Houston Astros: Three pitching prospects who will have big roles in 2017

The Houston Astros have had a busy offseason, adding a veteran touch to the roster. Which rookies will have the most impact on the 2017 season?

Jeff Luhnow struck early and added veterans Nori Aoki, Carlos Beltran, Josh Reddick, Charlie Morton, and Brian McCann. Last season, the young Houston Astros team struggled to start the season and versus the Rangers. By adding this influx of experience to the team, they hope to avoid prolonged slumps. However, these players could be blocking the development of Astros prospects.

With McCann and Evan Gattis, Max Stassi has little chance to make the team barring an injury. Yulieski Gurriel could make it hard for Tyler White to make the opening day roster. Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, and Alex Bregman will be blocking young infielders for years to come. They didn’t bring Aoki and Reddick onboard to ride the pine.

The pitching staff is just as crowded, with the rotation six deep. There could be an opening for a reliever on the team, A.J. Hinch told us that he prefers 13 pitchers on the staff. Whether the 13th pitcher is Jandel Gustave or Brad Peacock, we don’t know yet.

There is not much room for too many of the young guys. Gurriel had 130 at-bats last year, so he doesn’t qualify. Which three pitching prospects will have the biggest impact in 2017? Good question.