3 budget free agents Astros should pursue

Tommy Hunter could be a minor-league signing for the Astros.

Major League Baseball teams add non-roster invites before spring training with right-hander Steve Cishek being an example from 2021. This year, there are no reports on minor-league signings similar to Cishek’s.

This is where Hunter could enter the equation. At 35-years-old, the right-hander has 14 years of major-league experience behind him with a tie to general manager James Click in 2017 with the Tampa Bay Rays.

Hunter is standing on his last leg, after only pitching in four games during the 2021 season with the New York Mets due to lower-back pain. After not pitching in a full season since 2018, Hunter could sign a low-cost deal with the Astros, which could end in high-reward option if his high-spin rate is still there.

If his services are not needed in the bullpen, then he would easily be released similarly to Cishek.