Astros injury news: Jeremy Pena needs wrist surgery

Astros’ top infielding prospect Jeremy Pena will need left wrist surgery.

As Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reported, the Houston Astros‘ fourth ranked prospect, Jeremy Pena, needs surgery on his left wrist. This news was released on Tuesday in the midst of the team expecting the return of Martin Maldonado, Alex Bregman, Yordan Alvarez and Robel Garcia being added back to the roster Tuesday night.

While expected to miss a few months, Pena is deemed one of the possible replacements for Carlos Correa, if he finds a new home next offseason. This injury will most likely lead to more time for players like Alex De Goti and Freudis Nova to climb their way to long stints at the major league level. As another option could be Pedro Leon, the regular outfielder has taken innings at shortstop this past spring.

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Pena has been at the alternate training site since big league spring training closed out late March, and this is where the right-hander suffered the injury. While being one of the main targets for the future, the right-hander is a magician with his glove and has the ability to play second base and third base as well.

Although excelling in the the Dominican Winter League, the built right-hander hasn’t showed much power behind his swing. Slugging is coming around for Pena, but the 2021 minor league season would’ve been his best opportunity to climb through the system, as he hasn’t played past A ball in his short minor league career.

This news comes as a surprise, but injuries have plagued Astros’ players the last two seasons, as it starts to reach some of the farm system crop. Pena’s surgery will be conducted on Wednesday and is expected to miss five months.