Congratulations, Derek, for being promoted to Houston, June 14, 2017! A.J. Hinch calls you the best player in the Pacific Coast League! Your patience paid off!

In his 60 games for Triple-A Fresno starting 2017, Fisher was hitting .335 with 16 home runs, 45 RBIs and 13 stolen bases. He had a .401 OBP and was slugging .608 for a 1.010 OPS. Fisher had hit safely in 16 of his last 17 games, and led the Grizzlies with 25 multi-hit games.

Related: Astros 2.0? Fresno’s Lineup Could Be Houston’s in 2018 (featuring Fisher)

Several stories are lurking here: 1) Houston’s #4-ranked prospect, OF Derek Fisher, all but set land speed records on the basepaths in the Astros’ spring games; 2) The Astros had what looked like a new speed dimension to go with their promising power, and slightly-tweaked pitching staff; 3) Looming larger, though, is the eye-popping story that, despite his 11-for-11 stolen base numbers in 42 spring ABs, Fisher did not make the Opening Day roster when the team broke Florida camp late Wednesday, March 29.

Fisher was the first Astros player with double-digit steals in a Spring Training since Michael Bourn pilfered 13 eight years ago.

“From last year to this year I’ve been working hard on it,” the 23-year-old Fisher said recently from the Astros’ West Palm Beach camp, adding that he’s, “less tense, playing looser and not second-guessing his reads.”

Astros manager A.J. Hinch described the left-hand hitting outfielder as “dynamic on the bases” with “a very quick first step.”

“He’s picked up on a lot of cues,” Hinch said. “He’s taken some of the things we’ve worked on the back fields into game action.”

And, did I mention he hit .310 with 12 runs scored, 13 RBIs, and a .958 OPS? Fisher’s 3-run homer ended the game with the Marlins in the bottom of the 9th in a 5-5 tie, Wednesday the 29th. The Astros left Florida, then, with a 14-14-3 record.

Lest you think Hinch is being unnecessarily cruel, another optimistic story (#4) is simply the stacked deck the Astros will deal when they ante up against the M’s on Opening Day, April 3.

It’s not every year an overachieving youngster has absolutely no chance to crack an already set Houston lineup (and deep bench) out of camp.

Related: Derek Fisher in Astros Bizarro World (discover a little-known fact of where Fisher almost ended up in a trade from Houston)

Fisher will begin his 2017 in AAA Fresno, where he spent about the last fifth of 2016, turning in a solid .290 BA in 107 ABs, with 8 doubles, 5 homers, and of course, a spotless 5 stolen bases in 5 attempts.

The opening four-fifths of ’16 were spent in Houston’s Double-A Corpus Christi, and while his BA was underwhelming at .245, Fisher’s unique combination of power and speed were, nonetheless, on full Texas League display: In 371 ABs, the 6’3″, 205-pound Fisher whacked 13 doubles, 4 triples, and 16 homers. He stole 23 of 30 bases, to boot.

The 20-20 Club

Fisher is the only minor league player who has accumulated 20 stolen bases and 20 home runs in each of the past two years (2015-’16).

Fisher was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 2011 draft out of Cedar Crest High School (Lebanon, PA), but elected to attend college. He became a first-rounder in the 2014 draft for the Astros (37th overall) out of Virginia.

In his abbreviated three years at UVA (a broken hamate bone in early ’14 kept him out of many games before the June draft), Fisher hit .281 in 155 games. Thirty doubles, 12 triples, and 17 homers showed his power, while his 17 steals in 28 attempts (61%) only hinted at his speed potential.

Jake May Be Hearing Footsteps

Fisher can offer so much to the Astros, with both bat and feet, expect him to be called up immediately following either an outfielder injury, or if more dynamism is desired over the heretofore lazy bat of OF Jake Marisnick.

No one can match Jake’s outfield speed in running down flies (except possibly Fisher, who played all three OF positions March 28). No one can match Marisnick’s speed on the bases (except possibly Fisher).

If Jake can’t improve his OBP (ML career .268, compared to Fisher’s MiLB career .368), it might not take a vivid imagination to picture Marisnick departing Houston on a trade wagon, while Fisher ends up being penciled in as a starter, or viable option off the bench. Soon.

Fisher-Related Story #5:

Oh, and one more story is coming out of the Fisher-has-arrived Spring Training: White Sox GM Rick Hahn has no doubt added Fisher to the pallet of prospects he’ll expect in return for lefty starter Jose Quintana.

Rumors for months have linked the ‘Stros to the coveted pitcher, but asking for such hot property as Joe Musgrove, Frances Martes, and Kyle Tucker has been deemed too high a price for Houston GM, Jeff Luhnow.

Related: With Full House, Astros to Play Hand As Is, Minus Ace (Quintana, et al)

Even if Hahn says, “Who?” at the mention of the fleet Astro’s name, Derek Fisher has now put himself on the “hey-whaddabout-him?” list of many MLB teams.

Related: “Astros Have Charlie Morton, Don’t Need Quintana,” Said No One Ever. ‘Til Now