Astros AA notes: Forrest Whitley and Andre Scrubb look impressive

Astros prospect Forrest Whitley is having a successful rehab in AA and it looks like Houston got the better deal in the Tyler White for Andre Scrubb swap.

It’s been a long battle back for Whitley, but he had a nice outing for AA Corpus Christi a couple of days ago. He’s starting to look like a top prospect again, as he works his way up the Minor League system in his rehab program. Also in AA news, the trade for Andre Scrubb is looking like the Astros may have pulled another “Yordan Alvarez” type of coup on the Dodgers.

Whitley was pretty much shut down for a while following a horrid start to the 2019 season. He pitched in eight games going 0-3 and posting a dreadful 12.21 ERA. Back in late May, he ended up on the 7-day Injured list for shoulder fatigue. After a lengthy period of rest, he began a throwing program down at the Astros Spring Training facility.

On July 12th, he began his rehab assignment in the Rookie Gulf Coast League. Whitley has now pitched in five games at various levels in the Minors in his bid to get back up to AAA Round Rock and ultimately a possible late-season call-up.

In those five appearances, Whitley has kept his opponent’s batting average down to .138 versus the .343 he allowed prior to the shutdown. His ERA over that span has been a much improved 3.78. Whitley has also reduced the number of home runs surrendered, only giving up one in the 16.2 innings of work since his return.

They are slowly increasing his workload, amping up the number of innings pitched per outing. The first couple of games he went just 1.2 and 2.2 innings but went 4 and 5 innings in the last two appearances. It will still be a long road back, but things are looking more promising for the young prospect.

Another pitcher at Corpus Christi turning heads is the newly acquired Andre Scrubb. He was attained from the Dodgers for Tyler White. He has appeared in relief in four games for the AA team. Scrubb has pitched 6.2 scoreless innings allowing just four hits while striking out eight batters.

The Dodgers traded one prospect to the Astros by the name of Yordan Alvarez, and we all know how that turned out. I can’t imagine how their front office and their fans would feel if Scrubb turns out to be another future stud on the Astros roster.