Astros Prospects: Jacob Melton's peculiar absence, Kenedy Corona, Alonso Tredwell

While Houston Astros are busy at work trying to figure out how they are going to fashion their big-league roster into something that functions, their minor leaguers have been plugging away trying to prove their worth and hopefully get in the discussion for an MLB call-up.

As of this moment, the Astros MLB roster is a tough nut to crack, especially on the position player side, as their issues have been more "getting the guys who are supposed to be good to actually be good" than a lack of personnel, although that could change if the Astros get bad news on Jose Urquidy and Cristian Javier.

Here is a look at some of the Astros farmhands and how they have been doing over the last couple of weeks or so. This isn't an exhaustive list, but there have been some key developments lately that fans need to keep in mind. For those wondering, Joey Loperfido has not played in a minor league game ever since he was sent back down to the minors so that the Astros could try and resurrect the ghost of Jose Abreu, although that should change soon.

Where o' where is Jacob Melton?

When the Astros' top prospect has been on the field, he has played quite well in 2024. Over the course of 32 games this season, he has slashed .268/.328/.455 with five homers and 10 stolen bases. While certainly not dominating numbers, Melton hasn't done anything to dissuade people from thinking that he should be a part of the Astros future.

Well, except for the fact that he has kind of disappeared. Melton has not appeared in a game since May 22 despite the fact that he is currently listed as active. The best guess is that he is currently dealing with some sort of minor ailment or personal issue and his Double-A club doesn't want to make a roster move that would limit them from bringing him back. Still, it is definitely pretty weird that he has been completely AWOL for a week.

Kenedy Corona

When the Astros added Kenedy Corona to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft, he was coming off a tremendous 2023 season that saw him excel especially on the base paths and in the field. While not a complete offensive player, the organization certainly felt good enough about his trajectory to go ahead and add him.

Unfortunately, Corona hasn't exactly lived up to expectations this year. The steals and defense have remained, but he is only hitting .200 in 2024 with little in the way of power to speak of and there aren't many signs suggesting that he is about to break out of his slump. He also has missed a few games lately, which is certainly not ideal.

Alonso Tredwell

While the Astros' farm system isn't exactly known for the strength of their pitching crop, Alonzo Tredwell has some real upside thanks to his 6-foot-8 frame. While he hasn't pitched much the last few years due to injuries, Houston still liked him enough to pick him in the second round of last year's draft.

So far, Tredwell has looked pretty rusty which is to be expected. Through eight appearances in 2024, Tredwell sports a 7.24 ERA including a brutal start on May 23 when he failed to make it through two innings and gave up six runs while walking five batters. It is still way too early to completely write off a guy with the potential Tredwell has and the injuries he has dealt with recently, but it is fair to say that his pro career isn't off to the best of starts.

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