Andres Reiner, whose scouting acumen helped the Astros mine Venezuela for talent as no organization had before or since, died on Aug. 3 at the age of 81.
Reiner, who was born in Hungary, scouted Venezuela for the Astros for 17 years, spearheading the organizationâs opening of a baseball academy in the country in 1989.
Among the big leaguers the academy produced were Bob Abreu, Freddy Garcia, Richard Hidalgo, Melvin Mora and Johan Santana. Reiner, who also worked for the Reds and the Rays, retired in 2011. The Astros released a statement announcing his passing.
âAndres Reiner was more than just a visionary in the world of baseball,â said Carlos Alfonso, the Astrosâ coordinator of international development, who worked with Reiner toward the end of his Astros tenure. âHe wasâŠ