Baez and Mancini Take Home Astros May Awards

ASHEVILLE- The Houston Astros announced their Minor League Players of the Month for the month of May and a pair of Asheville Tourists were selected. Luis Baez was named Player of the Month and Joey Mancini earned Pitcher of the Month honors. The Asheville duo was a big reason why the Tourists were among the South Atlantic League’s best in both hitting and pitching in May.

Baez paced the Asheville offense with a .314/.351/.524 slash line and added five Home Runs, seven doubles, 16 RBI, and 12 runs scored. Baez stole a pair of bases for good measure. At 20 years old, Luis is the youngest member of the Asheville Tourists. His 51 hits on the season rank fourth in the SAL and his 82 total bases are the seventh most on the circuit.

Mancini made four appearances in the month of May, all for Asheville and all out of the bullpen. Joey totaled 15 innings pitched and surrendered only one earned run on six hits. Mancini struck out 22. The right-hander was promoted to Double-A Corpus Christi and threw four shutout innings on June 1, his first appearance with the Hooks.

At the upper level of the Astros system, former Tourists Shay Whitcomb and Logan VanWey were also honored for their performances in the month of May.

Baez and the Asheville Tourists begin a six-game home series against the Bowling Green Hot Rods on Tuesday, June 4 that has major implications on the South Atlantic League’s Southern division first half race.