Astros: Breaking Down 40-Man Roster Rule 5 Draft Protection

While the Houston Astros are busy building out the balance of the 2022 team, they also had to spend time thinking about the future by protecting the prospects most likely to be taken in the Rule 5 Draft.

As a quick reminder, if players aren’t on the 40-man roster they can be selected by other teams, within certain parameters. Players selected in the Rule 5 Draft must stay on the selecting team’s 26-man roster for an entire year or be offered back to the original team for a small fee.

Here’s a look at the prospects added to the Astros’ 40-man roster and a couple the team outrighted, losing one and retaining another.

Jonathan Bermudez, LHP, added to 40-man roster

Jonathan Bermudez was the Astros’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year after splitting time between Corpus Christi (AA) and Sugar Land (AAA). Bermudez, a 23rd-round pick in 2018, is 26-years-old and despite his advanced age for a prospect that never pitched above Double-A before last season, he gave up only 93 hits in 111 innings while striking out 146, which equates to 11.8 strikeouts and only 7.5 hits per nine innings.

The risk Bermudez would have been selected by another team if not protected was a gamble the Astros weren’t willing to take and being a left-handed power pitcher didn’t hurt.

Jeremy Pena, Infielder, added to 40-man roster

Jeremy Pena’s been profiled a bunch lately, and we even imagined where he would fit in the 2022 Astros lineup should he make the club in the spring as a replacement should Carlos Correa leave in free agency.

Pena is the team’s fourth ranked prospect and spent a good portion of 2021 with an injured wrist, seeing action in only 37 games. Still, the Astros see him as a potential every day shortstop eventually, whether that be in 2022 or 2023. Pena continues to gain experience and at-bats in the Dominican Winter League, where he’s slashing .288/.333/.462 in 52 at-bats.

Shawn Dubin, RHP, added to 40-man roster

Don’t let Shawn Dubin’s slight stature (6’1, 171 pounds) fool you. The 13th-round pick out of Georgetown College in Kentucky struck out 12.5 batters per nine innings in 49.2 innings with Sugar Land in 2021, while only allowing 6.3 hits per nine innings.

With no minor-league season in 2020, Dubin skipped Double-A altogether and posted a 4-3 record with a 3.44 ERA with the Skeeters. Dubin’s size raises doubts about his ability to survive as a starter, but many believe there’s potential as a multi-inning reliever.

Joe Perez, Corner Infielder, added to 40-man roster

While the Astros second-round pick out of Archbishop McCarthy High School in Florida back in 2017, Joe Perez has played at three different levels in 2021, starting in Fayetteville (A), then on to Asheville (A+), before finishing the season in Corpus Christi.

Perez raked in Fayetteville (.300/.407/.500) and Asheville (.354/.423/.707) before being promoted to Corpus Christi near the end of June where he compiled a .267/.322/.420 slash line. At all levels combined, Perez slashed .291/.354/.495 with 34 doubles, 18 home runs and 61 RBI in 430 at-bats.

Perez struck out 26.5% of the time last season, but has hits the ball hard when he makes contact. Despite having Tommy John surgery as a high schooler, his arm is above average, but his range at third base is considered limited and the hope is he can become an adequate fielder.

Freudis Nova, Infielder, outrighted and assigned to Sugar Land

Freudis Nova signed with the Astros in July of 2016 and has never played above High-A. The Astros placed him on the 40-man roster after the 2020 instructional league, but opted not to protect Nova this year. Nova slashed .224/.301/.369 in 282 at-bats with Asheville in 2021. At 21-years-old, Nova has plus raw power, but chases and struck out 24% of the time at Asheville.