Apr 27, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Houston Astros hat and glove in the dugout during the second inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. William Purnell-Imagn Images

Astros Prospect Alimber Santa’s Breakthrough Puts Him on Doorstep of Majors

Originally posted on Houston Astros on SI
By Matt Postins | Last updated Aug 8, 2025 5:50 PM ET

Houston Astros prospect Alimber Santa’s promotion to Triple-A Sugar Land last week was five years in the making.

On the heels of his selection to the MLB Futures Game during All-Star weekend, the Astros moved him up to their highest affiliate just a few days before the MLB trade deadline.

Since he arrived, he’s been making the adjustment to the Space Cowboys and continuing what has been a breakthrough season for the 22-year-old. He has ascended to Top 30 prospect status as the Astros’ No. 11 prospect, per MLB Pipeline. The site highlighted one prospect from each franchise who saw their stock rise this year.

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Alinber Santa’s Breakthrough Season

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Before 2025, Santa, a right-hander, had finished just one full season with an ERA under 4.00. He has intriguing stuff, per MLB Pipeline, as he combines mid-90s fastball and tight mid-80s slider.

But he’s never had quality results consistently on the diamond until this season, which marks his full transition to a relief role in the minors.

The Astros started him at Double-A Corpus Christi where he was dominant. He went 3-1 with a 1.26 ERA in 31 games, all in relief. He registered three holds and saved two games in three chances. He struck out 63 and walked 23 in 57 innings.

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That was more than enough to get him into the Futures Game and to prompt the Astros to promote him.

Since he arrived in Sugar Land, Santa has pitched in three games and has a 3.38 ERA with no decisions. He does have a hold. He’s pitched 2.2 innings with five walks and two strikeouts. But batters are only hitting .222 against him. At Corpus, they were batting .176 against him.

Alimber Santa Before This Season

The Astros signed Santa out of the Dominican Republic for $75,000 in 2020, which was the season minor league baseball was shut down to COVID-19. So, he wasn’t allowed to pitch in a game until 2021.

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He didn’t pitch much in his first two seasons (2021-22), as he went 0-2 and had a ERA north of 10.00 as a swing starter and reliever.

In 2023 he received his first full season stateside with Class-A Fayetteville and struggled. He went 3-9 with a 5.98 ERA in 26 games (14 starts) with 119 strikeouts and 74 walks in 87.1 innings. Houston loved the strikeout rate, but he walked too many hitters.

In 2024, he only pitched in 19 games, with four of them starts. Again, the ERA was high — 6.47 — as he went 1-2. He struck out 49 and walked 23 in 40.1 innings.

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This article first appeared on Houston Astros on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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