Hoyt Unfazed By Demotion

HOUSTON—Just a few hours after big league manager A.J. Hinch informed him he would not make the Opening Day roster, James Hoyt entered to pitch the eighth inning of the club’s final exhibition game against the Brewers.

If the news he would return to Triple-A Fresno bothered Hoyt, it didn’t show. The 6-foot-6 righthander promptly retired the side in order, striking out Keon Broxton on a 94 mph fastball and Javier Betancourt on an 86 mph slider to cap a strong spring.

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“It’s tough being the 26th guy,” Hinch said. “If we would’ve gone (with) 13 pitchers, he’s an easy add because of the quality of stuff, the swing and miss.”

The fact that Hoyt, 29, is on the doorstep of the majors is incredible in itself. Just four seasons ago, he was pitching in the now-defunct, independent North American League. The Braves signed the Centenary (La.) product in November 2012 after a tour in the Mexican League. Atlanta included him in the January 2015 trade that also sent Evan Gattis to Houston.

Hoyt pitched well last season, his first with the Astros organization, recording a 3.49 ERA and 66 strikeouts over 49 relief innings. He closed the season with 10 scoreless innings in which he struck out 17 and walked only one.

The Astros after the season asked Hoyt to limit his winter-ball time more so than the year before, an effort to keep him sharp throughout 2016. His 11-inning stint in Venezuela yielded a 0.79 ERA.

“His stuff was very sharp this spring, and I think he’s got a chance to be sharp all year,” general manager Jeff Luhnow said. “I think the winter-ball experience helped him, but it didn’t tire him out.”

Hoyt’s arsenal consists of a mid-90s fastball, a slider and a splitter he is still honing.

“I just continue to throw strikes and get ahead of hitters and do my best,” he said of what he planned to work on at Fresno. “(I want to) work on my secondary stuff. I’m really establishing a split-finger right now.”

SPACE SHOTS

• The Astros started shortstop Alex Bregman, last year’s No. 2 overall pick, at Double-A Corpus Christi despite him having just 37 games of experience at high Class A Lancaster.

• Fresno righthander Chris Devenski, the MVP of last year’s Triple-A championship game, received a big league callup on April 7 and joined the Astros as a long reliever.