Astros Top Outfield Prospect Moved to Minor League Injured List

The Houston Astros hope that in the next year or so they’ll have more outfield depth joining them from the minor leagues.

For now, some of that depth needs a break.

As reported by The Athletic, outfielder Jacob Melton is on the 7-day injured list at Triple-A Sugar Land with what the Astros are calling upper back discomfort. The move is retroactive to Friday.

Melton injured himself making a diving catch during one of Houston’s final spring training games in Florida. He reportedly was dealing with back issues throughout spring training.

Per his transaction log, he was assigned to Double-A Corpus Christi on March 26. He has not played in a minor league this season. The Space Cowboys, the Triple-A affiliate, started its season last weekend. The Hooks just started their season.

The seven days on the injured list is the minimum for a minor league player. Melton can remain on the list as long as needed.

Melton emerged as the organization’s No. 1 overall prospect midway through the 2023 season when the Astros traded away talent to the New York Mets for pitcher Justin Verlander. He remained in that spot until earlier this year when Cam Smith moved into the No. 1 spot.

Smith was part of the deal for outfielder Kyle Tucker, as Houston acquired him, along with third baseman Isaac Paredes and pitcher Hayden Wesneski, from the Chicago Cubs.

Smith is playing right field for the Astros, but he is listed as a third baseman. Assuming Smith remains in the Majors he will graduate from prospect rankings sometime next month.

But Melton is unlikely to move back into the No. 1 spot. That spot will probably fall to infielder Brice Matthews, who is the No. 2 prospect in the system per MLB Pipeline. Melton is No. 3, followed by catcher Walker Janek and third baseman Zach Dezenzo.

Houston selected Melton in the second round of the 2022 MLB draft out of Oregon State. Before the Beavers he played junior college baseball at Linn-Benton CC (Ore.). With OSU he was the Pac-12 player of the year in 2022.

The Astros signed him to a $1 million signing bonus and immediately got him going in the minor leagues, as he appeared in 19 games at Class-A Carolina. He worked his way up to Triple-A by last season and has been a non-roster invitee to Major League spring training the last two seasons.

For his minor league career, he has slashed .250/.325/.773 with 42 home runs and 122 RBI.