Published: July 03, 2009 09:11 am      

Former WC Coyote picked up by Astros

Staff Reports

Former Weatherford College baseball player German Duran has been claimed off unconditional waivers by the Houston Astros.

Duran was placed on waivers by the Texas Rangers to make room on the 40-man roster for Willie Eyre. After getting significant playing time in the majors last season, he has spent the 2009 season with the Class-AAA Oklahoma RedHawks.

He has 143 at-bats in the major leagues with a .231 career average.

Duran is recovering from an appendectomy and will be placed on the disabled list before beginning a rehab assignment in Kissimmee, Fla.

He is the first former WC player to make the majors. The 5-foot-10 infielder played for the Coyotes in 2005, hitting a school-record 13 home runs, batting .357 with 12 doubles, 39 RBI, six stolen bases and 52 runs scored. He was an All-Conference selection at shortstop for the 33-22 Coyotes.

A graduate of Ft. Worth Paschal, Duran played at TCU before transferring to WC. He was drafted by the Rangers in the sixth round in 2005 and worked his way through the minors with Class-A affiliates in Spokane, Wash.; Bakersfield, Calif.; and the Class-AA Frisco RoughRiders, where he was chosen for the Futures Game during Major League Baseball’s All-Star weekend.