Graduated from Patrick Henry High School (Hamler, OH) in 2006...earned Mizuno All- Ohio recognition twice...was a three-time all-state selection in football and also played basketball. Attended Ohio University and played for three seasons from 2007-09...named to the Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America Team, and was named the MAC Freshman of the Year in 2007...received First Team All-MAC honors in 2007 and 2008. In 2009, broke Ohio Univerisity's single season home run record with 27 and led the nation in home runs per game (0.51)...became the first player in school history to be named the MAC Player of the Year ...named First-Team All-American by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, Baseball America and the ABCA. Drafted by Arizona in the second round of the 2009 draft...signed by Diamondbacks scout Frankie Thon. IN THE COMMUNITY: During his time in the Majors in 2013, participated in multiple 'Sunshine Kids' meet and greet sessions with pediatric cancer patients and their family members...the Sunshine Kids is a nonprofit organization dedicated to children with cancer...the Astros have supported the organization since the '80s...Astros legend Craig Biggio is the Sunshine Kids national spokesperson and has been a supporter of the organization for decades. Took four classes this fall towards finishing up his journalism degree at Ohio University...he and his wife Kelcey had their first baby on Nov. 22...baby Ava joins the Krauss' puggle Riley, who they've had for three years. Joined the Astros organization on July 29, 2012, as part of the return in the Chris Johnson trade...is currently signed to a one year contract that runs through 2014...was added to the 40-man roster after getting selected from Triple A on June 20, 2013.
2013
Played in 52 games in what was the first Major League action of his career...had two stints with the Astros ... led the club in pinch hits (4x14) and pitches per plate appearance (4.55)...played 18 games in LF, 15 at DH, nine in RF and two at 1B ... started the year at Triple A Oklahoma City before getting selected to the Major League roster on June 20...played in 32 games with the Astros and was optioned back to Triple A on Aug. 18...was recalled back to Houston on Sept. 4...over his last 17 games of the season, hit .286 (14x49) with six doubles, one homer, a .364 OBP and a .469 SLG...hit .281 (71x253) with 16 doubles, 10 homers, 39 RBI and an .880 OPS (.401 OBP/.478 SLG) in 78 games with Triple A Oklahoma City ... was named the Pacific Coast League Player of the Week on April 22.
2012
Played on three teams, at two levels for two organizations and hit a combined .271 (117x432) with 31
doubles, 20 home runs and 79 RBI, for Double A Mobile (104g), Double A Corpus Christi (7g) and Triple A
Oklahoma City (22g)...started the season playing four months in Mobile before he was traded to the Astros
and assigned to Corpus Christi, where he spent a week before he was advanced to Oklahoma City for the final
month of the season...hit .326 (28x86) in June for Mobile with nine extra-base hits and 11 RBI and boasted
an OPS of more than .900 from April to June...named a Southern League Midseason and Postseason All-
Star...named the Southern League Player of the Week for April 23-30...hit .414 (12x29) in his seven games
in Corpus Christi with two doubles, five home runs, 16 RBI and an OPS of 1.514...named the Texas League
Player of the Week for July 30-August 6...spent the final 22 games of the season in Oklahoma City where he
played both left and right field, making no errors...
2011
Hit .242 (105-for-433) with 25 doubles, 6 triples, 16 home runs and 65 RBI in 125 games in his first season with Double-A Mobile...was named to the Southern League midseason All-Star Team...Ranked fifth in the SL in walks (64) and tied for seventh in triples...Made 56 appearances in right field, 53 in left and 13 as designated hitter...entered the season rated by Baseball America as the No. 5 Prospect in the D-backs' organization prior to the season and No. 6 by MLB.com.
2010
His 138 games played for Single-A Visalia tied for second in the California League, while his 107 runs scored tied for third...Hit .297 (44-for-148) with 8 doubles, 2 triples, 4 home runs and 63 RBI with runners in scoring position...Hit .329 (52-for-158) with 32 runs scored, 15 doubles, 2 triples, 6 homers and 26 RBI against left-handed pitchers...Named the organization's Player of the Month for April after batting .352 (25-for-71) with 19 runs scored, 3 doubles, 2 triples, 4 home runs and 11 RBI in 20 games...Named to the Cal League Postseason All-Star team...Hit .521 (37-for-71) with 9 doubles, 7 home runs and 26 RBI during a season-long 16-game hitting streak from June 17-July 6, which tied for the eighth longest such streak in the league...Collected a season-high 4 hits on two occasions, June 29 vs. San Jose and July 1 vs. Stockton...also plated a season-high 5 runs on June 29...Garnered Cal League Player of the Week honors for June 28-July 4...Hit .298 (25-for-84) with 5 doubles, a triple, 4 home runs and 23 RBI in 22 games with the Scottsdale Scorpions of the Arizona Fall League following the season.
2009
Spent the entire season with Single-A South Bend...Hit .306 (30-for-98) with 10 doubles, a triple, 2 homers and 13 RBI against right-handed pitchers...Made his professional debut on June 17 vs. Great Lakes, going 1-for-3 with a double and run scored...Opened the season with an 8-game hitting streak, batting .321 (9-for-28)...Hit his first career homer on July 7 @ Lancaster and finished 3-for-4 with 2 RBI and 2 runs scored...Plated a season-high 3 runs on July 4 @ Lancaster...Placed on the disabled list on July 30 with a bone spur in his right ankle and missed the remainder of the season.
