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3 Astros prospects that could get called up and help Houston in the second half
The Houston Astros made waves at the trade deadline. They could have some more help coming from the minor leagues soon.
Going into the trade deadline, there was a real chance that the Houston Astros weren't going to make the big splashy moves that the Rangers and Angels were making. General manager Dana Brown openly bemoaned the state of the trade market and even went so far as to say that Houston wasn't going to be in the market for a starting pitcher if prices stayed as high as they were.
However, Brown and co. managed to come through with arguably the biggest trade of the deadline when they were able to trade for old friend Justin Verlander in a blockbuster deal with the Mets. Just like that, the Astros' biggest area of need was addressed and Houston was in a really good spot heading into the second half.
Now that the trade deadline is done with, there are not going to be other realistic opportunities to add help to big league rosters beyond promoting prospects from the minor leagues. After the most recent CBA, the days of waiver wire trades in August are over. The Astros' system doesn't have a ton of depth now especially after the Verlander deal, but they do have some players that could help them in the second half of 2023.
Here are 3 Astros prospects that could get called up this season and help Houston down the stretch
This list of prospects that could help the Astros the rest of the season is not going to be exhaustive. In particular, picking relievers that could get a look in the big leagues (especially those that are not on the 40 man roster) is really tough and generally comes down to "who has looked good the last couple of weeks". However, there are a few names that are already pretty close to the big leagues and who, given the right situation, could help Houston down the stretch.
Let's take a look at a few prospects to keep an eye on as we enter the final stretch of the 2023 season.
Justin Dirden
While the Astros were able to add Verlander to bolster their starting rotation and the moves to acquire Kendall Graveman gave them some bullpen depth, the one thing they weren't able to address is adding a real bat to their outfield ranks (preferably a left-handed one). The primary issue there was that there weren't many bats of note that even fit that profile available at the trade deadline to begin with.
Sure, the Astros could have probably pried away some lesser lefty bench outfielder from someone, but Houston needed a quality bat and those were in extremely short supply. However, they could have the answer in their organization already in minor league outfielder Justin Dirden.
Dirden fits the mold as a lefty hitting outfielder with some real power to his pull side. After hitting 15 homers in 83 games during his first season as a pro, Dirden put up 24 big flies between Double-A and Triple-A last year. As an added bonus, he is also a capable outfielder who can play all three outfield positions without any difficulty.
There are some questions with Dirden, though. His hit tool has been exposed a bit in Triple-A as he is hitting just .245 this season. He draws a decent number of walks, but there is a fair amount of swing and miss in his game which could be problematic once he gets to the big leagues.
The way Dirden could work for the Astros in the second half is if he was brought up strictly as a platoon outfield option. While he is often pretty helpless against lefty starters, he mashes righties which is an area that Houston could theoretically need some help with down the stretch. If he gets on a roll here soon, don't be surprised if Houston gives him a look in the big leagues as a platoon option in the outfield.
Pedro Leon
One thing to always keep in mind is that once the trade deadline passes, every team is going to have to take stock of the minor league prospects that can get called up in the case of an injury. Versatility is super important in that regard and while Pedro Leon has some warts to his game, he could be a vital asset for the Astros if things go sideways on the injury front again.
In terms of pure tools, Leon checks a lot of boxes. He has a cannon of an arm which allows him to play all three outfield positions despite not being the best when it comes to reading balls off the bat. He has also seen time at shortstop and second base in the minor leagues (although it is probably best to keep him away from short) and he definitely at least has the arm to play third in a pinch.
At the plate, there is a lot to like with Leon. He has plus raw power that has played this season with 15 home runs this season and he can and will run with 38 steals last season and 14 this year. His aggressive approach at the plate can get him into trouble and could get used against him by big league pitchers. If he can make some adjustments to work the ball to all fields, this is a bat that could do some damage.
Because Leon is still a work in progress despite being at Triple-A, this isn't a guy that is probably going to take anyone's job right now. There are still just too many questions about him offensively to take that leap. However, in a world where the Astros have someone get hurt over the next couple of months, expect Leon's name to be on the short list of options Houston entertains among those not on the 40 man roster.
Spencer Arrighetti
Finally, the only arm on this list is Spencer Arrighetti and that is for a few reasons. First and foremost, the Astros really don't have a lot of help coming on the pitching side of things in the high minors. Lefty Colton Gordon is certainly interesting as a guy with several good pitches and the ability to command all of them, but he literally just got promoted to Triple-A so unless he totally shows out very quickly, he isn't a super likely option.
Spencer Arrighetti, on the other hand, is more of a known quantity. Not only has he made several starts in Triple-A this season, he has demonstrated the ability to miss bats throughout his career in the minor leagues. In 2022, Spencer struck out 152 batters in just 106.2 innings of work. Those are big time strikeout numbers.
The issue with Arrighetti is his command as his walk rates are much higher than you would want out of a starter. His fastball and slider are both plus pitches when he is on, but he can have trouble landing them for strikes when he has to. If opposing batters are overly aggressive or are having trouble picking him up, then all is well. However, patient hitters are often rewarded with a free pass or getting very hittable pitches when he is behind in the count.
Expect Arrighetti to be among the options the Astros consider if they need a starter with some upside in the case of an injury in the second half. Another option that may actually be more likely is Houston bringing Arrighetti up to help out in the bullpen if needed. In shorter stints, that fastball/slider combination could really play up and give hitters fits especially righties.
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