Houston Astros: Breaking News, Rumors & Highlights

Three Astros Prospects Who Could Have Breakout Seasons in 2026

The 2026 season is rapidly approaching, and with that there's no better time than the present to start looking at potential breakout picks. Let's take a look into the Houston Astros farm system, and find three prospects that could have a breakout year in 2026.

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The Quiz of the Day

Astros Legend Announces Retirement

When you think about the Houston Astros’ golden era run, many elite pitchers come to mind. Typically, those would be starters such as Justin Verlander, Framber Valdez, Lance McCullers Jr., or Gerrit Cole.

Jeremy Pena News / Houston Astros on SI / January 18

Astros Shortstop Breaks Out with Career Year, Earns Top-50 Spot on MLB Network's Top 100 Players

Jeremy Pena entered 2025 with questions about his bat. He'd been a solid defender and a .271 career hitter through three seasons. Useful, but far from elite.

Houston Astros News / Houston Astros on SI / January 18

Astros Bolster Catching, Bullpen by Signing Two Veterans to Minor League Deals

The Houston Astros signed catcher Carlos Perez and right-hander Amos Willingham to minor league contracts, according to MLB Trade Rumors. Both veterans received invitations to spring training and were assigned to Triple-A Sugar Land.

MLB News / Yardbarker Quizzes

The 'MLB active RBI leaders' quiz

Can you name the active hitters with the most runs-batted-in in their career?

The 'MLB teammates to hit 30 HRs in 2017' quiz

The 'World Series walk-off home runs' quiz

The 'Active MLB doubles leaders' quiz

Houston Astros News / Houston Astros on SI / January 18

Legendary Nolan Ryan Leads Astros All-Time Mount Rushmore Free Agents

Up until their injury-prone season last year, the Houston Astros were widely considered to be one of the top franchises in Major League Baseball. With two World Series titles under their belt from 2017 and 2022, along with multiple playoff appearance, the Astros' 2025 performance was quite a surprise.

NFL News / Yardbarker

The 25 most memorable sports plays of 2025

When it comes to unforgettable plays within the 2025 sports calendar, this was truly a special year. Here's our rankings of the 25 best.

MLB News / Houston Astros on SI / January 17

Red Sox Beat Writer Has Curious Take on Potential Trade with Astros

The Houston Astros are a team this offseason that has made some additions to their roster for the 2026 season through trades and free agency, but there is still more that needs to be done.

MLB News / Crawfish Boxes / January 17

Hot Rumor: Astros and Red Sox Talking Trade, Paredes, Duran

There are rumors that are growing strong regarding trade talks between the Houston Astros and the Boston Red Sox. Many of the rumors involve Astros 3B Isaac Paredes and Red Sox LF Jarren Duran.

Houston Astros News / Houston Astros on SI / January 17

Former Astros Star Reliever Announces Retirement From Major League Baseball

The Houston Astros have a longstanding history with some of the most prominent stars in Major League Baseball. This has been an offseason filled with moves, decisions and adjustments for many franchises across the nation, and this stands true for the Astros.

Ryan Pressly News / Larry Brown Sports / January 17

Ex-Astros champion announces his retirement from MLB

The exit music is officially playing for one former Houston Astros champion. Veteran MLB reliever Ryan Pressly announced over social media on Saturday that he is officially retiring from baseball.

Houston Astros News / Houston Astros on SI / January 17

Undrafted Sleeper Prospect May Be Astros’ Next Breakthrough Talent

Outfield has been somewhat of a bugaboo development position for the Houston Astros. Trading Jacob Melton didn’t help. The outfielder — who had been one of their top prospects for two years and made his MLB debut last year — was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays this offseason.

Houston Astros News / MLB Trade Rumors / January 17

Astros Sign Carlos Perez, Amos Willingham To Minors Deals

The Astros released their list of non-roster Spring Training invitees yesterday, and two of the names heading to camp are catcher Carlos Perez and right-hander Amos Willingham, who signed minor league deals with Houston back in November.

MLB News / Yardbarker

The 25 greatest pitching seasons from the modern MLB era

America's favorite pastime has more memorable performances than any sport. As such, figuring out which pitchers had the best seasons ever is no easy task.

Houston Astros News / Houston Astros on SI / January 16

Four of Astros 10 Prospects Invited To Spring Training

The official Houston Astros spring training roster is set for 2026. Report dates are set for Astros pitchers, catchers, and hitters. Each team in the league contains prospects who are invited to receive a chance to make it on the 40-man roster.

Houston Astros News / Houston Astros on SI / January 16

8 Astros Have Signed Nine-Figure Deals Since 2019, but Only Two Have Been to Stay

The Houston Astros have been one of the premier franchises in baseball for the vast majority of the 2010s and early 2020s, and one of the biggest struggles for these competitive teams is retaining talent on new contracts.

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The 'College Football Player of the Year' quiz

The '4,000-yard NFL passers' quiz

The 'Most passes thrown by NFL season' quiz

The 'Winning NFL playoff debuts' quiz

Framber Valdez News / Athlon Sports / January 16

Framber Valdez Landing Spots and Fantasy Outlook

With some of the bigger free agent pitchers off the market like Dylan Cease in Toronto and Ranger Suarez now calling Boston home, there are only a few high impact arms left looking for a contract.

Carlos Beltran News / Houston Astros on SI / January 16

Beltran Enters Hall Of Fame, Overcoming Costly Decision With Astros

Carlos Beltran is considered to be one of the greatest switch hitters in MLB history. A five-tool player early on in his career with nine All-Star selections, two silver sluggers and three gold gloves, this dude was just meant for Cooperstown.

Walker Janek News / New Baseball Media / January 16

Walker Janek, Joseph Sullivan Among Astros’ 2026 Non-Roster Invitees

With less than a month before the first official 2026 Spring Training workouts, teams have begun to announce their non-roster invite lists. The Astros were one of the first teams to announce the prospects headed to big league camp, as Houston did so on January 16.

Houston Astros News / Houston Astros on SI / January 16

Reuniting With Former Ace Could Provide Astros with Proven Rotation Support

After the difficult season the Houston Astros battled throughout 2025, their upcoming campaign could be a fresh start for the franchise. The possibility of Framber Valdez returning is growing slimmer with each passing day, leaving room for an incoming free agent.

Houston Astros News / Houston Astros on SI / January 15

Top 3 Highest Paid Houston Astros Starting Pitchers of All Time

Throughout their history, the Houston Astros have demonstrated a willingness to spend. In fact, they were the first franchise to sign a player to a million dollar annual salary when they agreed to terms with Nolan Ryan on a four-year, $4.5 million contract in 1979.

Houston Astros News / Houston Astros on SI / January 15

Houston Signs Eight International Free Agents Led by Dominican Quartet

The Houston Astros have been aggressive in the international market this offseason, first landing Japanese star Tatsuya Imai on a three-year deal. They continued that trend by adding eight international prospects during the opening of the 2026 signing period.

Houston Astros News / Houston Astros on SI / January 15