Astros caravan brings Julks, Brown back to Corpus Christi
Unusually cold weather by South Texas standards did not deter hundreds of Astros fans from trekking to Whataburger by the Bay on Wednesday as the 2023 Astros Winter Caravan made a pit stop at the iconic Corpus Christi restaurant.
Astros players Corey Julks, Hunter Brown and Shawn Dubin took orders, worked the drive-thru along signing autographs and taking photos alongside two members of the team's cheerleaders, the Shooting Stars.
Julks and Brown are former Hooks players and returned to the city after playing on the Astros team that advanced to its seventh-consecutive American League Championship Series, falling to the eventual World Series champion Rangers in seven games.
"It is awesome to see how much love and support we have everywhere," Julks said. "Playing here was great, and it was definitely good to come here and give back in any way I can."
Julks, who is from Friendswood in the Houston area, hit .245 in 298 at-bats during the 2023 season. He said he was able to learn from his veteran teammates about what it takes to be successful on a team regularly competing to win the World Series.
"I learned to be ready each and every day," Julks said. "Get ready for every game. Show up each and every day. It is a new day. It is a long season. You can't dwell on the lows or get too high on the highs. Just stay even keel and be ready to work."
Julks played for the Hooks in 2021 before making his major-league debut last season. Brown also played in Corpus Christi in 2021 and joined the Astros' rotation last season, making 29 starts and going 11-13.
Dubin is a product of the Astros farm system but bypassed Double-A. He saw Wednesday's caravan as an opportunity to give back to the team's fanbase.
"We appreciate all the support, especially from Corpus," Dubin said. "A lot of us come through here, so it is a special place for us. We are happy to be here."
The caravan also made stops at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Driscoll Children's Hospital and Whataburger Field during Wednesday's day-long appearance.
More: Wake up call: Hooks Outfielder Corey Julks leading the way after return
This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Astros caravan brings Julks, Brown back to Corpus Christi
