Houston Astros Top 15 Prospects

Huge power potential with a decent chance of sticking on the left side of the infield made Neyens a sure-fire first-rounder even with some of the biggest whiff concerns of the prep class.

Hitting

Starting upright with his hands a little more than shoulder-width apart and his hands just above his back shoulder, Neyens gets into a sizable leg kick while pushing his hands far back and elbow high. It’s a noisy operation predicated on athleticism, but when he times things up, there may not be a hitter with more jaw-dropping juice in the prep class.

Between his long levers and athleticism, Neyens creates plenty of whip, making it easy to dream on power that could be beyond plus territory as he optimizes his mechanics. The late hand push upwards in his load and hiked up elbow can cause the barrel to get far behind his body, which is compounded by a long stride forward.

Neyens is very patient in the box, rarely expanding, but can border on passive, as detailed by our Tyler Jennings in his pre-draft report. The patience should be an asset as he fine-tunes his approach and simplified mechanics will only aid his swing decisions.

There was a lot of swing and miss from Neyens in the summer circuit, making him as volatile of a bat as there is in the first round, but the upside is hard to ignore.

Defense/Speed

Neyens was announced as a shortstop and will likely get some runway there, but projects best at third base. His plus arm is his biggest asset, as he was a solid prospect on the mound as well with a low 90s fastball. His hands are ahead of his footwork, which can get a little bit clunky. Neyens is roughly an average runner.

Outlook

There are a few prospects in the 2025 class with a wider ceiling/floor gap than Neyens, offering what could be huge power potential from the hot corner, along with the risk of not hitting enough to reach near that upside.

A product of Mt. Vernon, Washington, Neyens likely had as big a talent gap to adjust to from his high school ball to the summer circuit as any of the elite prospects there, inspiring more patience for him to develop as a hitter. If it all comes together, Neyens could progress into a 30+ home run bat at the hot corner who offsets whiff with plenty of patience and walks.

2. Brice Matthews – 2B – (MLB)

Height/Weight: 5’11″, 195 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 1st Round (28), 2023 (HOU) | ETA: 2025

An exciting blend of power, speed and patience, it all comes down to whether Matthews can make enough contact.

Hitting

While there’s not big moving parts to Matthew’s operation, he struggles to consistently make contact within the zone and tends to look rushed in the box. The late hand movement seems to create some challenges with being in sync with his lower half. Matthews hedges that with a patient approach and good feel for the strike zone.

Matthews still generates good bat speed, and when he’s in sync he showcases the ability to hit the ball in the air with authority. His 90th percentile exit velocity of nearly 107 MPH is comfortably in the plus territory, but inconsistent quality of contact has his average exit velocity at just 88 MPH.

With a chase rate right around 20% and the ability to recognize spin, Matthews has been able to draw plenty of free passes with his most likely path to being an everyday bat via the three true outcome approach. Even so, he will likely need to clean up his mechanics to make enough quality contact to be an effective hitter of that archetype.

Defense/Speed

A plus runner, Matthews moves his feet well on the infield dirt, but his actions and fringy arm limit him on the left side of the infield some. He’s capable of getting by at third base or shortstop, projecting best at second base. A threat on the base paths, Matthews has turned himself into a more efficient base stealer, swiping 30 bags in both the 2024 and 2025 seasons.

Outlook

Matthews will need to refine some things in the box to reach his potential as an above-average second baseman and showed incremental gains in 2025, earning himself a brief big league debut in fill-in duty. Matthews is much more productive against left-handed pitching, projecting best as a short-platoon infielder who can move around the dirt.

3. Walker Janek – C – (High-A)

Height/Weight: 5’11″, 195 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 1st Round (28), 2024 (HOU) | ETA: 2027

A glove-first catcher, Janek took a step forward offensively in 2025, looking like what could be an average regular behind the dish.

Hitting

Starting slightly crouched with his weight stacked towards his backside, Janek utilizes a simple operation with a quiet hand load and moderate stride. Janek added some strength heading into the 2025 season, which, paired with his ability to pull the ball in the air, has resulted in an uptick in game power.

Janek is an aggressive hitter, running a chase rate north of 30% which, paired with fringy contact rates, casts somewhat of a shadow over his offensive profile. The uptick in power has helped elevate his offensive outlook, given the fringy bat-to-ball and swing decisions, showcasing what could be average pop.

There’s likely a bit more impact in the tank if Janek can fight off his tendency to push onto his front side against secondaries. There’s a chance that more lower-half control can help improve his swing decisions as well, especially against spin, giving himself more time to decide.

Defense/Speed

A good athlete behind the dish, Janek’s easy plus arm, paired with great receiving and blocking skills gives him the potential to be a plus defender. He has thrown out north of 30% of attempted base stealers as a pro and grades well as a framer. A savvy base runner, Janek swiped 27 bags on his first 28 tries in 2025.

Outlook

Janek’s defensive prowess almost guarantees he will at least be a backup catcher at the highest level, but his offensive gains give him a chance to be a primary backstop.

He will likely need to make more gains between the bat to ball and swing decisions, but even if both are fringy, his ability to now push north of 15 homers likelihood of providing plenty of value with the glove should be enough to be an average catcher. As much of a copout as it may seem, the most likely outcome is that he is somewhere in between.

4. Jacob Melton – OF – (MLB)

Height/Weight: 6’3″, 210 | Bat/Throw: L/L | 2nd Round (64), 2023 (HOU) | ETA: 2025

Melton is a plus runner who hits the ball really hard, but his extremely flat path creates a lot of ground balls and inconsistent results.

Hitting

Starting slightly open, Melton gathers into his back side with a medium-sized leg kick that hovers for a bit and can result in him being tardy. Melton also closes himself off some with his landing spot which paired with his flat path can create issues on the inner half and a lot of tied-up swings.

The longer path to the ball, paired with the tendency to be late, is a compounding challenge for Melton to be able to do much damage at all to the pull side, with one of the deepest average contact points in all of baseball.

The good news is, he is such a twitchy athlete with above-average bat speed, posting plus exit velocities and a Hard Hit Rate that has hovered around 50% since the start of the 2024 season.

Melton had the tendency to be aggressive in 2024, but has cut the chase down in 2025. He still can expand against spin, but he has shrunk the zone against fastballs and changeups effectively.

When Melton is in rhythm, you can see the plus raw power as he has torched plenty of batted balls north of 110 MPH. The challenge is, his mechanics leave him exposed to velocity and stuff located in the inner-half.

Defense/Speed

A plus runner, Melton covers plenty of ground in centerfield and has the instincts to be an above-average defender up the middle or plus in a corner. Melton is an aggressive and efficient base stealer, swiping 92 bags on his first 107 tries as of the time of this report.

Outlook

Given the ground ball rates in the minor leagues and how overmatched he has looked in the early going against MLB pitching, Melton is likely a swing change candidate who will need to find a way to be more efficient with the ball and push his contact up.

His ability to provide value with his glove and legs takes some pressure off of the bat, but he has the raw tools to easily clear 20 homers with high BABIPs. Until he makes an adjustment to his swing, Melton projects as a fourth outfielder.

5. Anderson Brito – RHP – (High-A)

Height/Weight: 5’10″, 185 | Bat/Throw: R/R | IFA: $10,000, 2023 (HOU) | ETA: 2027

A scouting success by the Astros, Brito was signed for $10,000 and put into a strength program, delaying his pro debut until 2024. He debuted sitting in the mid 90s and ticked up to the upper 90s in 2025 before going down with a shoulder injury.

Arsenal

Brito’s fastball is his best pitch, sitting 96-98 MPH with above-average carry from an over-the-top slot. It explodes through the zone, generating above-average whiff and chase. The curveball looks like it can be his best secondary offering, sitting in the mid-80s with a hard downward break that works well off of his fastball from his slot. The shapes of all of his secondaries are generally inconsistent at this stage, which is understandable given the fact that he has only thrown 100 professional innings.

While the results have been inconsistent in the early going, Brito’s hard cutter in the upper 80s to low 90s looks like it can be a solid change of pace offering. He also mixes in a splitter that has flashed average and a sweeper.

Outlook

The command is a work in progress for Brito as he accumulates more innings, but he is a good athlete on the mound who should be able to clean up his movement to create more consistent shapes and likely more strikes with that.

The fastball, curveball combination gives him a strong foundation, and the presence of several more secondaries that have flashed provides optimism for what could be as he becomes more polished as a pitcher.

A shoulder issue, unfortunately, halted what was an impressive start to Brito’s High-A career after throwing less than 30 innings above the complex in 2024. Step one will be for Brito to get healthy heading into 2026, but he easily has the highest upside of any arm in the Astros system.

6. Ryan Forcucci – RHP – (CPX)

Height/Weight: 6’3″, 210 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 3rd Round (101), 2024 (HOU) | ETA: 2028

Forcucci started to generate late first-round buzz at UC San Diego after five dominant starts in his draft year before his season was wiped out due to Tommy John surgery. We have yet to see Forcucci make his pro debut, but he is a high-probability big league starter given his fastball traits and athleticism.

Arsenal

A four pitch mix dominated by his fastball and slider, Forcucci moves athletically on the mound with above average command. His fastball mostly sat 93-95 MPH, touching 97 with good run and ride, generating plenty of chase at the top and weak contact under the ball.

His slider is his best secondary pitch, looking like an above-average pitch in the mid-80s. He commands it well to his glove side, burying it effectively towards the back leg of lefties in addition to his success with it right on right.

Prior to his injury, Forcucci was mixing in a curveball and changeup, with the latter flashing average with plenty of horizontal action. It could get firm on him with a lack of velocity separation, mostly sitting in the upper 80s. The curveball is more of a change-of-pace pitch in the upper 70s.

Outlook

The Tommy John surgery is a heck of a detour, but Forcucci looked to be making a leap when we last saw him in 2024, and with the Astros taking over his rehab and ramp up for his pro debut, there’s a chance we could see the best version of the right-hander yet upon his return stuff-wise.

How free and easy the delivery is on the mound was a huge draw to Forcucci, and it will be important to see if he can maintain that upon his return. Now having more time to work on diversifying his arsenal in a controlled setting, it will be interesting to see what Forcucci’s pitch mix looks like when he presumably retakes the mound in 2026.

7. Joseph Sullivan – OF – (Double-A)

Height/Weight: 6’3″, 210 | Bat/Throw: L/L | 7th Round (223), 2024 (HOU) | ETA: 2027

An extremely toolsy outfielder, Sullivan has filled up the stat sheet as much as any position player in the Astros system, but it will come down to whether he can hit enough for it all to translate at the highest level.

Hitting

Starting slightly open and crouched with his bat just above his shoulder, Sullivan gets going with a sizable leg kick as he tips the barrel. It’s a big move that can cause some variance in his timing, but he starts it early, allowing him to be on time for velocity. Sullivan crushed fastballs to an OPS right around 1.000 in 2025, turning heaters around easily to the pull side.

The challenge for Sullivan is his OPS against secondaries sat around the low 600s with a 60% contact rate. Sullivan tends to sell out to the pull side, which can result in him leaving pulling off of softer stuff with a path that can flatten.

The raw power for Sullivan is immense, running a 90th percentile exit velocity of 108 MPH in 2025 and a Hard Hit rate north of 50%. His path is unlikely to allow him to squeeze out every drop of the raw power when it comes to converting it into game pop, though he has flashed enough ability to elevate fastballs and hangers to the pull side to get to 20+ homers if he hits enough.

The contact gap between fastballs and secondaries is concerning, especially at the High-A level, but he does hedge the issues with plus plate discipline, running a chase rate below 15%. With his advanced feel for the zone and ability to recognize spin, there’s hope that Sullivan can lean into a three-true-outcome profile with success. If he is to go get there, it will likely be on the bulk side of a platoon.

Defense/Speed

A plus runner, Sullivan has the ingredients to stick in center field, but his reads can be a little hesitant, utilizing his closing speed and athleticism to compensate. It would likely be closer to average defense up the middle if his reads and routes come along further; his range and arm should make him an above-average defender in a corner.

An aggressive base stealer, Sullivan has also been efficient at each stop of his career. He got to 40 bags in his first 48 tries in 2025 and should be a threat to grab 40+ annually.

Outlook

Sullivan’s power, patience, and speed make him an intriguing prospect despite the below-average hit tool. That said, the odds are stacked against college bats with the underlying whiff that Sullivan showed at the lower levels. His far better contact numbers against right-handed pitching make it easier to envision Sullivan getting on base enough in a bulk platoon role when paired with his plus plate discipline.

8. Miguel Ullola – RHP – (Triple-A)

Height/Weight: 6’1″, 210 | Bat/Throw: R/R | IFA: $75,000, 2021 (HOU) | ETA: 2028

An elite fastball leads the way for Ullola and gives him plenty of upside, but his well below average command is restrictive.

Arsenal

Ullola will utilize four pitches with his fastball far ahead. The average velocity is down a tick from the 2024 season, sitting 92-94 MPH with elite carry and plus extension. He picks up elite whiff within the zone paired with plenty of strikes looking at the knees and chase at the top.

The right-hander’s ability to execute took a step back in 2025, and the slider may be the best example. Flashing above average the year prior, it morphed to more of a cutter shape with a lower strike rate. In terms of batting average against, it’s still been an effective pitch for the right-hander, but with underwhelming whiff and chase numbers.

Ullola upped his curveball usage in 2025 as the slider slipped some, finding more confidence with it against righties in addition to lefties. The downward action tunnels well off his riding heater, making it effective against hitters from both sides of the plate. Given Ullola’s command challenges in general, the depth of the pitch makes it difficult to land for a strike consistently.

He will mix in a firm changeup in the upper 80s that can still generate decent in-zone whiff numbers due to how geared up hitters are for a hoppy fastball, causing them to swing over it. Still, it’s likely to be an average-at-best pitch.

Outlook

Ullola’s fastball and trio of at least usable secondaries give him a great chance of at least landing as an effective relief option, but if the command can even be close to average, he has a chance to be an effective back-end starter with the volatility to flash middle-rotation stuff with frustrating outings mixed in. Likely to be protected from the Rule 5 Draft in December, Ullola could break in as a reliever with the goal of getting him throwing enough strikes to stick as a starter. Either way, his borderline 70 grade heater and decent secondaries should make him an effective arm in one role or another.

9. AJ Blubaugh – RHP – (MLB)

Height/Weight: 6’4″, 210 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 7th Round (223), 2022 (HOU) | ETA: 2025

A seventh-round pick by the Astros in 2022, Blubaugh turned in the best season of his career in the hitter-friendly PCL in 2024 before seeing his command take a step back in 2025

Arsenal

A four-pitch mix, Blubaugh’s fastball ticked up in 2025, sitting 93-95 MPH as a starter and 95-97 MPH in relief. The fastball shape is mostly standard, with slightly above average extension, making the uptick in velocity even more impactful to push it beyond average territory, especially in relief.

Blubaugh’s changeup was his best pitch in 2024, but his feel for it was inconsistent through most of 2025 before finding more consistency with it late in the year. Averaging 16 inches of horizontal break with nearly 10 MPH of separation, Blubaugh generates plenty of ground balls and decent in-zone whiffs when he is locating it.

With the changeup being Blubaugh’s preferred weapon against lefties, his sweeper is his go-to secondary against same-handed hitters. It’s an average pitch with better underlying whiff and chase than the surface-level stats against would imply, as he has the tendency to leave it over the heart.

Outlook

Even when he started the 2025 season in the Triple-A rotation, Blubaugh’s velocity was up a tick, so when the Astros called him up to fill a relief role, the velocity gains compounded in shorter spurts, giving him more versatility as a guy who can pitch the seventh in addition to being a depth starter. Blubaugh fits the mold of an effective swingman who can be utilized in various roles.

10. Kevin Alvarez – OF – (DSL)

Height/Weight: 6’4″, 185 | Bat/Throw: R/R | IFA: $2M, 2025 (HOU) | ETA: 2029

Projectable with a good feel for the barrel, Alvarez offers plenty of upside, but is still very raw. The key addition of the Astros’ 2025 IFA class out of Cuba, Alvarez, already stands at 6-foot-4, 185 pounds. He is still growing into his frame and learning how to utilize it, posting light exit velocities in his age-17 season at the DSL.

He tends to counter-rotate a lot, which can result in the barrel being tardy to the zone as the barrel and his body have more ground to cover to get to the desired contact point. There’s plenty of room for strength, and as he learns to utilize his lower half more effectively in his swing, there’s more power to dream on.

Alvarez will likely slow down as he matures, which could result in him moving to a corner outfield spot where his above-average arm should play well. Though the road ahead is long, Alvarez has as much upside as any lower-level prospect in the Astros system.

11. Ethan Pecko – RHP – (Triple-A)

Height/Weight: 6’2″, 210 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 6th Round (194), 2024 (HOU) | ETA: 2026

Pecko saw his start to the 2025 season delayed due to an undisclosed injury, returning in June with a fastball that was up a tick from 2024, sitting 93-94 MPH. While the heater does not generate a ton of ride, it plays up visually to hitters thanks to his flat approach angle, generating more whiff at the top than the IVB may imply.

The upper 80s cutter is Pecko’s best secondary pitch and he fills up the strike zone with it more than any of his offerings. The slider has progressed to average territory with the curveball and changeup lagging behind, but still usable mix-in offerings.

While the command is average, Pecko will probably need to be above average in that department to stick as a No. 5 starter, but he at least looks the part of a quality depth arm.

12. Bryce Mayer – RHP – (Double-A)

Height/Weight: 6’3″, 210 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 16th Round (493), 2024 (HOU) | ETA: 2026

A classic pitch data over results draft pick, the Astros snagged Mayer in the 16th round despite pitching to a 6.58 ERA out of the bullpen at Missouri in 2024. The right-hander had transferred from St. Charles Junior College in 2023 but missed that season with Tommy John surgery.

Mayer works down the mound well, generating plus extension from a below-average release height, pushing his fastball to above-average territory despite sitting at 92-94 MPH. He has a good feel to spin a slider with ride at 82-85 MPH, tunneling well off of his fastball. His curveball has flashed as a potentially average third pitch, but it is inconsistent.

With a good feel to fill up the zone and an ability to keep the ball in the yard despite being a fly ball pitcher, Mayer has a shot to land as a No. 5 starter if it all clicks, most likely projecting as a swingman given his strong splits against right-handed hitters.

13. Ethan Frey – OF – (Low-A)

Height/Weight: 6’6″, 225 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 3rd Round (95), 2025 (HOU) | ETA: 2028

Frey had an extremely productive draft year at LSU, but the batted ball data points towards plenty more game power being in the tank. It’s a bat-first profile with some swing and miss, so it will be important for him to get into that power.

Hitting

Starting slightly crouched with his hands high, Frey’s pre-swing operation is simple, sinking into his back side in tandem with a toe tap. Despite minimal movement, Frey is able to generate plenty of force, registering a batted ball of 114 MPH within his first 20 games of pro ball.

Even though he only hit 13 homers in his draft year, Frey’s exit velocities were easily plus for the class, running a 90th percentile exit velocity of 107 MPH and a Hard Hit rate north of 55%. Frey’s plus exit velocities have not translated into the game power expected because he struggles to pull the ball in the air with a longer swing, that him to battle a consistently deep contact point.

Frey has a decent feel for the strike zone and is not overly expansive against spin, but he can start to cheat to fastballs, which can push the swing rate up against velocity. If Frey can improve his batted ball angles, there is easily above-average power in the tank. The concern is that his rushed nature against fastballs could degrade the hit tool as he sees more consistent velocity in pro ball.

Defense/Speed

Frey moves well for a 6-foot-6, 225-pounder, turning in average run times. He DH’d most of the 2025 season and missed some time in 2024 as he battled through a torn labrum, but the Astros have given Frey a run at all three outfield spots in the early going of his pro career.

The lack of reps is evident as he works to get his footing in the outfield, though Frey has the ability to get by just fine in a corner.

Outlook

Lacking the track record that most other top three round collegiate picks possess in large part due to his 2024 injury, the Astros feel like they are getting a player whose arrow is pointed upwards with more to unlock as he gains reps and cleans some things up in the box. It’s easy to see why, given the underlying data, but given the fact that he is likely limited to fringy hit with minimal value beyond the bat, it will be important for him to tap into that plus raw power.

14. Shay Whitcomb – UTIL – (Triple-A)

Height/Weight: 6’1″, 205 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 5th Round (160), 2020 (HOU) | ETA: 2025

A versatile defender with some pop, Whitcomb looks the part of a utility piece. He has struggled to hang onto a 26-man spot with the Astros, but is clearly too good for the PCL.

His slightly above-average exit velocities and the ability to pull the ball in the air, Whitcomb has slugged plenty in the minor leagues with spray that should play well in Houston if he can hit enough.

Though versatile, Whitcomb is not necessarily a defensive asset at any individual position, playing best at second base. In the upper minor leagues, Whitcomb has seen action at virtually every position besides centerfield, pitcher, and catcher. He fits best as a mistake-hitting utility piece who can provide some value with his legs as well.

15. Jackson Nezuh – RHP – (Double-A)

Height/Weight: 6’1″, 180 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 14th Round (434), 2023 (HOU) | ETA: 2026

Another Astros pitching prospect who has turned in far better results as a pro than he did in college, Nezuh generates plus vert on a fastball that sits 92-94 MPH. His changeup played like an above-average pitch off of it in 2024, but the feel for it has gotten away from him in 2025.

Generating 10 inches of vertical separation and 13 MPH of velocity separation, Nezuh can easily have hitters off balance with his changeup when he’s around the zone.

The mid-80s cutter also played better the year prior, largely due to execution, as Nezuh has had the tendency to leave it over the middle more since he returned from injury. The underlying whiff and chase numbers point towards it being a solid third offering with better command. He will also mix in a curveball and sweeper, both of which are nothing more than taste-breakers.

Nezuh has progressed closer to regaining his average command the more removed he has been from his first half injury. If he can regain the feel for the changeup, Nezuh could be a fringe No. 5 starter.

Other Names to Watch

Luis Baez – OF/1B – (Double-A): Once a borderline top 100 prospect, Baez’s poor approach and decreased launch angles resulted in him hitting a wall at Double-A.

There was likely less patience for Baez to work through his offensive kinks given his lack of value beyond the bat (it’s likely a fringy corner or 1B profile), but he still offers plus raw power and showed signs of life in the latter parts of the 2025 season. An injury to start the season didn’t make things any easier for Baez, who will still just be 22 years old at the start of the 2026 campaign. 

Zach Cole – OF – (Triple-A): The biggest raw power in the Astros system, Cole has run a ridiculous 90th percentile exit velocity of 110 MPH in 2025, undercut by a strikeout rate around 35%. Cole is a good runner who can play an above-average corner and get by in center field, but the hit tool is going to need to make a leap for the tools to be usable.

Jose Fleury – RHP – (Triple-A): Signed for just $10,000 in 2021, Fleury has ridden his plus changeup to some success in the minor leagues, masking a fastball that sits 90-91 MPH, but somehow avoids barrels. He will mix in a cutter, slider, sinker, and curveball with the ability to frustrate hitters in a way that is reminiscent of former Astros farmhand Valente Bellozo. 

James Hicks – RHP – (Double-A): Hicks has a deceptive low-three-quarters armslot from an upright delivery with a pitch mix that works well to all four quadrants to create unique angles for hitters. The four seamer plays up from his arm angle, generating plenty of whiff within the zone, while the cutter can work well off of it from his cross-fire delivery.

His sinker has not been as effective as the cutter, mostly due to execution as it is conceivable for Hicks to be most effective with a Lance Lynn-type of approach. The breaking balls and changeup lag behind with the slider, at least flashing. 

Jase Mitchell – C – (CPX): A 7th round pick in the 2025 draft, the Astros signed Mitchell away from the University of Kentucky with nearly triple the slot value ($797,500). He offers a sweet swing from the left side and some power potential, standing at 6-foot-3, 200 pounds. There’s a chance Mitchell could outgrow the position, but he’s athletic with an above-average arm. 

Alimber Santa – RHP – (Triple-A): After pitching to a 6.47 ERA in 2024, Santa broke out in a big way in 2025 behind an improved sweeper and added sinker. Prior to being promoted to Triple-A, Santa sported a 1.26 ERA in 57 relief innings in the Texas League at 22 years old. Averaging 96 MPH with his four-seamer, paired with a sinker/sweeper combo, Santa looks like a solid middle-relief option.

Parker Smith – RHP – (Low-A): A fourth-round pick out of Rice in 2024, Smith fits the bill of a groundball-getting, innings-eating starter. He has a sturdy build, throws plenty of strikes, and did not allow a home run at Low-A in nearly 20 starts in 2025.

Sitting 92-94 MPH with his fastballs, it will be important to see how Smith’s stuff plays at more challenging levels, as his lack of a plus pitch could result in harder contact and more nibbling.

Alonzo Tredwell – RHP – (Double-A): A second-round pick by the Astros in 2023, Tredwell has battled injuries over the years that have limited him some. Standing at a towering 6-foot-7, 270 pounds, Tredwell generates plus extension and some ride on a fastball that mostly sits 92-93 MPH but grabbed more 4s and 5s as the season progressed.

The downward action on the curveball plays up from his towering release, albeit with inconsistent command, and the slider is fringy. The fastball has played up enough for Tredwell to enjoy a strong 2025 season at High-A and Double-A, but the secondaries will need to come along for him to reach his back end starter upside. 

Jancel Villarroel – C/LF – (High-A): Short levers with some bat speed, Villarroel is able to blend decent bat to ball with some sneaky pop. The defense is iffy behind the dish, with the Astros already giving him reps in the outfield.

There’s potential for a decent blend of hit and power, but it would help Villarroel’s profile significantly if he could even catch just part-time. Regardless, there’s plenty of pressure on that hit tool progressing to above average, which isn’t totally out of the realm of possibility given his 87% zone contact in 2025.