Oops! All Astros: Carlos Hurtado & Tyler Guilfoil

Sep 23, 2022 - 1:00 PM

Through the current offseason, we’re taking a look back at every player to appear in the Astros system through the 2022 season.

Carlos Hurtado

Carlos Hurtado is a six-foot, 170 lb. catcher and first baseman from Tinaquillo, VZ. Born on May 18, 2001, he signed with the Astros on July 2, 2017. He then spent his first two seasons as a professional with the DSL Astros, Over a total of 94 games, he slashed .236/.285/.342 with 33 RBI and 12 stolen bases.

The 2021 season would see Hurtado appear in a total of 12 games across three levels of the Astros system, the FCL Astros at the Rookie-level, the Fayetteville Woodpeckers at the Low-A level, and the Asheville Tourists at the High-A level. In the extremely limited action, he went eight-for-34 with a pair of doubles and three RBI.

In 2022, Hurtado was ensconced at the Rookie-level with the FCL Astros Orange. He only appeared in 31 games, and went 22-for-93 with five doubles and six RBI. He drew three walks, struck out 11 times, and stole three bases without getting caught.

Defensively, Hurtado threw out 11-of-29 runners trying to steal, fielded at .984, and passed five balls in 143 innings as a catcher. In 50 ¹⁄₃ innings at first base, he took 61 chances without an error.

Hurtado’s 38 percent kill-rate is promising, but he hasn’t shown a lot of killer instinct at the plate. The highest I would imagine him starting the 2023 season is back at rookie ball.

Tyler Guilfoil

Tyler Guilfoil is a six-foot-four, 215 lb. right-handed reliever from Lexington, KY. Born on January 19, 2000, he spent three seasons with Lipscomb College. Guilfoil moved on to the Wildcats of Kentucky in 2022, where he racked up a 1.59 ERA, 80 whiffs in 51 innings, and a 0.863 WHIP.

Guilfoil was Houston’s eighth round choice in the 2022 draft out of the University of Kentucky. Taken 253rd overall, if Guilfoil makes it to the majors he’d be the eighth player chosen at that spot to get that far. To date, the most notable is Fernando Vina.

Guilfoil’s first two weeks as a professional were split between the FCL Astros Blue and Orange squads. Across 5 ²⁄₃ innings between the two squads, he struck out 10, walked two, and allowed one run on one hit.

Guilfoil’s magical statline necessitated a quick callup to the Low-A Fayetteville Woodpeckers, where he continued to completely confound opposing hitters. In 11 ²⁄₃ innings, he struck out 21 while allowing no runs on five walks and four hits. In his last appearance, the Woodpeckers last game of the season, he struck out seven over three hitless innings in a 3-0 win against the Lynchburg Hillcats.

Guilfoil is not a rated prospect, but I think he probably should be. This guy is going to be in the majors someday, and sooner than anyone thinks. He could possibly be ready for the top level in late-2024.