Houston Astros Prospect Espinosa Named FCL Player of the Week

Rolando Espinosa became the second Houston Astros non-affiliated prospect to earn player of the week honors in 2022.

Minor League Baseball named infielder Rolando Espinosa the Florida Complex League Player of the Week on Monday for Aug. 8-14. The Houston Astros signed Espinosa as a minor league free agent in 2017 and assigned him stateside in 2019.

Espinosa went 7-for-21 with seven runs scored, three home runs, eight RBI and three stolen bases in six games for the FCL Astros Orange. The righty struck out seven times to his one walk.

"I focused a lot this year on the gym and offensively swinging at the ball more," Espinosa said.

The Astros promoted Espinosa to Single-A Fayetteville for about 10 days in July, before sending him back to West Palm Beach, Fla. Between the FCL and Single-A, the 21-year-old is slashing .211/.345/.353 through 43 games in 2022.

"(Espinosa) has been pleasure to coach and after being out in 2021 due to Tommy John surgery and 2020 due to COVID," FCL Astros Orange hitting coach Andrew Cresci said. "He’s made the most of his opportunity this year back on the field." 

"His pitch selection has been phenomenal and ability to pull the ball effectively has been the biggest contributors to his success at the plate."

Espinosa became the second Astros prospect this year to receive Player of the Week honors in rookie ball. The first was right-handed pitcher Jose Fleury for the Dominican Summer League Astros Orange from June 20-26.

On the pitching front, 2022 undrafted free agent Logan VanWey made his third FCL appearance Monday. The righty has totaled five-scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts and two walks. VanWey said he feels ready for Single-A if the Astros promote him.

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