Share The Knowledge

KISSIMMEE, Fla.—The mood remained festive as veteran Wandy Rodriguez played host to several of the Astros’ top prospects from the Dominican Republic a few nights this spring.

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As they all pitched in to cook, the sounds of bachata, merengue and reggaeton served as a chorus while hard-throwing righthanders Jandel Gustave and Michael Feliz washed and chopped vegetables.

The dinners at Rodriguez’s apartment was one of the ways Astros veterans took in the prospects this spring. Rodriguez, Colby Rasmus and Carlos Gomez made it a point this spring to share their knowledge and checkbook with the club’s prospects, whether they were in big league camp or not.

Rasmus and Gomez bought Preston Tucker, Jake Marisnick and minor league outfielders Derek Fisher, Jon Kemmer and Eury Perez and righthanders David Paulino and Gustave custom suits.

“He’s somebody who I grew up watching when he was with the Cardinals and then with the Blue Jays,” Fisher said of Rasmus. “He’s been fortunate enough to be in this game a long time and be in the big leagues a long time. It makes you feel comfortable being around these guys. You can ask them anything.

Gomez approached Double-A Corpus Christi manager Rodney Linares late in camp to set up a dinner for 20 minor leaguers who weren’t in big league camp.

Rodriguez was often giving the young pitchers advice that extended far beyond the diamond. On one morning, he spent nearly an hour giving financial advice.

“You feel good when he invites you to his home because it’s an invitation from somebody like him,” Gustave said. “He’s a big name. If he just says, ‘Let’s go to my house,’ whether to just eat or hang out, it’s a good feeling.”

SPACE SHOTS

• First baseman Jon Singleton, who signed a $10 million contract in 2014 before making his debut in the majors, was optioned back to Triple-A Fresno, where he spent most of last year. He hit .151 in spring, so he’ll continue to be one of the most expensive minor leaguers in baseball.

• Teoscar Hernandez, Kristian Trompiz, Ihan Bernal, Gabriel Bracamonte, Brauly Mejia and Luis Reynosa graduated from the Astros’ English-language program. They had been studying since joining the organization, and they passed a final verbal test with farm director Allen Rowin to graduate.