Astros’ Highly Touted Pitching Prospect Shines Bright in Season Debut

The Houston Astros pitching staff has had a very hit-or-miss start to their season, allowing 15 runs through five games, but seven of which came in one matchup.

Overall the team has struggled though, with a 2-3 record and an offense that has stagnated to open the year, it has been difficult for the pitching staff to overcome such minimal run support.

The team has also begun somewhat of a youth movement over the course of the past offseason, which has left the lineup changed compared to 2024 with multiple new players filling roles left behind by veterans. These younger players will help build towards the future of the franchise, but will also need time to develop and live up to their potential.

One of the players who is on track to join the MLB roster in the near future is pitching prospect A.J. Blubaugh, a 2022 seventh-round pick for the Astros. Since being drafted he has made a rapid rise through the farm system, and is now already in Triple-A Sugar Land after being promoted there during the 2024 season.

He has kicked off 2025 there as well after proving he could be effective last season, but still needed some time to hone in on his skillset.

In 2024 at the Triple-A level he had a 3.83 ERA, 1.348 WHIP, 128 strikeouts to 51 walks, and 14 home runs allowed in 124.2 innings pitched. This would also warrant a 12-4 record which is quite impressive given it was his first season with the squad.

Spring training was tough on him however, producing much less effectively in a significantly smaller sample size. He pitched in four games, going 8.2 innings, and finishing with a 9.35 ERA, 1.615 WHIP, nine strikeouts to six walks, and allowed one home run. This would be good for a 1-1 record, as in one of his appearances he did enough to allow his team to take the lead.

These struggles in the spring kept him away from an MLB debut, but his first Triple-A start of the year makes that sample size seem insignificant.

In his start he would pitch six innings, allowing only four hits and no walks, with nine strikeouts and 17 whiffs. According to Thomas Nestico, Blubaugh had a 72.5% strike rate in the game, and had positive values on practically all of his pitch types.

Overall, a great start to the regular season for the No. 11 prospect in Houston's minor leagues, and something that will hopefully continue in the coming weeks as he looks to get the last promotion on his list, to the MLB.