Minor League Look-In

Perhaps I'm just longing for an influx of new players to straighten out this awful season, but honestly, what's a baseball blog without a look at the team's young talent on the farm? Sadly, the Astros' farm system has long been a poor one in comparison to the rest of the major leagues, but there are a couple bright spots at each level that deserve mentioning.

1. Jordan Lyles, RHP, Oklahoma City Redhawks (AAA)

The top prospect in Houston's system, Lyles has shaken off a slow start to the season and now stands at 1-2 with a 4.23 ERA and 31 K's in 38.1 innings. He came into spring training battling with Nelson Figueroa and Ryan Rowland-Smith for the number 5 spot in the rotation, but was deemed a bit too green for the big leagues. However, a move up to the show may happen sooner than we think. Lyles doesn't have the nastiest stuff around, but his supreme ability to locate his pitches makes him a candidate to be called up in the late summer. Coaches have long raved about his knowledge of the game being second to none. The Astros don't really need starting pitching right now, but a call to the bullpen and a spot in the rotation in 2012 is not out of the question.

2. Wesley Wright, LHP, Oklahoma City Redhawks

Wright has pitched in 134 games for the Astros over the past three seasons, and I for one don't understand why he keeps getting sent back down to the minors. He's always had a bit of a problem with his control, and when he's off, he's off, but I still like him better than Fernando Abad or Sergio Escalona, the two lefty options in the 'Stros bullpen as of today. Wright's 3.48 ERA is mainly a product of an outing against Nashville in which he gave up 3 earned without recording an out. Erase that game and his line shows him with 10.1 IP and only one earned run allowed. That's not too shabby, small sample size be darned.

3. J.D. Martinez, OF, Corpus Christi Hooks (AA)

Julio Daniel Martinez has long been seen as the replacement at left field when Carlos Lee is finally traded, released, or sent back to Panama to herd cattle. His ascent to the big leagues can only be welcomed by Astros fans, as the 6'3" righty is tearing up Texas League pitching right now, hitting a triple slash line of .340/.402/.560 with 3 HRs and already 30 RBIs. He's only 24, and still has a lot to learn on the defensive side of the ball, but a September call-up isn't outlandish, especially if Lee is gone by then and/or the team is in dead last and not selling tickets. Martinez is currently on the 7-day DL with a sore hamstring.

4. Tanner Bushue, RHP, Lexington Legends (A)

Bushue, the Astros' second-round draft choice in 2009, has surprised just about everyone by storming out of the gate with a 5-0 record, complete with a 3.11 ERA and 18 K's in 37.2 IP. The Illinois native was a star in high school, and while he doesn't have any pitch that's particularly dominant, he seems to know how to win, a quality that can be overrated and underrated in baseball. He's only 19, but Bushue has a high ceiling; a late 2012 or early 2013 appearance in the majors sounds about right.