Michael Papierski #26

Last name is pronounced "puh-PEER-skee"... Team captain helped lead Lemont High School (IL) to the 2014 3A Illinois State Championship as a senior...batted .410 in 2014 with 12 doubles, eight homers, 42 runs, 30 RBI, 13 steals and a .543 on-base percentage...was a 2013 & 2014 All-Area and All-State selection...drafted in the 16th round of the 2014 draft by Toronto but did not sign... Elected to attend LSU, where he played three years, combining to hit .246 (79x320) with 12 HR and 64 RBI in 140 career games...twice played in the College World Series (2015, 2017), advancing all the way to the Finals in 2017 (second-place finish)...was teammates with 3B Alex Bregman in 2015, a team that finished fifth in the rankings... Drafted by Houston in the ninth round of the June 2017 draft...signed by Astros scout Travis Coleman... Was an NRI at Astros Spring Training for the second consecutive season in 2022...was not an NRI in 2020, although he did get an invite to 2020 Summer Camp, spent the 2020 season at the club's alternate training site and was on the Astros Postseason Eligible 40-man roster.

2021

Was an NRI for the first time in his career in 2021, appearing in five games and going 2x6 at Astros Spring Training...began his season at the Astros ATS and later at Triple-A Sugar Land for the regular season...spent his entire campaign with the Skeeters, hitting .246 (82x333) with 18 doubles, seven homers, 46 RBI and a .379 OBP in 103 games... made 62 starts at catcher, 27 at first base and 11 at DH...made several road trips with the Major League club as a member of the Taxi Squad and was on the club's Postseason Taxi Squad.

2020

Did not play in an official game in 2020 due to the COVID-19 shutdown...began the year at minor league Spring Training and played in one game with the Astros as a call-up...after the shutdown, was added to the Astros 60-man Player Pool and spent the remainder of his season at the Astros alternate training site...was also on the club's Postseason Eligible 40-man roster.

2019

Had his best offensive season in 2019 with Class A Fayetteville, hitting .233 (87x374) with a .351 OBP... committed just one error in 771 total chances and caught 23 attempting basestealers (29%).