WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — By 8:30 a.m., the contents of Kyle Tucker’s locker had been cleared out, down to the “Ted” nameplate atop his stall. A clubhouse attendant folded his chair and tucked it inside. For the Astros’ best position player prospect, Sunday morning marked the end of his time in major league camp.
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Tucker settled into a new locker on the minor league side of the team’s spring training complex, where he will spend the next week. The purpose of inviting him to camp was always to expose him to his future coaches and teammates, not for the 21-year-old outfielder to compete for a spot on the opening day roster. But in his month with the Astros, he left “a very, very positive impression,” manager A.J. Hinch said.
“He’s going to be a part of this team, and he’s going to be a big part of our future,” general manager Jeff Luhnow said. “He had a terrific spring, but our plan from the very beginning was that he was going to go back and spend a little more time in the minors and wait for his opportunity. Whether he forces it or whether it develops, he’s certainly a premier talent and he’s going to help us. And I think it’s probably going to be this year.”
The timeline for Tucker’s arrival will depend on an array of factors, his and Derek Fisher’s performances chief among them. Fisher is expected to make the Astros’ opening day roster despite a .194/.333/.361 line in 36 Grapefruit League at-bats and share left field with super utility man Marwin Gonzalez and Josh Reddick, their primary right fielder. Whether Fisher will hit enough to stick in the majors remains to be seen.
Luhnow said the Astros have yet to decide if Tucker will begin the minor league season in Triple A or back in Double A, where he played the final three months of last season. It’s more likely to be the latter considering he has yet to master Texas League pitching. Tucker will accompany the Astros to Houston to participate in their March 26 and 27 exhibition games against the Brewers, and from there it’s only a three-to-four hour car ride to Corpus Christi.
Tucker played a considerable amount in his first big league camp, especially early in Grapefruit League action. In 39 at-bats overall, he compiled a .410/.429/.795 line with four home runs, a double and a triple. “He’s a stud,” said third baseman Alex Bregman, a fellow 2015 draftee. Once his teammates learned that his left-handed swing had drawn comparisons to Ted Williams, Tucker also attracted a nickname that’s likely not going away anytime soon.
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“On the field is obvious, the numbers and the impact that he had, especially early in the camp,” Hinch said. “But how he conducted himself, how he blended in with a primarily established team was pretty cool to see.”
In the minors, the Astros want Tucker to get more experience facing left-handed pitchers. They also plan to expose him to more play in left field, which on a roster with George Springer and Reddick offers his clearest path to playing time the majors. He’s played mostly center field and right field in his two full professional seasons, and he projects as a corner outfielder long term.
“The pace of play here is a little bit faster, and I think that’s something that opened his eyes,” Hinch said. “Whether it’s small details like getting the ball to the cutoff man a little faster when the ball’s off the wall to how we shift and how he plays in the outfield, I think it’s just a general step forward in a couple different areas before he’s ready.”
Tucker was one of five players sent to the minor league side Sunday morning. He was joined by outfielder Jon Kemmer, infielder Jack Mayfield, catcher Garrett Stubbs and right-hander Francis Martes, who the Astros will continue to develop as a starter in Triple A. They have 33 players left in major league camp.
“Obviously we’ll see how it goes throughout the year, but my guess is that there will be an opportunity that will present itself this year,” Luhnow said of Tucker. “A.J. and I both are committed to putting the best team on the field this year. If that means calling up a young player from Double A or Triple A, we’ll make that happen.”
(Top photo of Tucker: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)