Norris Named PCL Pitcher of the Week
Top Astros pitching prospect shines in AAA
By Mark Fagan, 12:55PM, Thu. Jun. 25, 2009
Astros fans looking for some good news during the struggling 2009 season need look no further than a young arm currently residing in Round Rock. Right-handed starting pitcher Bud Norris was named the Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week for the week of June 15-21, and for good reason. Norris is currently riding the high of 19 consecutive shutout innings with a team low 2.11 ERA posting 82 strikeouts in 81 innings while only allowing 65 hits. He has pitched eight scoreless innings in each of his past two starts.
Norris was ranked the Astros No. 2 prospect entering the season behind catcher Jason Castro who is currently playing for the AA Corpus Christi Hooks. Castro has been limited to 13 games for the Hooks this season batting for a .306 average and a .727 OPS. He went 0-3 in Corpus' 1-0 win over San Antonio on Wednesday.
It should be a while before we see Castro in an Astros' uniform with the J.R. Towles project ongoing in Round Rock and the legendary “Pudge” Rodriguez having a solid season for the parent club, but if Norris keeps posting numbers like these, he could be pitching from the mound at Minute Maid Park sooner rather than later.
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