The Houston Astros and Corpus Christi Hooks extended their player-development deal through 2016, but ‘Stros officials admit they don’t have much hope for retaining the Round Rock Express as a Triple-A affiliate.
“This is a great day for Ryan-Sanders Baseball and the Corpus Christi Hooks,” CEO Reid Ryan said. “The extension further strengthens our great relationship with the Astros. Most importantly, it means that for the next six seasons our fans in the Coastal Bend will be able to continue following the progress of their Hooks as they ascend to the Major Leagues.
“We have been blessed with a terrific fan base in Corpus Christi and I’m extremely proud of Ken Schrom and the rest of our front-office staff at Whataburger Field. Corpus Christi was an Astros town for 40 years before it was a Hooks town and that dynamic has been an important factor in our success.”
“Corpus Christi has been an integral part of our player development system since 2005, and the fan base that has grown in that area since then is just as important as the growth our players have had while at the Double-A level,” Astros Assistant General Manager/Director of Player Development Ricky Bennett said. “We are excited about preserving our valued relationship with Ryan-Sanders Baseball and the City of Corpus Christi for the next six seasons.”
Meanwhile, Astros GM Ed Wade told MLB.com he didn’t see a chance to retain the Round Rock Express (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) as Houston’s top farm team:
“We’re not optimistic we’re going to be in Round Rock,” Wade said . “We’ll wait and hope for the best, but I’m not optimistic it’s going to work in our favor. We’d like to be in Round Rock forever, but we clearly understand Nolan’s ownership involvement with the Rangers.”
RELATED STORIES: Round Rock expected to shift affiliation to Rangers
Here’s a look at the current affiliate status.
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