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Zach Cole Had 'Eye-Catching' Minor League Numbers Before Astros Promotion

Originally posted on Houston Astros on SI | By Brad Wakai | Last updated Oct 26, 2025 9:00 AM ET

The Houston Astros believed they were going to see one of their young outfielders have a breakout this season, but nobody imagined it would come from Zach Cole during the waning weeks of the campaign.

But that's exactly what happened after they called him up following 15 Triple-A games, as the decision to see what he could do in The Show did not disappoint when he finished with an astounding four home runs in 15 games where he produced 11 RBIs.

Cole was supposed to be competing in the Arizona Fall League right now to continue his impressive 2025 season, but after the Astros saw what he did to close out the year, they decided to send another prospect in his place.

Now, the slugging outfielder will likely have a chance to compete for an Opening Day roster spot this spring, which is not something anyone envisioned when this season began. However, perhaps there were some signs that a breakout could be coming.

Zach Cole's Speed-Power Combo Was on Full Display in 2025

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MLB Pipeline took a look at what they considered to be "eye-catching" statistics from prospects across every Major League Baseball organization. Cole stood out for the Astros, as he would have finished with a 20-homer, 20-steal season if he wasn't promoted to the bigs.

"The 2022 10th-rounder has plus wheels and the bat speed to generate at least above-average power but needs to cut down on whiffs to make the most of it. Playing in his third full Minor League season in Corpus Christi and Sugar Land, he flashed the toolsy potential that could make him a larger piece of the Houston outfield puzzle in '26," they wrote.

2025 was the breakout for Cole. He slashed .267/.363/.505 across 82 games at Double-A before he hit five home runs in 15 games with Triple-A Sugar Land. That earned him his promotion to The Show, and he did not miss his opportunity there.

Zach! Cole! pic.twitter.com/PydajXVuzx
— Houston Astros (@astros) September 16, 2025

There is some concern that the magical finish to the season could be a bit of fool's gold. After all, strikeouts are a major issue for the 25-year-old, as he has been rung up a staggering 459 times in just 317 minor league games.

That doesn't suggest he's going to have much consistent success in the MLB unless he makes a drastic change to his approach, which could also cut down on his power numbers and his ability to impact the game like he did to finish out the season.

Still, there's no denying that there is something there with Cole. And the speed-power combination that was on display in 2025 could be an aspect of his profile that keeps him in Houston for some time.