Corpus Christi Hooks Media Guide 2018 Corpus Christi Hooks Media Guide | Page 125

HOOKS IN THE MAJORS Right-hander Mike Hauschild, a 33rd-round pick of the Astros in 2012, was selected by the Rangers in the Major League phase of last year’s Rule 5 Draft. Hauschild made four appearances for Texas before being returned to Houston. The University of Dayton product went 6-2 with a 4.58 ERA and .252 opponent batting average in 18 starts with Fresno to close out the season. Second baseman Nolan Fontana and right-handed pitcher Troy Scribner both had brief stints with the Los Angeles Angels in 2017. Scribner, signed by Houston as a non-drafted free agent in 2013, won two of his three decisions and held the opposition to a .195 batting average over 10 MLB appearances. Arcenio Leon, who authored 10 saves for Triple-A Toledo, broke into the bigs May 28, and pitched scoreless ball in four of his six appearances with Detroit. In addition to the 2017 debuts, former Hooks made a significant impact in the Majors last season. Jose Altuve shared Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year honors with Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt. Altuve was also the American League MVP, leading the Astros to their first World Series Championship in franchise history. He won his third career and second consecutive batting title, hitting .346 with an AL-best 204 knocks. Altuve is the first player in Major League history to be the outright hits leader in his league for four consecutive seasons. The five-time all-star was named the Sporting News Player of the Year, the Baseball America MLB Player of the Year, the 2017 AL Hank Aaron Award winner, and the winner of two MLBPA Players Choice Awards for the Major League Player of the Year and the AL Most Outstanding Player. Altuve also took home his fourth consecutive Silver Slugger award. George Springer became the second consecutive Corpus Christi alum to win World Series MVP. Ben Zobrist of the Cubs earned the award in 2016. After going 0-for-4 with four strikeouts in Game 1 of the 2017 Fall Classic, Springer rebounded by hitting .379 with three doubles, five home runs and seven RBIs, becoming just the third player to hit five homers in a single World Series, joining Reggie Jackson (Yankees, 1977) and Chase Utley (Phillies, 2009). Springer set records for extra-base hits (8) and total bases (29), while going deep in four consecutive games, a feat no player has done before within a single World Series. Springer was one of six former Hooks who made the AL All-Star Team, joining fellow starters Altuve and Carlos Correa, and pitchers Chris Devenski, Dallas Keuchel, and Lance McCullers, Jr. This marked the highest Astros all-star representation in a single season in franchise history. Prior to 2017, only eight players in Major League history had hit three home runs in a single postseason game. This fall, two former Hooks managed the feat. Altuve turned the trick in Game 1 of the ALDS vs. Boston. Meanwhile, Dodgers utilityman Enrique Hernandez slugged three home runs in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series against the Cubs. His seven RBIs that night at Wrigley also matched a postseason record. George Springer 125