Houston Astros Top Prospect Slams Another Tape Measure Home Run

Joey Loperfido continues to hit baseballs out of the park for the Houston Astros’ Triple-A team in Sugar Land.

Mar 8, 2024; Clearwater, Florida, USA; Houston Astros centerfielder Joey Loperfido. / Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

While the Houston Astros went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position against the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday, one of their top prospects was hitting another home run for Triple-A Sugar Land.

Joey Loperfido, the Astros’ No. 6 prospect at MLB Pipeline, started at center field for the Space Cowboys on Wednesday as they took on the Reno Aces.

The left-handed hitter wasted no time in Reno, as he hit a solo home run in the first inning. That shot went 457 feet and pushed his slugging percentage to .707.

But that wasn’t all.

Loperfido went on to hit his second home run of the game, which was in the fifth inning and was another solo shot. That one went 427 feet.

Both home runs were hit off Reno’s Humberto Castellanos.

It’s just another reason for Houston fans to clamor for the 24-year-old’s call-up.

Recently, the Duke product was named the Pacific Coast Player of the Week after he had a huge week for the Space Cowboys against Albuquerque.

That week, he slashed .423/.559/1.077/1.636 with two doubles, five home runs, 13 RBI, 14 runs scored, six walks, a stolen base. In one game he hit a career-high three home runs, including two in the seventh inning, the latter of which was a grand slam. He also set a career high with seven RBI.

The Astros have started getting Loperfido playing time at first base in the wake of the struggles of veteran Jose Abreu.

Houston's manager Joe Espada sat the right-handed hitting former MVP on Wednesday as he is batting .065 without a home run and just one RBI. His backup, Jon Singleton, is performing better, as he’s batting .256, including a .304 clip in his last seven games. But he hasn’t hit a home run or driven in a run.

General manager Dana Brown said recently that Loperfido would get to the Astros at some point but wants to see the former seventh-round pick cut down on strikeouts. He has struck out 31 times in 81 at-bats.  

Houston may need to make the call soon, though, as they could be looking for his power at some point with the continued struggles of their first basemen.