The greased-lightning ascent of Seth Beer through the Houston Astros’ system is unprecedented. Drafted out of Clemson in the first round (28th overall) of the 2018 MLB Draft, Beer mugged and slugged his way through three levels of Houston’s affiliates last year.

His multi-level rise in the 2018 season saw the 22-year-old hit a combined .304, hitting 12 home runs in 67 games.

The Astros showed their appreciation by promoting Beer, May 16, to their Double-A Texas League Corpus Christi Hooks, after he hit .328 with eight doubles, nine home runs, and 34 RBIs in 35 games for Houston’s new Carolina League Advanced-A Fayetteville Woodpeckers.

“Yippee! Oh, Wait… What?”

While Beer has every reason to bend a celebratory elbow at his nearest IPA vendor, this promotion only brings him closer to the inevitable logjam that is the Astros’ upper minor league system, and of course, the big league team itself.

“Thanks a lot, ‘Stros,” he might be thinking, although far be it from me to get inside a Beer’s head.

“Power-Hitting Baby Astros For $200, Alex”

Most Astro fans, today, if asked about the left-handed power hitter possessing limited defensive prowess who’s close to the brink of his MLB debut, would answer AAA Round Rock Express slugger “Yordan Alvarez,” about whom much has been written in this space.

While that’s the correct answer, a trip to the bonus round would reveal that the same description exists for the slightly smaller 6’3″, 195-pound Beer. Like the lurking 6’5″, 225-pound Alvarez, Beer is labeled a “defensive project” in the Houston system and both have spent virtually equal time in left field, DH, and first base, positions teams are discouraged from displaying athletically gifted gazelles.

It could be said that each will reach the big leagues in spite of their defense (a mirror image might be Houston’s fleet fly-catcher Jake Marisnick, who’s been very bat forward lately, keeping a spot on the roster in spite of his offense).

A Depth Chart Filled With Depth Charges

Yuli Gurriel isn’t going anywhere too soon. He’s signed through 2020, his age 36 year. While he regularly plays first base, he’s seen time at all the infield positions.

DH isn’t a slam dunk spot on the Astros, as manager AJ Hinch prefers a revolving door, using the lineup place-holder as a “rest spot” for his regulars to rotate through, relieving wear and tear on their legs.

If When Alvarez is promoted, Houston’s crowded outfield is no more welcoming than the infield.

It’s possible Beer’s promotion was brought about by the rumbling rumors that the Alvarez call-up is imminent (as well as the former’s performance, of course). So imminent, could Beer’s promotion from Corpus to AAA Round Rock follow Alvarez’s promotion… say, around late June?

If so, the time, theoretically, that Beer spends in Corpus (and the possible July in Round Rock), added to that same month spent in Houston by Alvarez might give the Astros a chance to parade both in front of the eager eyes of opposing GMs for a possible July 31 trade deadline deal.

That would relieve the logjam of similar power-hitting, glove-deficient players, while also bringing Houston a potential veteran starter for the stretch run, if I’m not getting too far ahead of GM Jeff Luhnow’s wish list.

Astros Over-Served?

Believe it or not, another Beer clone is brewing further below: JJ Matijevic, a 2017 second-round, left-handed power hitting draft pick from Arizona. Matijevic had started 2019 at Corpus Christi, and his recent departure from the Hooks may have also been a factor in Beer’s recent promotion.

Also anchored at the positions shared by Beer and Alvarez –1B, LF, and DH– Matijevic is currently serving a 50-game suspension from Corpus for a second positive test for a “drug of abuse,” imposed in late April.

Congratulations, Seth, on the promotion, but a roller coaster awaits you for the rest of the ride, I’m afraid.

Better hope your ride through the system is charging ahead fast enough and powerful enough to crash through the wall to Houston.