Don't look now but pitchers and catchers report for Astros Spring Training on Valentine's Day and on Saturday the Astros released their preliminary Spring Training roster. Baseball is almost back and with the recent signing of closer Josh Hader, expectations are once again climbing for a team that made its seventh straight ALCS in 2023.
This seemed like a good time to peek at the Astros prospect invites to the Grapefruit League to see who might get an early shot at the big league ballclub. Most of the team's top prospects who are above A ball will be in Palm Beach this spring and while the roster is well stocked, we all know it only takes one injury or a bad slump for a young player to get his shot.
PITCHERS
Forrest Whitley
Age: 26, Prospect Rank: n/a
Projection: Bullpen Help
Be honest. You looked at Whitely's age and thought, "No way he's only 26." It feels as if the team's former No. 1 prospect has been in the organization forever and, in fact, you're not that far off. He has been building towards what everyone has hoped would be a solid major league career for seven years now and this might finally be his real (and perhaps last) shot. GM Dana Brown has said Whitley will get a shot in the bullpen now that he is fully healthy (for the moment). Whitely, for his part, has sounded upbeat. He ought to be for as long as he's been trying to make it here.
Spencer Arrighetti
Age: 24, Prospect Rank: 3
Projection: Season call up
The Astros best pitching prospect, Arrighetti split his 2023 between Corpus Christi and Sugar Land posting a 4.40 ERA in 124.2 innings striking out 141 and walking 59. He projects to be a back of the rotation starter and could get a shot with the Astros in 2024 as a mid- or late-season call up. He still needs to improve his command, but his pitches including a mid-90s fastball and a solid sweeper have improved significantly since being drafted by the Astros in 2021.
Colton Gordon
Age: 25, Prospect Rank: 7
Projection: AAA Sugar Land
Gordon has struggled with injuries, but now appears fully healthy and has some of the best command in the entire farm system. As a lefty, he offers something, prior to the signing of Hader, the Astros haven't had in the bullpen outside of Parker Mushinsky. Gordon is someone who could project as a back of the rotation starter or long reliever. He has very solid stuff with 151 strikeouts and 58 walks in 2023 across AA and AAA. He probably needs one more season in the minors before he's ready to contribute.
Rhett Kouba
Age: 24, Prospect Rank: 9
Projection: Season bullpen call up
A 2021 12th round pick, Kouba has steadily improved as a starter and moved up the minor league rankings. What makes him interesting is his command and high strikeout rate. He won't blow anyone away with his fastball, but has the kind of stuff that could make him a solid injury replacement reliever.
Misael Tamarez
Age: 24, Prospect Rank: 30
Projection: AAA Sugar Land
Tamarez is a flamethrower occasionally hitting 99mph with his fastball. He ranked second in the team's farm system in strikeouts in 2023, but only had four starts in Sugar Land and still needs time to harness his control.
INFIELDERS
Zach Dezenzo (3B/2B)
Age: 23, Prospect Rank: 5
Projection: AAA Sugar Land
For those who are worried about how the team might replace Alex Bregman if he opts to leave in free agency after the season, Dezenzo might be your best bet. Drafted in 2022, he hasn't played above AA, but has some of the highest exit velocities in the minors. His swing-and-miss rate still remains a tad high, but when he does get the barrel on the baseball, it goes a long way. He's shown an above average glove at third even if his arm is just average, but he could project to third base in the majors after another year or so in the minors.
Will Wagner (2B/3B)
Age: 25, Prospect Rank: 15
Projection: Season injury call up
By the time Wagner reaches Spring Training, his father, Billy Wagner, could be just the third Astro to make the Hall of Fame. For the younger Wagner, he continues to make progress in the minors and projects mainly as a utility player in the big leagues. He doesn't have a ton of power, but is a very good hitter averaging over .500 in the six games he played for the Space Cowboys in 2023. Depending on the Astros needs, he could make sense as an injury call up on the infield especially with his lefty bat.
Shay Whitcomb (SS/2B)
Age: 25, Prospect Rank: 25
Projection: AAA Sugar Land
If there are struggles for Whitcomb, it is with his eye at the plate. He is an aggressive hitter with power, but he swings and misses...a lot. He does have solid defensive skills and is a threat to steal on the base paths. Being a left handed bat doesn't hurt his prospect either.
Astros prospect Pedro Leon boom town! pic.twitter.com/OSjr0TUVlQ
— Michael Schwab (@michaelschwab13) January 22, 2024
OUTFIELDERS
Pedro León (OF/2B)
Age: 25, Prospect Rank: 13
Projection: Outfield/Infield Rotation
Over the winter, León has been raking in the Puerto Rican league, leading his team to the winter league title. His tools are well known and respected, but León has had a tough time getting to the majors with a series of injuries and struggles with swing and miss rates. As a result, he only hit .244 with Sugar Land last year striking out 160 times and only walking 63. But he has a canon for an arm and tremendous power from the right side of the plate. The Astros have continued to insist playing him at second along with in the outfield, but if he is going to be on the roster this season, it will likely be as part of the outfield rotation where he could breakout the way Yainer Diaz did in 2023.
Jacob Melton (CF/RF)
Age: 23, Prospect Rank: 1
Projection: AAA Sugar Land
The Astros number one prospect and the only team prospect on Baseball America's top 100 list, Melton has been surging through the minor league ranks splitting time between A and AA in 2023. While he currently remains on the Hooks roster, don't be surprised when he moves up to AAA Sugar Land early in the season. He has power from the left side and tremendous speed on the base paths. While he can play center, he likely projects as a right fielder. Hmmm...a lefty right fielder with an unorthodox swing that has power and stolen base potential, sounds familiar.
Joey Loperfido (LF/Utility)
Age: 24, Prospect Rank: 6
Projection: AAA Sugar Land
Loperfido is a bit of an everything athlete, a guy who can hit for average with good speed on the base paths and some pop in his bat. He still is re-tooling his swing after he eliminated a leg kick, but he has the ability to be a solid left-fielder-slash-utility-man going forward. He still needs a little more time to develop, but not much.
Kenedy Corona (CF)
Age: 23, Prospect Rank: 11
Projection: AAA Sugar LandThe Astros put Corona on their 40-man roster this year to protect him in the Rule V draft. The Astros acquired him in 2019 as part of the Jake Marisnick trade and he has been steadily making his way through the minors. Corona is an outstanding athlete and one of the best pure outfielders in the team's system. He had 20 homers and 31 stolen bases in Corpus Christi in 2023 and should be in line for a promotion with a chance to see the big leagues in 2025.
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