Astros add Aplin, Fontana to 40-man roster

HOUSTON, TX - The Houston Astros have added outfielder Andrew Aplin and infielder Nolan Fontana to their 40-man roster in preparation for the 2015 Rule 5 Draft. Additionally, the Astros designated outfielder L.J. Hoes for assignment. The announcement was made by Astros General Manager Jeff Luhnow.

The deadline to protect players from the Rule 5 Draft was tonight at 7 p.m. CT.

Aplin, 24, played in 105 games between Triple A Fresno (74g) and Double A Corpus Christi (31g) in 2015, batting .296 (100x338) with 32 stolen bases and a .413 on-base percentage. A fifth-round pick by the Astros in the 2012 draft, Aplin has been named an All-Star three times in his minor league career, and owns a .284 (443x1558) batting average and .385 on-base percentage in 427 career games in the minors.

Fontana, 24, played in 117 games at Triple A Fresno in 2015, making 52 starts at shortstop, 30 starts at second base and 23 starts at third base while posting a .369 on-base percentage and 21 doubles. A second-round pick by the Astros in the 2012 draft, Fontana owns a .409 on-base percentage in 336 career games in the minor leagues.

Hoes, 25, batted .267 (4x15) in eight games for the Astros in 2015. He spent the majority of the season at Triple A Fresno, where he hit .295 (109x370) in 99 games. Hoes was acquired from Baltimore along with LHP Josh Hader and a 2014 Competitive Balance Round A pick (OF Derek Fisher) in exchange for RHP Bud Norris and international pool space on July 31, 2013.

Earlier this afternoon, the Astros added catcher Alfredo Gonzalez and right-handed pitchers Jandel Gustave, Juan Minaya, Joe Musgrove and David Paulino to the 40-man roster.

Following today's moves, the Astros 40-man roster is now full at 40 players.

-ASTROS-