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The Houston Astros farm system is, well, not that good. According to MLB Pipeline, the Astros have just one top-100 prospect (Jacob Melton). The Houston faithful will remember that Drew Gilbert, the Astros' first-round pick in 2022, was part of the Justin Verlander trade last summer. Gilbert is now with the Mets' Triple-A affiliate and is considered a top-50 prospect.
But Houston's pipeline is not devoid of talent — though Dana Brown's hasty decision to trade for Yusei Kikuchi certainly rocked the foundation of the Astros' farm system. Jake Bloss, Joey Loperfido, and Will Wagner are now part of the Toronto Blue Jays organization. That was a major sacrifice on the part of Brown and the Astros' front office, which will now put increased pressure on several of the organization's top prospects.
Without Bloss, Loperfido, and Wagner in the farm system, the Astros need a number of their young, talented players to step up. Which three Astros prospects are under the most pressure to live up to the hype after Brown's overpay at the trade deadline?
Zach Dezenzo, Astros 3B prospect
Zach Dezenzo is now the most important prospect in the Astros farm system. Houston was rumored to be involved in talks to acquire infielder Isaac Paredes at the trade deadline, but the Chicago Cubs swooped in and snagged the Tampa Bay Rays third baseman.
With Alex Bregman ticketed for free agency this offseason and Paredes off to the North Side of Chicago, Dezenzo is the next man up for the Astros with the impending departure of their All-Star third baseman. So far this season, Dezenzo has shown that he's up to the task. The 24-year-old has an .891 OPS and was just recently promoted to Triple-A. Dezenzo will be key to the Astros' plans in 2025 and beyond.
A.J. Blubaugh, Astros RHP prospect
The Astros may have temporarily solved their pitching problem with the addition of Kikuchi at this year's trade deadline, but both he and Verlander will be free agents this winter. The Astros are going to need one of their top young arms to step up and be, at the very least, a spot starter heading into next season.
The Astros will have a number of pitchers returning from injury, but if this season has taught fans anything, it's that you can never have enough pitching. A.J. Blubaugh feels more like a swingman than an actual starting pitcher, but those types of hurlers are valuable as well.
Blubaugh wil need to cut down on the walks if he hopes to make an impact at the big league level in the near future. Houston does not have many top pitching prospects at the upper minor league levels, which makes Bloss' inclusion in that Kikuchi deal so damaging. The 'Stros need one of their young pitchers to fill that void, and that duty may fall to Blubaugh.
Anderson Brito, Astros RHP prospect
Not may Astros fans have heard of Anderson Brito, but keep an eye out, because he could be in the big leagues before you know it. Brito was an international signee last fall and is already stateside and playing at Low-A Fayetteville. Brito has a three-pitch mix and is working on honing his changeup in order to add a fourth pitch to his arsenal.
Brito has dominated so far this season. The 20-year-old is 3-1 with a 1.05 ERA after cruising through Rookie Ball and now has two starts at Low-A. The clock isn't ticking on Brito, but the Astros need the right-hander to develop into the stud that his peripherals suggest he can be.
Brito won't make an immediate impact this year or next, but the desperation displayed by Brown and Co. at this year's trade deadline shows the need to develop top-of-the-rotation starters. Pitching is the most valuable commodity in baseball, and Houston needs to make a concerted effort to develop from within so as to avoid overpaying in free agency and at the trade deadline. Brito could be that frontline starter this franchise needs.