The Houston Astros announced Thursday that the club has purchased the contracts of Corpus Christi alums Fernando Abad and Wladimir Sutil, adding the players to the 40-man roster. The announcement was made by General Manager Ed Wade.

Both players were eligible to become minor league free agents if they had not been added to the roster by Monday, November 9th. Houston’s 40-man roster now stands at 40.

Abad, 23, spent the majority of the 2009 season at Lancaster (A), where he was 4-6 with a 4.14 ERA (35ER/82.2IP) in 41 relief appearances with just eight walks and 79 strikeouts. Abad was promoted to Corpus Christi (AA), where he was converted to a starter, posting an 0-1 record in three starts with a 3.21 ERA (5ER/14IP) with three walks and 13 strikeouts. Abad, who was signed by the Astros as a non-drafted free agent in December of 2002, was Lancaster’s Pitcher of the Month for June this season.

At Lancaster and Corpus Christi combined, he walked just 11 batters in 96.2 innings of work while striking out 92. In seven seasons in the Astros farm system, Abad has posted a 2.70 ERA (123ER/410.2IP) in 146 appearances with 437 strikeouts and just 59 walks.

Sutil, 25, was a Texas League Postseason All-Star shortstop for Corpus Christi (AA) in 2009, hitting .273 (129x472) in 125 games with 77 runs, 21 doubles, one home run and 37 RBI with a club-best 19 stolen bases.

Sutil, who was signed by the Astros as a non-drafted free agent in May of 2003, reached career highs this season in games, at-bats, runs, hits, doubles and RBI. Sutil also had more walks (44) than strikeouts (42) and was the Corpus Christi Offensive Player of the Month for June.