Astros Utility Prospect David Hensley Called Up to MLB

The Astros have reportedly called up David Hensley to the majors, and he will be with the club in Atlanta for Saturday night’s game.

The Houston Astros have reportedly called up super-utilityman David Hensley from AAA-Sugar Land in advance of their game against the Braves on Saturday. Hensley should be on the active roster for tonight’s game. This news comes in light of recent injuries to both Yordan Alvarez and Mauricio Dubon, but no corresponding move has been announced at the time of writing.

Hensley is the current number 11 prospect in the Astros’ system according to MLB.com, and his story is an inspiring one. They took a flier on him in the 26th round of the 2018 draft when he was in his senior year of college, and despite the shutdown of minor league ball due to the pandemic, Hensley has never spent longer than a full year at a single MiLB level. He hadn’t played above AA before the start of this season.

Hensley’s calling card is his versatility. He played 7 of the 9 positions in the field during his days at San Diego State University, and this year, he has logged over 100 innings at every infield position, as well as the occasional start in left field. He’s not just a well-rounded fielder, though. In 104 games at AAA this season, he is slashing .298/.420/.478 (.898 OPS) with 10 home runs, 30 doubles, 20 steals, and 80 walks. At age 26, he has been one of the best hitters on the team. He was also a career-.314 hitter in college.

Hensley can play all over the diamond, and the Astros presumably called him as a form of health insurance. From within the system, there probably wasn’t a better option. At every level of the minor leagues, he has proved that he can elevate above his competition through his bat, his versatility, and his speed. Again, he’s 26 and he has never been on an MLB roster before so he isn’t a blue-chip prospect, but he is an exciting potential option for next year’s roster and has a good chance to make a name for himself in the meantime.