The Houston Astros have a new international pitching talent showing great promise in his inaugural professional season.
Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report assessed every MLB farm system to highlight the top players at each level.
For the Astros, their top prospects include a few standout outfielders:
1.Triple-A: OF Jacob Melton
2. Double-A: OF Luis Baez
3.High-A: C Walker Janek
4. Single-A: RHP Anderson Brito
5. Rookie: RHP Ryan Forcucci
Brito is another in a series of international pitching signees who has quickly made strides in the minors for Houston.
He boasts a 1.51 ERA over his first 53.2 professional innings, with an impressive 13.8 strikeouts per nine innings. His fastball consistently sits in the mid-90s and can reach 99 mph, with his slider being his secondary standout pitch.
Although he is somewhat undersized at 5-foot-10 and 155 pounds, he currently shows enough promise to overlook this. The Astros will continue to develop him as a starter until his size becomes a notable concern.
Melton has emerged as the top-ranked prospect in the Houston system, showing strong progress since being selected in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft.
The Oregon State product has recorded a .267/.323/.407 slash line in 41 Triple-A games. He excels in stealing bases, addressing an area where the Astros are currently weak. Melton’s potential as a future corner outfielder is bolstered by his decent arm strength.
He could be a candidate for a rotational spot in the outfield next year if the Astros need additional help.
Baez has had a slower start at Double-A than expected, but there’s no cause for concern yet, as his bat has continued to develop.
He has nearly doubled his home run total from the previous season, with 21 this year compared to 11 last year.
Despite his rising slugging potential, his fielding remains average, suggesting he may join Melton in a corner outfield role.
Janek has had a challenging start at the plate since being selected with the 28th overall pick in the 2024 Draft, managing only a .175/.214/.289 slash line in his first 25 games.
However, he was always expected to be a defense-first catcher, having previously been named Defensive Player of the Year in college.
Forcucci, another pitching prospect, rounds out the list but has yet to make an appearance since being drafted in the third round of the latest draft.
Leave a Reply