3 non-top 10 prospects who could crash the Astros' big league roster next season

By now, you know that the evaluators don't hold the Houston Astros' farm system in high regard. That means, in the national conversation, even the club's top prospects take a hit compared to youngsters in other organizations. Here's the thing, though, if the evaluators were always right, there'd be no such thing as Forrest Whitley.

The fact of the matter is, for one reason or another, the first prospects to get the call, either in the event of injuries or by merit, aren't always the guys who head the prospect lists. Zach Cole, who is the Astros' 19th-ranked prospect, is a perfect example of this.

Houston will no doubt need to dip into their minor league depth again in 2026, and these youngsters stand out as guys who could get the call and potentially snap up some kind of role with the big club.

These three unheralded Astros prospects could grab big league roles in 2026

Starting pitcher Ethan Pecko (No. 12)

The Astros' starting rotation was ravaged by injuries last season. Not counting openers, Houston used 13 different starting pitchers in 2025, with only Hunter Brown and Framber Valdez getting more than 14 starts.

With several of those injuries threatening to wipe out much of 2026 as well, the Astros' rotation depth will be even thinner than it was in 2025, and that's before you factor in that Framber Valdez likely won't return in free agency..

When a need arises, the Astros could find themselves turning to 23-year-old Ethan Pecko. The right-hander out of Towson split 2025 between Double-A Corpus Christi and Triple-A Sugar Land. In Corpus Christi, he flashed potential but had some struggles with a 4.40 ERA in 43 innings, but it was at the more advanced level in Sugar Land where his performance really took off.

Pecko tossed 35 innings for the Space Cowboys, raising his K/9 from 9.42 to 12.34, and posted a 3.09 ERA to go along with a 2.99 FIP. Earning Astros Minor League Pitcher of the Year honors in 2024, Pecko has an exceptional fastball. While his velocity tops out around 96, the ride and life on his heater make it a superb offering. He supports that with four secondary pitches that are average or worse, though his slider and cutter have the potential to grow into plus weapons in their own right.

Pecko could be one of the first minor league arms to get the call should injuries strike, and there's a possibility that if he's given a spot in the rotation, he won't let it go.

Reliever Alimber Santa (No. 13)

Alimber Santa's pro career got off to a slow start, first due to the Covid-19 pandemic and then because of an elbow issue. Once it got off the ground, though, the young hurler was plagued by control issues.

In recent years, he's mostly put the command issues to rest. In 2024, he cut his BB/9 down to a still way-too-high 5.13. The bulk of his 2025 season was spent in Corpus Christi, where he reduced the walks further, hitting a manageable 3.63 mark. He did get bumped up to Sugar Land later in the season, where he posted 13.15 K/9, but a ghastly 11.08 BB/9 in just 13 innings of work.

The walks will be something to monitor with him in 2026, but his foundation is tantalizing. Armed with a high-90s fastball that touches 100 and a wipeout slider, Santa has proved that he can dominate the competition, posting a 1.26 ERA in Double-A this past season.

The rest of his arsenal outside of the fastball and slider are average at best, and he struggles to control them, but as a two-pitch pitcher, the Dominican-born right-hander can serve just fine in the bullpen.

The Astros had previously tried him out as a starter, and some of the vestiges of that experience remain with him, often being used as a bulk option out of the pen. He could fill a similar type of role in the majors, and his one-two punch is good enough that he could eventually see high-leverage innings.

More than likely, Santa spends the first half of 2026 down in Sugar Land, but it shouldn't surprise anyone if he gets a midseason call-up and establishes himself as a solid reliever.

Lucas Spence (No. 21)

A two-way player in college, Lucas Spence is admittedly the furthest away from the bigs of any of the players on this list. However, he has some advanced tools that could propel him to the majors quicker than many expect.

Spence signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2024, but in 2025, he advanced quickly, beginning the season at Single-A Fayetteville before advancing to Hi-A Asheville, finally landing in Corpus Christi.

In the box, Spence's calling card is his spectacular plate discipline. He rarely swings at offerings out of the zone, working walks at a high rate. Across all three levels, he posted a 14.3% walk rate, which, combined with an all-fields, line drive approach, gives him an intriguing offensive profile despite middling power.

Spence also brings solid defensive chops across all three outfield positions, and his pitcher's arm plays up out there as well. On the basepaths, he provides above-average speed, swiping 27 bags in 2025.

There is a downside, though. Spence struggles to make contact against non-fastballs in the zone. He hit .286 in Single-A, but his average dropped to .239 in high-A and .225 in Double-A. He'll need to figure that out in order not to be completely overmatched by big league pitching.

If he can, he'll continue to rise quickly, and with his skill set, his left-handed bat could play nicely as a fourth outfielder. As always, injuries could expedite his opportunity as well. Regardless, he'll be a player to watch in 2026.