Kent Emanuel #64

Graduated from Woodstock HS in Georgia in 2010...was all-county, all-region and all-state as a senior...also played basketball...Was selected by Pittsburgh in the 19th round of the 2010 MLB Draft but did not sign, opting to attend the University of North Carolina... Went 28-8 with a 2.34 ERA (87ER/334.1IP) in 54 career games (47 starts) in three years at UNC...as a junior, became the third Tar Heel in school history to win ACC Pitcher of the Year honors, joining Alex White (2008) and Andrew Miller (2006)...was a Dick Howser Trophy and Golden Spikes Award finalist... 28 wins set a school record over a pitcher's first three seasons... Pitched in the 2013 Astros Foundation College Classic at Minute Maid Park and was named to the All-Tournament Team...Selected by the Astros in the third round of the 2013 MLB Draft...signed by Astros scout Tim Bittner... Was added to the 40-man roster on Nov. 4, 2019...is signed to a one-year contract through 2020.

2019

Spent the entire 2019 season at Triple A Round Rock in what was one of the his best professional seasons...posted an 8-2 record with a 3.90 ERA (44ER/101.2IP) with 81 strikeouts...recorded a .254 opponent batting average, which was the lowest of his career..he also posted a career-low WHIP (1.19) allowing 98 hits in 28 games including seven starts...ranked second in inning pitched, tied for second in WHIP and third in games played among Round Rock pitchers...was named Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week for the week of Sept. 2, after tossing 8.0 innings of one-hit baseball.

2018

Pitched the entire year at Triple A Fresno and set a career-best mark in strikeouts per 9.0 innings, posting a 9.25 mark (86SO/83.2IP) ...had never eclipsed a strikeout per 9.0 innings ratio above 8.0 in his career prior to 2018...pitched to a 5-4 record and a 5.59 ERA (52ER/83.2IP) with the Grizzlies.