WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Former Astros Minor League Pitcher of the Year Brady Rodgers headlined the first round of spring training cuts Wednesday morning.

In eight spring innings, Rodgers permitted 15 hits — two were home runs — and five earned runs. Rodgers and Francis Martes, who underwent Tommy John surgery last August, were each optioned to minor league camp.

Manager A.J. Hinch selected Rodgers to start Houston's Grapefruit League opener on Feb. 23 as a reward for his recovery from Tommy John surgery in 2017.

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“He’s got some work to do,” Hinch said Wednesday. “There’s the health component, getting himself back and pitching every five or six days. And then, obviously, he has to learn to disrupt timing a little bit more. He’s got good stuff across the board, he can use any pitch at any time, now he has to learn to use them a little bit more effectively against better hitters.”

In 2016, Rodgers — a Lamar Consolidated graduate — posted a 2.86 ERA at Class AAA Fresno before making his major league debut that September.

Pitchers Erasmo Pinales, Jose Hernandez and Ryan Hartman, along with catcher Lorenzo Quintana, were the non-roster invitees reassigned to minor league camp. All Houston minor leaguers reported to West Palm Beach earlier this week to begin camp.

Fifty-five players remain in major league spring training.

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