Astros are favorites to sign 1 Top 50 international prospect

Although the Astros’ farm system has been ranked near the bottom in MLB, they are favorites for one Top 50 international prospect.

In MLB Pipeline’s latest Top 50 international prospect rankings, the Houston Astros were linked to only one prospect: Kenny Gomez, an outfielder from San Cristobal, Dominican Republic. The organization has been identified as the most active in Cuba in regard to scouting, but none of the recent verbal agreements or signings made the Top 50.

Gomez is a left-handed hitter with 55 hit and 55 power on an 80-grade scale. The lefty has been identified as a power hitter, who can spray the field and study the zone. While also knowledgeable in the box, Gomez has “the potential to be a plus hitter with solid average power.”

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The 16-year-old mainly plays centerfield, where he has displayed a 50 arm and 50 field. The right-hander’s accuracy could keep him in center, as he is also average in speed (50) at a young age.

While Gomez drives the ball to the opposite field consistently, the left-hander doesn’t swing and miss much either. His plate approach could be compared to Tony Gwynn with his discipline and spray, but Gomez has much a wider stance that sits heavily on his back foot.

The lefty also trains with Jaime Ramos, a member of MLB’s Trainer Partnership Program, at the Jaime Ramos Baseball Academy. While the Astros are favorites to sign Gomez, a signing bonus hasn’t been reported yet with the new international signing period opening on January 15, 2022.