Congratulations, Kyle, on your promotion to the Astros, July 7!

UPDATE: Congratulations to Myles, on your call-up to the ‘Stros, September 15!

The very notion may warrant confiscation of my Astros Buddies Club card, but numbers, need, and common sense merge to suggest the next significant position player call-up to the Houston Astros may just be Triple-A prospect Myles Straw, instead of top-ranked phenom Kyle Tucker, currently debilitating PCL pitchers at AAA Fresno. Straw was promoted from Double-A Corpus Christi (Texas League) June 16.

Fans and pundits alike have been rendered breathless when considering the promotion of the sweet-swinging, slugging Tucker, and with good reason. He’s a genuine sure thing player: Finally, a convergence of expert scouting and resultant projection, coupled with the can’t-miss tools and exciting future even a headless fan couldn’t deny. Baseball America even bumped him up a spot on their Top 100 Prospect list, June 1. He now rests comfortably at #13.

Myles Straw is nowhere to be found on their list, of course, so unsexy and untrumpeted is his ascension, at least nationally. But, he is ranked #20 on the organization’s Top 30, per MLB Pipeline. Tucker, of course, is the Astros’ #1, having just leap-frogged the current #2, pitcher Forrest Whitley.

Related: ‘Stro Wars: The Phantom Menace: Myles Straw’s 2 Legs Have 1 Job in Playoffs

“Ted” Talk

Kyle Tucker is not Jon Singleton. He’s not AJ Reed. He’s not going to be someone who wilts upon his first step out of the Minute Maid Park dugout. He is well-known for possessing a measured, easy-going, take-it-as-it-comes demeanor, a perfect companion piece to his obvious baseball talent.

Most baseball fans can bring to mind any number of hot-headed, irrational ballplayers from the past who, when called “Ted” in spring training, would fly into a glove-hurling rage demanding to be called by his given name. Of course, Kyle’s Astros teammates meant the nickname as a term of respectful endearment, alluding to Tucker’s remarkable left-handed swing, reminiscent of Hall of Fame great Ted Williams’. Houston’s 2015 first-round draft pick took it all in “aw shucks” stride.

Still, Astros brass will, nevertheless, want to handle Tucker’s MLB debut with aplomb, careful timing, and kid gloves, and no one would blame them. He’s a baked-in franchise player almost out of the oven. No point in rushing the timer, only to risk an unfinished product, mushy in the middle.

Related: Kyle Tucker Call-Up Countdown Begins

No-Rake Jake

At press time, Astros outfielders Derek Fisher and Josh Reddick were both in various stages of disability, for who knows how long. The unproductive Jake Marisnick has been getting more playing time as a result and has been nothing short of offensive, meaning only that his hitting has, bluntly, stunk.

In his last 30 games, he’s even been hitting below “the Marisnick line,” at .147, and has struck out an abysmal 51 times, with just one walk to his name in 106 PAs this season. In other words, he’s struck out nearly half his number of plate appearances. He’s Chris Carter with better hair.

Marwin Gonzalez and the recently promoted Tony Kemp have been filling in admirably in the absence of Fisher and Reddick, while George Springer anchors either center or right field. JD Davis makes a left-field start about once a week.

No one can dispute Marisnick’s range and speed in the outfield, but the Astros are long past the point of being forced to sacrifice offensive punch just to field a decent outfielder. Or, has James Mouton taught us nothing?

The World Champions deserve better, and now… finally, have better. If now isn’t the time for Kyle Tucker’s debut (and, for a variety of reasons unknown to Joe and Suzy Fan, maybe it isn’t… yet), then GM Jeff Luhnow ought to dip into the deep talent pool on his farm and take a flyer on speedster Myles Straw, currently on the roster of Houston’s Triple-A Fresno Grizzlies.

Related: Jose Altuve Tutors Myles Straw

Notes From the Loft

“The Say Hay Kid” is raking at a rate some would say eclipses Tucker’s, at the moment. Granted, they each possess wildly different skills, and one bats right-handed (Straw), the other, left.

Simplistically put, Straw (5’10”, 180) is a shorter Marisnick (6’4″, 220) with a better contact rate. Houston would lose nothing in the field, except perhaps Marisnick’s wingspan and better arm, both happily traded in for a more dynamic handful of at-bats in any given game, plus a base-path speed threat.

Straw reminds me of Astros third sacker Alex Bregman: Scrappy, hard-nosed, and every inch a baseball player. Most Astros fans remember the breathless waiting for the Bregman call-up in the summer of 2016. Then, when it happened… phhhhht. Big slump to start his career.

Manager AJ Hinch kept fending off media questions about whether to send him down to either the minors or lower in the order. Bregman willed himself out of it, put his nose to the grindstone, and the rest is history. Where would the Astros have been without Bregs during the 2017 postseason run to the pennant?

Related: Myles Straw Slaps & Steals, But Is It Enough In a Homer-Hungry System?

Pedal to the Mettle

Straw, nearly two years older than Tucker, at 23, was leading the Texas League in batting through May 31 (two weeks before his promotion), with a .365 (192 ABs), tops in hits (70), is second (to teammate Taylor Jones) in OBP (.459) and walks (32, against 31 Ks), third in runs (40), and last but not least, Myles Straw’s calling card: speed. He led, by nearly double, the Texas League in steals with 32, having been caught only six times.

Straw and Tucker both had career days the last week of May. On the 29th, Straw reached base four times, with two hits and two walks. Three days before, he went five-for-five, scoring thrice and stealing a base.

On the 30th, Tucker hit two bombs for the AAA Fresno Grizzlies, driving in three, walking once and scoring twice. Two days previous, he went three-for-three with four RBIs.

Tucker is fourth in the Pacific Coast League in RBIs with 41, with a batting average of .274 (201 ABs, nine more than Straw), through May 31. He’s struck out 46 times to 27 walks, with 16 doubles and seven homers.

By the way, Houston’s #16-ranked player, Fresno’s 25-year-old outfielder Drew Ferguson, has some stats that outshine some of teammate Tucker’s (BA .307, 2nd in PCL in OBP with .447), and he’s in line for an earned promotion, as well.

But, that’s a whole other argument!

Related: Straw’s Hooks Teammate Randy Cesar Lets His Bat Do The Talking