East County Sports

Former Foothiller Musgrove is Astros’ prospect of year

2016 Local Baseball Pros

 

By Bill Dickens

© EastCountySports.com

HOUSTON (9-30-15) — The Houston Astros had a pretty special event lined up for former Grossmont High standout pitcher JOE MUSGROVE earlier this month, naming him Houston’s minor league pitching prospect of the year.

 

Musgrove’s stats for the 2015 season were a 12-1 record, 1.88 ERA, and more impressive, only 8 walks and 99 strikeouts in 100.2 innings pitched.

 

The Astros flew Musgrove and a guest to Houston with accommodations and dinner at the Diamond Club. He spent the day with the Big League ball players, signed autographs for a half hour on the field, watched the Texas Rangers/Astros game and was presented his award on the field.

 

Musgrove, a 6-5, 255-pounder, was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the supplemental 1st round (46th) of the 2011 MLB June Amateur Draft from Grossmont High.

 

He was traded to Houston as part of an 11-player trade between the Blue Jays and the Astros in July 2012. He posted a forgettable 4.41 ERA in rookie ball in 2013 but logged an impressive 30-to-4 ratio of strikeouts to walks in 30 innings.

 

Musgrove is no soft tosser, peaking at 97 mph and steadily working in the low 90s. That’s why he’s been able to progressively climb the minor league ladder. He pitched to three levels this season – low A Quad Cities River Bandits, high A Lancaster JetHawks and concluded the season at AA Corpus Christi Hooks.

 

His composite minor league record is 21-7.

 

All things considered Musgrove has a makeup for a Major League closer. His pitching numbers rival those of the National League Western Division champion Dodgers’ Kenley Jansen.

 

To those of the Astros coaching circle, Musgroves’ numbers have been called “gaudy.”

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