Astros need this player to repeat Jake Meyers’ leap in 2026

For as disappointing as 2025 was for the Houston Astros, the club did enjoy several breakout success stories. Hunter Brown ascended to become a true ace, notching a third-place finish in the AL Cy Young race. Jeremy Peña became a first-time All-Star and is now regarded as one of the best shortstops in the game.

But the surprising breakthrough was the one we saw from center fielder Jake Meyers. While Brown and Peña had already been on upward trajectories, Meyers felt stagnant. He was an exceptional defender in center field, but was well below average with the bat and had shown no improvement.

In 2025, that changed as his bat finally came around. Meyers' contact rate soared, as he leaped from a previous career-high of 74.4% to a superb 81.1%. Most importantly, much of that improvement came within the strike zone, where he managed a stellar 90.1% rate. In addition to falling K-rates and climbing walk rates, he posted a .292/.354/.373 line and a career-high 2.3 fWAR despite playing in just 104 games.

Folks around the league took notice, and Meyers has been the subject of persistent trade rumors. Houston would benefit greatly from another player making a Meyers-like leap in 2026, and we have our eye on Spencer Arrighetti, who could change the complexion of the rotation if he's able to pull it off.

The Astros need Spencer Arrighetti to make a Jake Meyers-type leap in 2026

The Astros' rotation features plenty of options, but not much in the way of certainty. Behind Hunter Brown, every single hurler has questions they must answer. That puts the club in a dicey situation, where if too many of these guys falter, the season could be sunk.

Arrighetti is Meyers-like in that he's shown potential but has had things hold him back. The 26-year-old posted a 4.53 ERA over 145 innings in his rookie season, posting a solid 27.1% strikeout rate, but offering up too many walks and homers.

The right-hander's sophomore season went off the rails early. Arrighetti suffered a fractured thumb that cost him four months. He returned in August, but made just five starts before being shut down with right elbow inflammation. In total, he threw just 35 1/3 innings with a 5.35 ERA in the disjointed campaign.

Arrighetti has some elite underlying metrics, namely his 96th percentile extension, which makes his 94 miles per hour fastball play up, and allows for his breaking pitches to work incredibly effectively off of it. He began introducing a sinker into his repertoire last season, and if it sticks this year, it can help him keep the ball in the yard better; it could vault him to No. 2 starter status.

Solidifying the rotation with an Arrighetti breakout would go a long way towards securing the Astros' playoff hopes. If he's able to do so with more sustainability than Meyers, Houston will have a true building block moving forward.

Some things to keep an eye on this spring will be whether or not he integrates the sinker into his arsenal more and how those breaking pitches look. If both seem positive, he could be well on his way.