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Edwin Valentin saw 3 seasons, single-A, from Puerto Rico

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Edwin Valentin had a good night in this early April 1990 game, according to The Asheville Times .  Valentin went 3 for 5 and knocked in two runs in the 19-6 Asheville win, The Times wrote . Valentin had that night at the outset of his third pro season . It also proved to be his last. He topped out at single-A. Valentin's career began in 1988, signed by the Astros as a free agent out of his native Puerto Rico . Valentin was also credited as Ed Valentin. Valentin started with the Astros in the rookie Gulf Coast League . He saw nine games and hit .292. He moved to short-season Auburn for 1989. He got into 57 games there and hit .214. He also had 12 RBI and seven stolen bases. For 1990, he started at single-A Asheville. He singled and scored in a mid-April game. He ended up getting into 15 games by early May. He went 11 for 45, a .244 average. He then got his release . That season marked his last as a pro . Asheville Times, April 8, 1990: Tourists Rip Rainbows More:  The 1990 ...
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Perry Berry saw 4 seasons, high-A, went into education

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Picked by the Astros in the fourth round of the draft, University of Southwestern Louisiana product Perry Berry found the contract negotiations tougher than he'd thought, The Lafayette Daily Advertiser wrote . "I thought I had some bargaining power because I could always go back to USL and work on my degree," Berry told The Daily Advertiser , "but apparently they didn't see it that way." Berry eventually did sign. His career, though, likely wasn't as he'd hoped. He played four seasons and made high-A. But Berry did go back to school - and he's continued going back. Berry became a teacher, coach, and district superintendent. Berry's  pro career began in 1990, taken by the Astros in the fourth round out of Southwestern Louisiana.  In college, Berry earned Collegiate Baseball's national Player of the Week honors in February 1990 after he hit six home runs early in the season, with a .421 average, The Daily Advertiser wrote . "Berry...
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Jorge Pineda made perfect throw, played one pro season

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The Asheville Tourists had a tough inning in this June 1990 game, but left fielder Jorge Pineda helped stop the bleeding, according to The Asheville Times . After a single sent the ball his way to left, Pineda "made a perfect throw" to his catcher to cut down a runner trying to score, The Times wrote . Pineda made that throw in his first season as a pro. It also proved his last. He played one season , at single-A Asheville. Pineda's career began and ended that year signed by the Astros as a free agent. His school or home  country are not included in records. Pineda arrived at Asheville in mid-June, described as from extended spring training .  Pineda picked up an RBI triple  and an RBI single in two other June games. He then singled and scored in a July game. A Pineda sacrifice in a late-August game led to a run. Overall, Pineda got into 37 games on the year. He hit .198, with two home runs and nine RBI to mark the extent of his pro career . Asheville Times, June 24, ...
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Mark Stiteler threw well in college, saw 3 pro outings

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Blue Mountain Community College starter Mark Stiteler threw a two-hitter this day in April 1987, while striking out six, The Pendleton East Oregonian wrote . Two of those strikeouts cane looking, in successive innings with runners in scoring position, The East Oregonian wrote . "Stiteler threw an excellent ball game," Blue Mountain coach Larry Bartee told the paper . Stiteler went on from Blue Mountain ultimately to the University of Eastern Washington, Point Park College of Pittsburgh - and to the pros. His pro career lasted a single season, just three appearances .  Stiteler's career began and ended in 1990, signed by the Astros as an undrafted free agent out of Point Park College. At Blue Mountain, Stiteler threw a two-hit shutout in an April 1988 game. He then went on to Eastern Washington and then to Point Park College. He picked up his fifth win of 1990 to no defeats for Point Park in an April game. In a May contest, he struck out five in two innings . With the ...
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Steve McCumiskey went from college catching to pros

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Rhode Island catcher Steve McCumiskey seemingly tried to be polite with when the opposing pitcher Ed Therrien came to bat after a designated hitter switch issue in this April 1989 game, according to The Bangor Daily News . "There was no way I was going to get a hit," Therrien told The Daily News then. "Their catcher (McCumiskey) asked me what I wanted their pitcher to throw me, but I told him it didn't matter, I wasn't going to hit it anyway." McCumiskey's more usual work as a catcher at Rhode Island ultimately got him a shot at the pros. His pro time ended up lasting a single season , spent at short-season Auburn. McCumiskey's career began and ended in 1990, taken by the Astros in the 42nd round of the draft out of the University of Rhode Island. At Rhode Island, McCumiskey was photographed catching a high throw and pulling it down to get a tag out in an April 1989 game. He picked up a double in an April 1990 game. With the Astros, he was assig...
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Jason Wall gave solid college relief, saw 1 pro season

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Louisiana State University took the win this day in February 1990. Helping them get there was reliever Jason Wall , according to a wire report . With a final score of 7-5, the account cited "solid relief pitching" from Wall and two other relievers. Wall's relief efforts at LSU were eventually enough for him to turn pro. His pro career, however, lasted a single season . Wall's career began and ended in 1990, taken by the Astros in the 39th round of the draft out of LSU.  At LSU, Wall picked up a win in 1.2 innings of relief in a March 1989 game. He saw 15 relief appearances that year and had a 3.62 ERA. With the Astros, Wall played at short-season Auburn . He saw 12 games, all in relief. He went 0-1 , with a 5.23 ERA and two saves to mark the extent of his pro career. Wall continued playing, at least in the short term. He's listed as playing with a Louisiana semi-pro team . Opelousas Daily World, wire report, Feb. 18, 1990: LSU beats Ole Miss, 7-5 More:  The 19...
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Dennis Reed turned to pitching, then pros, saw 3 seasons

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Dennis Reed started out his college career as a catcher. He then went to Canada before his senior campaign at San Luis Obispo and returned wanting to pitch, The San Luis Obispo Tribune wrote . For Reed, it turned out to be a good enough choice as the Astros selected him in that June's draft as a pitcher . "I think it wasn't a bad pick to take him because there's probably a lot more in him that an organization can develop," Reed's college pitching coach Kent Agler told The Tribune . Reed went on from there to see time in three pro seasons. He topped out at single-A . Reed's career began that year in 1990, taken by the Astros in the 22nd round of the draft out of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo . Earlier in his college career, Reed's coach saw him, then a sophomore, as an experienced catcher as the team looked to fill the starting catcher's role, The Tribune wrote  in January 1988. Reed was among a couple of candidates. "Catching is young on paper, b...
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