The Captains' July 20-22 series against the Quad Cities River Bandits looks more enticing by the day.

The Houston Astros promoted 2013 No. 1 overall pick Mark Appel from short-season Tri-City to Quad Cities on Tuesday. Appel, who pitched four years at Stanford, made one New York-Penn League appearance before graduating to the Midwest League. Appel's throwing schedule hasn't been announced, which makes it unclear whether he will pitch at Classic Park.

Unless he's promoted, Quad Cities shortstop Carlos Correa will play during the series. Correa, the No. 1 overall pick in last year's draft, has spent the entire season with the River Bandits. The 18-year-old Correa is hitting .325 with a .416 on-base percentage in 69 games.

Correa and outfielder Byron Buxton were regarded as the Midwest League's top two prospects this season. But Buxton, the second overall pick in last year's draft, was promoted from Cedar Rapids to High-A Fort Myers last month.

The promotion came too soon for Northeast Ohio fans. Cedar Rapids visits Classic Park July 17-19.

Still, Buxton should eventually visit the area. He plays in the Minnesota Twins' farm system. Radical realignment might be the only thing that prevents Buxton from playing nine times in Northeast Ohio each season.

Start times for the Quad Cities series are 7 p.m. July 20, 7 p.m. July 21 and 11 a.m. July 22. 

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy