A first-round selection in last June’s draft, the LSU product boasted a fundamentally sound game and well above-average feel for the craft of hitting. After easing into his professional debut last summer with time in the Midwest and California Leagues, Bregman’s 2016 Double-A assignment is more worthy of his refined talents. Even so, Bregman has shown little trouble in holding his own, slashing .395/.480/.767 over his first 11 games and launching a surprising four home runs – comprising almost one third of his total hits.

Bregman has a direct path to contact, and he’s capable of handling high-end velocity and quality off-speed pitches alike, thanks to well above-average bat speed and an advanced approach. He’s a cerebral hitter that does not shy away from getting aggressive early in the count, making him a formidable challenge for opposition arms looking for weaknesses to attack. It’s a cozy collection of clubs in the Texas League, which should give Double-A arms many chances to adjust to Bregman and, in turn, Bregman many chances to adjust back.

Though he could be ready for a cup of coffee at some point this summer, the presence of Carlos Correa and Jose Altuve in Houston will likely limit Bregman’s opportunities for early promotion, giving him plenty of time to continue to focus on driving the ball with authority, and perhaps shifting his defensive focus to multiple positions around the diamond, as the Astros figure out where best he fits in their long term plans. –Nick J. Faleris