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Korean American catcher Hank Conger traded to Houston

November 5, 2014
Hank conger went 2 for 4 in his first game of 2014 season.

Hank conger went 2 for 4 in his first game of 2014 season.

By Brian Han

The Los Angeles Angels traded Korean American catcher Hank ‘Choi Hyun’ Conger to the Houston Astros for right-hander Nick Tropeano and minor league catcher Carlos Perez.

Conger mentioned that he was “taken aback” by the decision, but was “excited to try to get a fresh start,” according to an MLB.com interview.

The 26-year-old switch-hitting catcher was raised in Orange County and played for Huntington Beach High School before becoming the Angels first-round draft pick in 2006.

“This is my home,” Conger told MLB.com. “I’ve lived here ever since I was a kid… To play in the big leagues with the Angels… was more than I could ever ask for.”

But Conger was never able to flourish under Mike Scioscia’s platoon system and shared duties behind the plate with Chris Iannetta. In the 2014 season, he batted .221 with four home runs and 25 RBIs in 70 starts, mostly against right-handers.

Houston general manager Jeff Luhnow says: “We scouted him extensively this year as a divisional opponent and feel he brings a unique skill set to our organization.”

Luhnow is regarded as one of the best talent evaluators in baseseball, which bodes well for Conger.