Pair of Houston Astros Prospects Receive Promotion to Corpus Christi

The Houston Astros promoted pitcher Spencer Arrighetti and Cesar Gomez to Double-A Corpus Christi on Monday.

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

With an off day Monday, the Houston Astros promoted a handful of pitchers throughout the system. But in relation to those closer to a Major League opportunity, Spencer Arrighetti and Cesar Gomez received the call for Double-A Corpus Christi.

The two hurlers have played the entirety of the 2022 season thus far for the High-A Asheville Tourists in both their second seasons in professional play. Arrighetti and Gomez also roomed together in Asheville while both receiving a promotion on the same off day.

Arrighetti — the Astros' sixth-round pick from 2021 — battled much of the season with Chayce McDermott for the most strikeouts on the Tourists. With McDermott now in Baltimore's system, Arrighetti left Asheville with 124 strikeouts over 85 2/3 innings this season. The Katy native posted a 5.04 ERA across 22 games, 13 starts, for the Tourists.

Gomez was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2020, making his professional debut in 2021 for Single-A Fayetteville. The 24-year-old right-hander flew under the radar this season with a 4.56 ERA and 76 strikeouts through 77 innings for Asheville.

But in the last week, Gomez tossed five scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and one walk to his nine strikeouts. The right-hander was named the South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Week on May 29 of this season, too.

Former Kansas State Pitcher Kasey Ford / Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

Filling the void in Asheville are Colton Gordon, Edinson Batista and Kasey Ford — who were all promoted Monday from Fayetteville. 

The Astros' eighth-round pick last summer, Gordon, tossed 33 1/3 innings with a 2.16 ERA and 49 strikeouts for the Woodpeckers upon his return from Tommy John surgery that delayed the lefty's professional debut until 2022.

Batista posted a 2.60 ERA across 93 1/3 innings between 21 games, eight starts. The 20-year-old righty struck out 113 batters with 43 walks to his name and allowed 5.69 hits per nine innings pitched.

Ford received his second to Asheville this year. The right-hander made a short stint in June for the Tourists as bullpen depth before being sent down shortly after. The Kansas State alumnus had a 5.91 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 35 innings for Fayetteville out of the bullpen.

"I’ve just been commanding the zone better with all of my pitches, along with developing better breaking balls especially my slider which has really improved and became my go-to pitch," Ford said. "My velocity has increased since last year and that helps a lot too."

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