Astros' Jon Singleton passes through waivers unclaimed

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Still owed $4.5 million on the five-year, $10 million extension he signed in 2014, Jon Singleton passed through waivers unclaimed and will remain with the Astros as a Class AAA player.

Singleton, once the organization's top prospect, was one of two players the Astros officially removed from their 40-man roster on Tuesday. Infielder Nolan Fontana was the other; he was claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Angels.

The Astros' 40-man roster stands at 37 players, a number that will climb to 38 once their signing of free agent corner outfielder Josh Reddick is official. The team's four-year, $52 deal with Reddick is pending a physical.

Singleton did not appear in the majors last season. He failed to win the wide-open first baseman job out of spring training last March and spent all year in the Pacific Coast League, where he batted .202 with 20 home runs and a .728 OPS in 410 at-bats.

Singleton, 25, will make $2 million in each of the next two seasons before the Astros can buy out his contract for $500,000 in the 2018-19 offseason. He is the only piece of the 2011 Hunter Pence trade to the Phillies still with the organization.