Houston Astros Infielder Shines In Injury Rehab Assignment With Sugar Land

Houston Astros infielder Grae Kessinger is getting in some at-bats with the team’s Triple-A affiliate as he prepares for a return.

Apr 12, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros third baseman Grae Kessinger. / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Injured Houston Astros infielder Grae Kessinger began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Sugar Land on Sunday as he edges closer to a return to the Majors.

Kessinger traveled with the Space Cowboys to their series finale with El Paso. The Space Cowboys won, 12-5.

The 26-year-old shined as the designated hitter, as he went 3-for-4 with two RBI, a walk and two runs. He hit one extra-base hit in the contest.

They were Kessinger’s first minor-league at-bats since he spent 56 games in the minor last season with Sugar Land and Double-A Corpus Christi.

The right-handed hitting outfielder experienced right shoulder discomfort after he played against Colorado on April 27. The Astros placed him on the 10-day injured list on April 30, retroactive to April 28. So he is eligible to return next week.

Before the injury he played in eight games with Houston, but he did not have a hit in 10 at-bats as he was primarily a late defensive replacement.

He made his Major League debut last season with the Astros, as he batted .200 in 26 games with one home run and one RBI.

Houston selected the Oxford, Miss., native in the second round of the 2019 MLB Draft out of Ole Miss. He is the nephew of Keith Kessinger and the grandson of Don Kessinger, both of whom played in the Majors.

The Astros are lacking in outfield depth as well, as Chas McCormick is on the 15-day injured list with discomfort in his right hamstring. He’s recently begun a running program in an effort to prepare for a rehab assignment in the minors.