PCL1 Round Rock Express

Astros Call Up Bourgeois, Castro, Johnson

Published on June 20, 2010 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release


HOUSTON - Houston Astros General Manager Ed Wade announced several roster moves Sunday that affect the Round Rock Express. The Astros purchased the contracts of outfielder Jason Bourgeois, catcher Jason Castro and infielder Chris Johnson following their Sunday afternoon game the Texas Rangers. The three will report to the Astros immediately. Meanwhile, outfielder David Cook has been promoted to Round Rock from Double-A Corpus Christi and will be active for Sunday night's game against the Omaha Royals.

In order to make room on the 40-man roster for Bourgeois, Castro and Johnson, the Astros have designated three players for assignment: catcher Kevin Cash, right-handed pitcher Casey Daigle and outfielder Cory Sullivan. The Astros have 10 days to either trade, release or assign outright the contracts of the designated players. Bourgeois, Castro and Johnson will be on Houston's active roster Tuesday when the Astros begin a series against San Francisco.

Bourgeois has been Round Rock's most consistent batter all season. He ranks fifth in the Pacific Coast League in batting average (.345), tied for third in hits (81) and tied for fourth in stolen bases (18). Bourgeois enjoyed a 17-game hitting streak that was the longest this season by an Express player and was tied for the third-longest streak in the PCL. His value was most noticeable during a recent seven-game stretch in which time an injury relegated him to pinch-hitting duties; the Express were 0-7 and averaged 2.0 runs per game in his absence.

Castro, who turned 23 Friday, hit .265 (56-for-211) with four home runs and 26 RBI in 57 games with the Express. A consummate on-base threat, Castro reached safely in 52 of 57 games and enjoyed a 32-game on-base streak that was the second-longest this season in the Pacific Coast League. He has not gone hitless in consecutive games since May 6, hitting .296 (40-for-135) in that time with hits in 30 of 35 games.

Johnson joined the Express roster in early May after starting the season with the Astros. He hit .329 (49-for-149) with eight home runs and 33 RBI in 38 games with Round Rock and is tied for the team lead in home runs. Johnson was named PCL Player of the Week for the week ending May 23, the first Express player so honored since August 2007. He enjoyed a 10-game hitting streak in mid-May, during which time he hit .419 (18-for-43) with five multiple-hit games and two games of three-plus hits.

Cook, 28, hit .243 (41-for-169) with five home runs and 18 RBI in 59 games with Corpus Christi this season. In his first season with the Astros organization, Cook played six years in the Chicago White Sox organization. He spent most of 2009 at Double-A Birmingham, where he hit .264 (111-for-421) with 25 home runs and 84 RBI in 117 games. Cook also played seven games in 2009 and 65 games in 2008 at Triple-A Charlotte.

Round Rock and Omaha continue the four-game series Sunday with a 7:05 p.m. CDT first pitch. Right-hander Josh Banks (7-5, 3.03 ERA) gets the nod on the mound for the Express. Right-hander Bryan Bullington (3-0, 2.15 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Royals.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from June 20, 2010


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