LAS VEGAS — Two and a half miles from baseball’s offseason summit, where the Astros are mulling whether Kyle Tucker is their immediate answer in left field, the 21-year-old outfielder entered the colorful Rio Casino and Hotel. Tucker toted a backpack while wearing a gray hoodie and his familiar wide smile.

The best position player prospect in Houston’s fertile farm system traversed the casino floor and stopped at “The Wall,” a gaming lounge full of neon lights, large computers and all the accoutrements that comprise a comprehensive Esports experience.

Tucker played on his PlayStation — not a computer or laptop, like many of his peers who’ve made Fortnite a household name. He has thought of investing in a large, comfy gaming chair for his home.

“I’m not like insane,” Tucker said. “I just play.”

Tucker won a qualifying tournament with a partner — former A’s farmhand Brett Vertigan — putting the duo in Tuesday’s Esports Challenge Invitational, a 32-man field of video gaming baseball players headlined by American League Cy Young winner Blake Snell.

It manifested into a four-day offseason excursion for Tucker and his girlfriend. Sunday, the couple wanted only to view the aquarium at Mandalay Bay. Unintentionally, they walked into the middle of winter meetings mania.

Three years ago, Tucker happily attended the winter meetings at the Opryland in Nashville to accept Baseball America’s High School Player of the Year honor.

His path since is well-chronicled: a swift ascent up the Astros organization with a lefthanded swing some liken to that of Ted Williams.

The Astros called Tucker up in July with hopes of making him a mainstay for a playoff run. He hit .141 in 72 major league plate appearances, earning two separate demotions and a spot at home during Houston’s run to the American League Championship Series.

“I watched something … I forgot who it was — I think it may have been a Derek Jeter thing or something,” Tucker said Monday. “When he first came up, he was in awe that he was playing with all these guys and stuff. I kind of felt like that.

“Last year was really cool. I tried — obviously, I wasn’t going out there not trying — but I was a little in awe of all the stuff. This year, I don’t care who I’m going to play against. I’m going to go out there and do well.”

The prodigious power that carried Tucker through the minor leagues disappeared in his brief major league exposure. Teams aggressively shifted him from the moment of his arrival. Tucker did not drive the baseball into the gaps or through the vacated spots on the field.

In his 72 plate appearances, Tucker hit ground balls at a 49 percent rate. His ground-ball rate never eclipsed 35 percent in his stints at high Class A, Class AA and Class AAA. Tucker managed three extra-base hits in the majors. He totaled 54 at Class AAA.

“I didn’t feel overpowered or the (pitcher) was just beating me every single time,” Tucker said. “I felt fine in the box. It’s nothing that seemed foreign to me, and I didn’t feel uncomfortable. I hit a lot of ground balls, but I did do that a lot in the beginning of the (minor league) season.”

Tucker’s troubles extended beyond mechanics or plate presence. He acknowledged Monday struggling with an often unthought of adjustment in preparation and pregame readiness. Tucker likened the minor leagues to “summer ball” — “just go out, play, have fun and do well,” he said. The clubhouse of a pennant-chasing major league club did not exactly produce the same effect.

“I noticed at Triple-A you kind of just come in there, do a little work and wait for the game to play,” Tucker said. “At the big leagues, you’re at the field a lot longer, kind of have to keep yourself busy and get ready for the game.

“A lot of guys get ready real early. They do a lot of extra homework and stuff that we don’t do in Triple-A. We kind of just go out there and play. There’s little things like that — watching some video, doing a little bit of homework — that they do which really helps.”

Tucker said that throughout his season, he “did not feel as comfortable” in the outfield defensively. Reading fly balls off the bat was a problem, he said. Tucker made two errors in 21 chances as a major league left fielder and perhaps was too passive in how he manned the position.

“I’m going to try to go out a lot more,” Tucker said. “If I have an opportunity to dive, I’ll dive, try to make something happen. I know if (George) Springer is in center or whoever, they’ll be behind me to back me up if I miss it. I want to go out and make some plays for (Justin) Verlander and (Gerrit) Cole, whoever else is pitching, try to help them out.”

Tucker is training in his hometown of Tampa. His offseason goal is simple: to get “as big as possible.” Tucker stands 6-4 and said Monday he is up to 205 pounds — an 11-pound gain from his listed weight last season. There is room for 10 more pounds, Tucker said.

He will not start baseball-related activities until January, in preparation for spring training.

One year ago, as a non-roster invitee, Tucker opened eyes with a torrid display. This coming February, he will arrive at West Palm Beach, Fla., with all eyes on him.

Between him and Tony Kemp, there is hope an internal option can fill the space free agent Marwin Gonzalez is vacating in left field — though general manager Jeff Luhnow has not ruled out seeking a veteran presence to join them.

Luhnow and the Astros’ front office contingent did not arrive in Las Vegas until Monday afternoon, and the team did not conduct any media availability.

“I just treat it the same as last year,” Tucker said. “There’s a spot open, but I’m not going to try any harder or any less. I’m just going to try to do the same thing. I know I’m a good baseball player, and I want to try to get my opportunities and do well with them.

“I’m just going into this next season trying to do a lot of damage.”

chandler.rome@chron.com

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