Astros announce Minor League Players of the Month for April

HOUSTON, TX - The Houston Astros Player Development Department has named April's Minor League Pitchers and Players of the Month at each of their four in-season minor league affiliates. These awards are chosen every month by the field staff of each team.

At Triple A Oklahoma City, RHP Jarred Cosart was named Pitcher of the Month after posting a 3-0 record and a 2.63 ERA (8ER/27.1IP) in six games (five starts) for the RedHawks. He allowed just a .190 (19x100) opponent's batting average and led the club with 29 strikeouts in his 27.1 innings pitched. IF Marc Krauss was named the RedHawks Player of the Month after hitting .333 (26x78) with five doubles, six home runs and 25 RBI in 23 games in April. Krauss ranks tied for first among all Astros minor leaguers in RBI and ranks seventh in the Pacific Coast League in that category.

RHP Asher Wojciechowski was named Double A Corpus Christi's Pitcher of the Month after going 2-1 with a save and a 2.08 ERA (6ER/26IP) in six games (three starts) for the Hooks. He allowed just 17 hits and seven walks in his 26.0 innings for a 0.92 WHIP, which ranked sixth in the Texas League. OF George Springer earned Player of the Month honors after posting a .297 (27x91) average, with eight doubles, eight home runs and 20 RBI in 25 games in April. He leads all Astros minor leaguers in home runs and ranks tied for first in the Texas League in home runs and third in OPS (.398OBP/.625SLG).

LHP Luis Cruz earned Class A Lancaster Pitcher of the Month honors after compiling a 1-1 record with one save and a 3.47 ERA (9ER/23.1IP) in six games (three starts). Drafted by Houston out of Puerto Rico in the ninth round of the June 2008 Draft, Cruz fanned 30 hitters in 23.1 inning pitched in April. Lancaster's Player of the Month went to SS Nolan Fontana, who leads all Astros minor leaguers with a .508 on-base percentage. In April, Fontana hit .365 (31x85) with 22 runs scored, seven doubles, two homers and 19 RBI in 24 games for the JetHawks. Fontana leads the California League in walks (27) and runs scored (24), while ranking second in OBP and third in hits.

A second-round draft pick by Houston in the June 2010 draft, RHP Vince Velasquez went 3-0 with two saves and a 2.45 ERA (7ER/25.2IP) in six games (three starts) en route to being named Class A Quad Cities Pitcher of the Month. Velasquez had 31 strikeouts in 25.2 innings pitched last month, while allowing just a .156 (14x90) opponent's batting average. OF Teoscar Hernandez was named the club's Player of the Month after hitting .297 (27x91) with 18 runs scored, seven doubles, 12 RBI and eight stolen bases in 21 games. Hernandez leads the River Bandits in runs scored, hits, doubles, triples (3) and steals.

The Astros four active minor league affiliates have combined to post a 61-40 (.604) record, which ranks second out of all Major League organizations. Each affiliate is over .500, and three of the four are currently in first place in their divisions.