Astros: Ranking the best players under age 25 on the 40-man roster

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Let’s rank the best players under the age of 25 on the Astros 40-man roster.

For the Houston Astros, Kyle Tucker is the most promising player after 2021 with his impactful 5.7 WAR season. The outfielder turned 25-years-old this offseason and had a quiet turnaround in May of last year that led to one of the best seasons for American League outfielders.

Tucker won’t be included in this list, while recently graduating from the under 25 group. If included, Tucker would be the best player with Yordan Alvarez closely following. Regarding the future of the franchise, these two are the best offensive options that should be in-line for extensions soon.

There are currently seven players on the Astros’ 40-man roster under 25-years-old, four of them haven’t made their major-league debut yet. One of those is Jeremy Pena, who has a strong chance of making the Opening Day roster.

On the other side, you have players like Jairo Solis, Joe Perez and Forrest Whitley, who were added to the roster for protection from the Rule 5 Draft.

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No. 7 Jairo Solis

While not known by many Astros fans, Solis was added to the 40-man roster in 2020 in protection from the major-league Rule 5 Draft. The right-hander was signed as an international prospect in 2016 and was quickly protected with his upside.

The issue is that Solis hasn’t pitched in a professional game since 2018, where he threw 50.2 innings for the High-A Quad Cities River Bandits. Injuries have plagued his career, along with a lost season in 2020 due to COVID-19.

The lockout is hurting the progressions of prospects on the 40-man roster, and for Solis, not pitching since 2018 and now being 22-years-old are impacting his chances of climbing through the system.

No. 6 Forrest Whitley

After being drafted in 2016, the hype train followed Whitley for years, but injuries and a suspension has limited the right-hander’s minor-league time. Tommy John surgery was the latest obstacle for Whitley last offseason, while he hasn’t pitched since 2019.

The right-hander has the most potential of any Astros pitching prospect, but without innings behind him in the last two years, he falls to No. 6 on this ranking. The lockout is impeding his return, but after five years of being a top prospect, 2022 could be the year Whitley finally makes his debut.

No. 5 Joe Perez

Perez was a 40-man addition in December with his impressive jump on offensive production at the plate. The infielder has flashed versatility on both sides of the diamond, and the 22-year-old ranks above Whitley with his recent play, although an argument can be made to flip both.

The right-hander played at three levels in 2021, while finishing the fall in Double-A. Perez slashed .291/.354/.495 across all three levels and can be minor-league infield depth similar to Abraham Toro the last few seasons.

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No. 4 Jeremy Pena

Pena will move to first on this list, following the 2022 season. With only 30 Triple-A games to his name, the shortstop ranks fourth on the 40-man roster for players under 25-years-old for now.

It is unclear where Pena will start the 2022 season, but if the Astros don’t re-sign Correa nor sign a stop gap shortstop, the 24-year-old is likely seeing the Opening Day roster.

No. 3 Bryan Abreu

Although originally a starter, Abreu has found himself pitching out of the bullpen at the major-league level. Following a leg injury, the right-hander didn’t see much time with the Astros as the club brought in high-leverage options at the trade deadline.

Abreu sits above Pena for now, but if both play full seasons in 2022, we are likely going to see Pena have the better season. The current bullpen might hold a home for Abreu to open the year, so seeing a better season from Pena is more likely.

No. 2 Cristian Javier

While a spot in the rotation is not up for grabs this season, Javier was efficient into September and the postseason. Walks have plagued his resume as a starter, but the right-hander is a viable option for the bullpen in 2022, while a starting role could be an idea if he improves in a long relief role.

No. 1 Yordan Alvarez

Alvarez is the choice for being the Astros’ best player under 25-years-old. By this time next year, the designated hitter will be off the list, but 2022 could be a bigger test for Alvarez as more innings in the outfield could be on his plate.

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A few of these are interchangeable, and for the Astros, Pena is likely higher on the list based on his value to the organization. Once he embarks on a major-league season, he would almost certainly move ahead with Abreu and Javier leaving this group for the 2023 season.

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