got the win in Saturday's victory over the Midland RockHounds at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Missions left-hander Aaron Leasher pitching at Wolff Stadium.
The San Diego Padres on Wednesday announced the players not on their 40-man roster who have been invited to major league spring training.

The list includes several players who have recently been with the San Antonio Missions, including:

– Moises Lugo, right-handed pitcher

– Matt Waldron, right-handed pitcher

– Aaron Leasher, left-handed pitcher

– Juan Fernandez, catcher

– Chandler Seagle, catcher

– Taylor Kohlwey, outfielder

– Tirso Ornelas, outfielder

Padres prospects to watch for on San Antonio Missions

Former Arkansas star Kevin Kopps pitched the ninth inning for the San Antonio Missions on Saturday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Former Arkansas star Kevin Kopps, pitching in relief for the San Antonio Missions in September 2021, is one of the San Diego Padres’ top 30 prospects.
The San Diego Padres are just days away from opening 2023 spring training at their Cactus League headquarters at the Peoria Sports Complex in the Phoenix area.

The current San Antonio Missions roster, which will see changes between now and their Texas League opener on April 6, shows five players listed as Padres prospects:

Top 30 prospects (with 2022 rankings):

No. 9 Korry Howell OF/INF

No. 13 Jackson Wolf LHP

No. 14 Joshua Mears OF

No. 24 Kevin Kopps RHP

No. 25 Alek Jacob RHP

The Padres also have four players listed on their Class A+ (High A) roster. These players could make their way up to Double-A San Antonio in the near future:

No. 11 Noel Vela LHP

No. 15 Garrett Hawkins RHP

No. 19 Ryan Bergert RHP

No. 28 Brandon Valenzuela C

The official San Antonio Missions roster is here:
milb.com/san-antonio/roster

The Padres’ Triple-A team is the El Paso Chihuahuas. Their roster is loaded with former San Antonio Missions players:
milb.com/el-paso/roster

San Antonio Missions introduce new owners

San Antonio Missions president Burl Yarbrough speaks to the media on Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022, at Wolff Stadium. At the table are Randy Smith (from left), Bruce Hill, Reid Ryan, Hope Andrade. - photo by Joe Alexander
San Antonio Missions president Burl Yarbrough speaks to the media on Thursday. At the table are Randy Smith (from left), Bruce Hill, Reid Ryan, Hope Andrade.
It was an interesting morning at Wolff Stadium as the San Antonio Missions’ new ownership group was introduced.

It was also great seeing a lot of the longtime Missions staffers.

San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr.’s second rehab game with San Antonio Missions

Fernando Tatis Jr. of the San Diego Padres played shortstop and batted leadoff for the San Antonio Missions against the Wichita Wind Surge on Sunday, Aug. 7, 2022, at Wolff Stadium. It was his second rehab game.

Tatis finished 0-for-3. He grounded out hard to first base in the first inning. He flied out to center in the third inning. He grounded out to third in the fifth inning after hitting a very long line drive foul down the left-field line.

His most notable defensive play was an over-the-shoulder catch on a fly ball in short left field.

He was replaced in the sixth inning.

Tatis is expected to travel with the Missions on their upcoming road trip, which begins Tuesday in Frisco, Texas.

Ivan Herrera: St. Louis Cardinals prospect, Springfield catcher

Ivan Herrera, a St. Louis Cardinals prospect and Springfield catcher, playing against the San Antonio Missions at Wolff Stadium on July 20, 2021. - photo by Joe Alexander
Ivan Herrera, a St. Louis Cardinals prospect, playing against the Missions at Wolff Stadium on July 20.
Ivan Herrera is a 21-year-old catcher from Panama and is the No. 3 prospect in the St. Louis Cardinals organization, according to MLB.com.

Herrera plays for the Double-A Springfield Cardinals, who are currently in the a six-game series against the San Antonio Missions through Sunday at Wolff Stadium.

The 5-foot-11 Herrera was signed as a 16-year-old by the Cardinals in 2016. This season he is batting .213 in Springfield with five home runs and 34 RBIs in 58 games. He played in Class A in 2019, batting .284 with nine home runs and 47 RBIs in 87 games.

Pedro Leon: Houston Astros prospect and Corpus Christi Hooks infielder/outfielder

Pedro Leon of the Corpus Christi Hooks, a top Houston Astros prospect, hitting a grand slam against the San Antonio Missions on July 4, 2021, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Pedro Leon of the Corpus Christi Hooks, a top Houston Astros prospect, hitting a grand slam against the San Antonio Missions on July 4 at Wolff Stadium.
The Houston Astros signed Pedro Leon to a minor league contract in January with the hope that he won’t take very long to get to the majors.

The 23-year-old from Cuba is a shortstop/outfielder currently playing for the Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks. He is batting .240 with eight home runs and 31 RBIs in 48 games.

One of his home runs was a grand slam against the San Antonio Missions on the Fourth of July at Wolff Stadium.

MLB.com rates him as the No. 2 prospect in the Astros organization.

More on Pedro Leon:

Pedro Leon in Futures Game, MiLB career thus far

Pedro León and Norel González are making a push to extend the Cuban wave in the Astros

Arizona Diamondbacks prospects Geraldo Perdomo, Alek Thomas, Luis Frias playing for Amarillo Sod Poodles

Geraldo Perdomo of the Amarillo Sod Poodles playing against the San Antonio Missions on Wednesday, July 7, 2021, at Wolff Stadium. He is the No. 3 prospect in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization. - photo by Joe Alexander
Geraldo Perdomo of the Amarillo Sod Poodles playing against the Missions on Wednesday at Wolff Stadium. He is the No. 3 prospect in the Diamondbacks organization.
Some of the top prospects in the Arizona Diamondbacks minor league system play for the Amarillo Sod Poodles, who are currently in town playing the San Antonio Missions.

Here is a look from Wednesday night at Wolff Stadium at three of their top players as ranked by MLB.com:

Geraldo Perdomo is the No. 3 prospect in the Diamondbacks system. He is a 21-year-old shortstop from the Dominican Republic. He was signed by the Diamondbacks to a minor league contract in July 2016.

Alek Thomas is the No. 4 prospect in the system. He is 21-year-old outfielder from Chicago. He was a second-round draft pick by the Diamondbacks in 2018 out of high school.

Luis Frias is the No. 9 prospect in the system. He is a 23-year-old from the Dominican Republic and was the Sod Poodles’ starting pitcher on Wednesday. He was signed by the Diamondbacksf to a minor league contract in July 2015 and was listed as a third baseman at that time.

Royals prospects Witt, Melendez, Pratto, Marsh playing against Missions at Wolff Stadium

Bobby Witt Jr. watches his home run sail out at Wolff Stadium on Wednesday, June 16, 2021. He is a shortstop for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals and one of the Kansas City Royals' top prospects. - photo by Joe Alexander
Northwest Arkansas’ Bobby Witt Jr. watches his home run sail out at Wolff Stadium on Wednesday.
Some players who are likely to be a big part of the Kansas City Royals’ future are playing in San Antonio this week.

Bobby Witt Jr., the No. 2 pick in the draft just two years ago, had a big night in the Northwest Arkansas Naturals’ 3-2 victory over the San Antonio Missions on Wednesday at Wolff Stadium. Witt had a double, triple and home run for the Naturals – the Double-A farm club of the Royals.

The Naturals are playing a six-game series against the San Antonio Missions that runs through Sunday at Wolff Stadium.

Alec Marsh was the starting pitcher on Tuesday for the Naturals. Northwest Arkansas catcher MJ Melendez had a home run in Tuesday’s game. First baseman Nick Pratto is also a home run threat.

Marsh, Pratto, Melendez and Witt have all been high picks by the Royals in recent drafts and are all highly regarded prospects.

Witt has 11 homers on the season and is batting .257 with 19 RBIs in 34 games. He was drafted out of Colleyville Heritage High School in Colleyville, Texas (DFW area) in 2019. He played in rookie league in 2019 and this is his first season above that level.

Witt’s name should sound familiar. His father, Bobby Witt, pitched 16 seasons in the majors including 11 with the Texas Rangers. The senior Witt had a 142-157 major league record with a 4.83 ERA.

Melendez is batting .265 with 11 home runs and 23 RBIs in 31 games this season. Melendez was a second-round pick, No. 52 overall, in the 2017 draft as a high school player in Miami.

Pratto is batting .306 with 11 home runs and 26 RBIs in 34 games in his first season above Class A. He was a first-round pick in 2017, No. 14 overall, as a high school player from Huntington Beach, Calif.

Marsh fits the Royals’ pattern of using high draft picks on pitchers from major college baseball programs. He was taken No. 70 overall in 2019 out of Arizona State. This is his first season above Class A and he has a 1-3 record with a 4.97 record in six starts. He pitched 1 2/3 innings against the Missions on Tuesday and allowed one run, one hit and two walks with three strikeouts.