Astros call top prospect Pence up from Class AAA

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Astros call top prospect Pence up from Class AAA

Complete Astros coverage After their season-high losing streak grew to seven games late Friday night, the Astros purchased the contract of stud outfield prospect Hunter Pence.

Pence is expected to be in the Astros' starting lineup in center field Saturday night against the Milwaukee Brewers, who won the opener of the three-game series Friday night 4-1 at Minute Maid Park. Chris Burke, who started the season in center field, has been shifted to a utility role.

"We're going to purchase the contract of Hunter Pence from Round Rock," general manager Tim Purpura said. "And he's going to be in the lineup in center field. And we also notified Chris Burke that he was slotted into a utility role for us."

Pence is hitting .341 with three home runs, 10 doubles and 19 RBIs over 22 games in his first season at Class AAA Round Rock.

"We got to find a way to get the offense rolling," Purpura said. "We're getting our hits. We're not driving in runs. Hunter is a kid that we really hope that can help us with that.

"It's certainly asking a lot of a young player, but all the returns from Round Rock have been very positive. I feel very good about this player. We feel like he can come up here and give us some energy and help that process. It can't just be hunter Pence, though. We got to have more production from our lineup than we're getting right now. This is stage 1. Now we have to get some other pieces to get some other players going."

Lefthanded reliever Stephen Randolph, who gave up a home run Friday night, was designated for assignment to make room for Pence on the 25-man roster

[Guest WBFan09]

yessssssssssss!!!!!!!!!!! ;D ;D ;D

[Aggie1212]

About time....  ;D

[vp93]

The question now is, what do they do when Rick White comes of the DL?

My thoughts are to release Trever Miller and stay with a short pen, which would leave them without a lefty in the pen. Not sure what the solution is, I just hope they don't send Pence back down.

[Morgan]

i was at his first game last sat. and witnessed his first ever at bat ;D......pence looks like he will be good

[Aggie1212]

of course hes gonna be good... and lets not release Trevor Miller... hes one of our best lefties... lets trade Brad Lidge for a great third baseman...

[Guest WBFan09]

good? he has already hit his first major league grand slam and hes only been here for like a week or 2

[vp93]

of course hes gonna be good... and lets not release Trevor Miller... hes one of our best lefties... lets trade Brad Lidge for a great third baseman...

I say release Miller, move Wandy to the pen as the lefty, put Albers as the 5th starter and shop Ensberg around.

[AshlyHasBeen]

Pence is solid, talked to him during spring training. Great character. He was the man when he was at UT-Arlington. During the interview he talked about how underrated Southland Conference baseball is.

[davidortizfan]

if lidge keeps up the way that he has been going, were not going to be able to trade him for even a good third basemen, let alone a great third basemen. and pence is here to stay, hopefully FOREVER! and dont release trevor miller, unless you decide to put wandy in the pen. because he is our only other lefty.