At the end of each season, Major League clubs hold instructional league play, commonly known as instructs, an extended mini-camp that allows Minor Leaguers -- particularly those just starting their pro careers at the lower levels of their team's system -- to get some work in before calling it a year. Players work on specific parts of their game and get offseason workout plans while often playing a handful of games against nearby teams to provide low-key competition to put what they are working on into practice.
Instructional league rosters
Here's a look at the Astros roster, with the players' rank in the team's Top 30 Prospects' list in parentheses:
PITCHERS: Jacob Billingsley, RHP; Willy Collado, RHP; Brett Conine, RHP; Devin Conn, RHP; Brett Daniels, RHP; Cody Deason, RHP; Tommy DeJuneas, RHP; Shawn Dubin, RHP; JP France, RHP; R.J. Freure, RHP; Luis Garcia, RHP; Joey Gonzalez, RHP; Austin Hansen, RHP; Tim Hardy, LHP; Ernesto Jaquez, RHP; Mark Moclair, RHP; Antonio Nunez, RHP; Manny Ramirez, RHP; Jose Rivera, RHP; Julio Robaina, LHP; Elian Rodriguez, RHP; Nivaldo Rodriguez, RHP; Matt Ruppenthal, RHP; Jayson Schroeder, RHP (No. 16); Gabriel Valdez, RHP
CATCHERS: Oscar Campos, Alex Holderbach, Michael Papierski, Nerio Rodriguez, Cesar Salazar
• Yet more Astros strikeout artists on display at instructs
INFIELDERS: Deury Carrasco, Yorbin Ceuta, Trey Dawson, Austin Dennis, Sean Mendoza, Freudis Nova (No. 9), Jeremy Pena (No. 29), Scott Schreiber, Ronaldo Urdaneta, Enmanuel Valdez, Michael Wielansky
OUTFIELDERS: Wilyer Abreu, Seth Beer (No. 7), Marty Cortes, Jonathan Lacroix, Alex McKenna (No. 30), Ramiro Rodriguez, Chandler Taylor
SCHEDULE
Thu, Sept. 20 - Camp day
Fri, Sept. 21 - Camp day
Sat, Sept. 22 - Camp day
Sun, Sept. 23 - Camp day
Mon, Sept. 24 - vs. Marlins
Wed, Sept. 26 - Camp day
Thu, Sept. 27 - at Marlins
Fri, Sept. 28 - vs. Nationals
Sat, Sept. 29 - Camp day
Sun, Sept. 30 - Camp day
Mon, Oct. 1 - at Nationals
Tue, Oct. 2 - Camp day
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