Astros Promote Power-Hitting Prospect Joey Loperfido to Major Leagues
The Houston Astros, in desperate need of a spark after a poor start to the season, will be promoting power-hitting prospect Joey Loperfido to the major leagues on Tuesday, according to sources. Loperfido currently leads all of professional baseball with 13 home runs, including a solo shot in Triple-A Sugar Land’s recent win. His outstanding performance in April has raised his OPS to an impressive 1.106 after 101 at-bats.
Despite only playing 57 games and having 220 at-bats above Double A, Loperfido has forced his way onto the Houston roster due to their lackluster first base production. The team’s first basemen have been struggling, with a combined OPS of .390 and minus-1.3 wins above replacement, according to FanGraphs.
Loperfido’s arrival could cause a shakeup at first base, where he has started seven games in Triple A this season. However, he is also capable of playing all three outfield spots. Although team officials initially saw him as a more natural outfielder, they began exposing him to first base at the beginning of the minor-league season. Scouts who have watched Loperfido play first base believe he has the potential to be a plus defender at that position, while also offering value in the outfield.
The Astros currently find themselves 10 games below .500 and six games back in the American League West. With their poor record, they cannot afford to continue splitting playing time between José Abreu and Jon Singleton at first base. Loperfido’s versatility and overall upside make him an upgrade over Singleton, especially considering his left-handed hitting and above-average speed.
Abreu, who just began the second season of a three-year, $58.5 million deal, has been performing even worse than Singleton, with a .269 OPS in his first 71 at-bats. However, it is unlikely that owner Jim Crane would be willing to pay down Abreu’s contract so early in the season. The Astros are hopeful that Abreu can turn his performance around, as he did towards the end of last season. However, time is running out for him to prove himself.
Cutting ties with Singleton or optioning utilityman Grae Kessinger to Triple-A could provide a short-term fix for the roster, but questions about Abreu’s viability would still remain. This situation poses a unique challenge for owner Jim Crane, as none of the club’s other free-agent contracts have aged as poorly as Abreu’s.
Loperfido was selected by the Astros in the seventh round of the 2021 draft out of Duke University. He won the organization’s Minor League Player of the Year award last season after an impressive performance across three levels of affiliated ball. Ranked as Houston’s No. 6 prospect by Keith Law, Loperfido was invited to major-league spring training where he impressed the coaching staff and clubhouse with his professionalism, power, and even his cooking skills.
Although Loperfido did not have a realistic chance of breaking into the major leagues at the time, manager Joe Espada assured him that he would factor into the team’s plans for the season. Now, after 28 games, Loperfido’s time has finally arrived. The Astros are hoping that his power-hitting ability and versatility will provide the spark they desperately need to turn their season around.