Beneath is an evaluation of the prospects within the farm system of the Houston Astros. Scouting reviews had been compiled with data offered by business sources in addition to my very own observations. That is the fifth yr we’re delineating between two anticipated reduction roles, the abbreviations for which you’ll see within the “place” column under: MIRP for multi-inning reduction pitchers, and SIRP for single-inning reduction pitchers. The ETAs listed typically correspond to the yr a participant must be added to the 40-man roster to keep away from being made eligible for the Rule 5 draft. Guide changes are made the place they appear applicable, however we use that as a rule of thumb.
A fast overview of what FV (Future Worth) means could be discovered right here. A a lot deeper overview could be discovered right here.
The entire ranked prospects under additionally seem on The Board, a useful resource the positioning presents that includes sortable scouting data for each group. It has extra particulars (and up to date TrackMan information from varied sources) than this text and integrates each crew’s listing so readers can evaluate prospects throughout farm programs. It may be discovered right here.
Different Prospects of Observe
Grouped by kind and listed so as of choice inside every class.
Complicated Highlights
German Ramirez, SS
Juan Fraide, RHP
Ramirez remains to be uncooked defensively, however he’s posting a .168 ISO in FCL motion as an 18-year-old with legit bat pace. Fraide signed for simply $10,000 this January. A projectable 19-year-old Mexican right-hander, he has already been introduced stateside because of his prodigious strike-throwing within the DSL (13-to-2 Okay-BB in 15 innings), and pairs flashes of 95-96 mph with compelling spin expertise.
Relievers with Foibles
Abel Mercedes, RHP
Railin Perez, RHP
Rafael Gonzalez, RHP
Raimy Rodriguez, RHP
Misael Tamarez, RHP
Nolan DeVos, RHP
Trey Dombroski, LHP
Brett Gillis, RHP
Mercedes has touched 100 mph this yr, which absolutely strikes concern within the hearts of Carolina League hitters. However since he’s walked 30 and hit seven batters in 22.1 IP, it’s not the kind of concern groups covet. Perez is a sidewinding pure reliever who was plucked from the Purple Sox system within the Minor League part of the Rule 5 draft in 2023. He’s an uncomfortable at-bat for righties and has allowed simply 9 homers in over 250 professional innings, however 30-grade command may signify his peak. Gonzalez is a shorter, bodily developed Dominican righty who has flashed upper-90s warmth, however an extended arm motion and his lack of a glove-side secondary caps a single-inning reduction ceiling. There’s middle-leverage reduction potential in Rodriguez’s east-west, sinker-slider assault, however there’s not sufficient stability in his decrease half actions nor strikes in his operation at current. Tamarez makes use of monstrous arm pace to run his two-seamer as much as 98 mph and was a spring coaching invite, however his management has devolved an excessive amount of to be thought-about for spot work. DeVos has proven the fastball traits to hold a reduction profile, however he hasn’t pitched since 2023 resulting from TJ rehab. Dombroski can spin it sufficient to earn consideration for a 40-man addition this November, however his command hasn’t been exact sufficient to financial institution on him pitching round 89-91 mph on the higher ranges. Since being a ninth-round choice in 2022, accidents stored Gillis to 7.2 skilled innings till this yr. He’s returned with a formidable physique and is carving up youthful hitters in Excessive-A, however his slider appears to be like like his most compelling pitch and he lacks really feel for finding it.
Outfielders with Juice
Colin Barber, LF
Pedro León, RF
Yamal Encarnacion, UTIL
Luis Rives, LF
Kenni Gomez, CF
Nehomar Ochoa Jr., RF
Cesar Hernandez, LF
Barber nonetheless has plus uncooked left-handed pop, and his profile lacks a smoking gun for why he hasn’t produced extra, however he’s moved off middle and is hanging out an excessive amount of for the second yr in a row. León is undersized for his excessive pull-power-over-everything strategy, and the 27-year-old has largely been sidelined this yr with a knee subject. Encarnacion is a compact (5-foot-7) and compelling bat pace/athleticism growth mission who wants polish and extra outfield reps, however he has missed most of 2025 resulting from damage and is simply getting going once more on the advanced. Rives nonetheless has the facility and construct that made him an intriguing $900,000 signing out of Cuba final yr, however he’s working a sub-55% contact charge within the FCL. Gomez has remained athletic sufficient to remain in middle discipline however hasn’t grown into his energy potential as a result of he swings at all the pieces. Ochoa flashed intriguing energy potential in his full-season debut final yr, however he’s been banged up and remains to be hanging out a ton. Hernandez signed for $1.7 million out of Cuba final yr, however he has an enormous, late load in his unorthodox swing and has moved off middle discipline.
Infield Choices
Garret Guillemette, C/1B
Alejandro Nunez, UTIL
Pascanel Ferreras, UTIL
Waner Luciano, 3B
Guillemette is a former fifteenth spherical decide who has made some significant enhancements to masking the higher rail of the strike zone, and is now an excellent guess to get to his stable common uncooked energy. There’s sufficient hit software right here for a stable offensive profile for a catcher, however he’s a a lot shakier guess for sticking there. Nunez is a do-everything utilityman who lacks a standout software. Ferreras is a pint-size utilityman with plus uncooked pop, however he isn’t attending to it resulting from outer half plate protection points and extreme chase. Luciano has the bat pace and swing path for plus energy, however he struggles to trace breakers and hits a prodigious variety of popups.
System Overview
As a lot because the Astros’ 2025 season is a testomony to the concept that they are going to simply preserve profitable the AL West it doesn’t matter what (and irrespective of who will get cycled into their thinning core of battled-tested postseason veterans), it is a below-average system particularly due to the shortage of future stars up prime. And for as a lot as this entrance workplace and full operation has reworked through the years, they nonetheless produce depth in what have grow to be pretty constant methods.
In terms of the hitters they’ve focused on the prime of the draft, there’s a transparent urge for food for toolsy athletes and power-hitting frames, and since they’ve grow to be very used to selecting in the back of the primary spherical – after they’ve had first spherical picks in any respect – that comes with an urge for food for threat. Newly called-up Brice Matthews has monstrous instruments that the Astros are betting will overcome a scary in-zone miss charge. Cam Smith – as a result of once you commerce a franchise mainstay for a participant coming off their draft yr, the beginner analysis weighs in – is betting on distinctive measurement and athleticism overcoming an unorthodox swing for accessing energy. Even a defensive-minded decide like Walker Janek is betting on his bat pace offering a basis for affect offense that’s hardly ever accessible behind the dish.
That common urge for food extends to the worldwide house, the place the Astros’ Cuban connection stays sturdy. If it was revealed that their Latin American scouts’ guiding mission is locate the subsequent Yordan Alvarez, it wouldn’t appear too out of line with the outcomes. Luis Baez’s grueling month of June at an aggressive Double-A project outlines the problem they’ve had with matriculating large energy prospects from the advanced leagues to the Crawford bins. However they’re taking repeated photographs on purpose, and I’m as bullish on the early appears to be like of Kevin Alvarez as is affordable for a 17-year-old who has performed fewer than 30 professional video games.
The place the Astros tackle their share of criticism across the business is their lowering conversion charge on worldwide starters, which had fashioned the bones of their final World Collection title. Alimber Santa, Miguel Ullola and Anderson Brito all have outlier physicality and really a lot look like the pitching variations of the membership’s power-hitting proclivities, however they’re one of the best of a slew of worldwide arms the place command deficiencies make the bullpen their finest route for offering affect.
However that’s not a flaw of Houston’s pitching as an entire, the place backspun four-seamers are nonetheless ruling the day, and the Astros’ home operation has confirmed adept at discovering and bettering pitchers from non-elite packages. They didn’t invent discovering starters whose worth has dipped resulting from Tommy John surgical procedure, however Ryan Forcucci and Bryce Mayer are the types of opportunistic provides a perennial contender must make to maintain their run.
There are actually no 50 FV abilities right here who’re nonetheless prospect eligible, and I’m pretty skeptical of the hit instruments of Matthews and Janek on the prime, although they’ve the defensive potential to return worth even when their hitting plateaus. The cliff is clearly coming for this Nineties Braves-level run of possession of the AL West that Houston followers have so richly loved. But even with that actuality staring the Astros within the face, there may be nonetheless proof of the organizational strengths which have stored this run going longer than simply about every other crew may have dreamed of engineering.
