Astros prospects whose stock dramatically rose this season

For an organization that has been drafting towards the bottom every year and had multiple high draft picks taken from them due to the sign-stealing debacle, the Houston Astros just seem to keep producing talent from the minor leagues.

Just in 2024 alone, Spencer Arrighetti, Joey Loperfido (RIP), Zach Dezenzo, and Shay Whitcomb have all come up and played important roles at various points of the season.

At the end of the day, farm system rankings by "experts" don't matter very much. What matters is that the Astros' farm system continues to provide reinforcements to the big leagues as they are needed. For a rebuilding team, that would likely mean a need for multiple higher-end talents to build around. For a prime contender like the Astros, they just need support here and there to keep the good times rolling.

Given how 2024 has gone, the Astros remain in really good shape going forward.

Let's take a look at the Astros prospects that have improved their stock the most in 2024

This isn't a ranking of the Astros' top prospects. There are plenty of resources like MLB Pipeline and Baseball America that you should definitely look into if that is what seek. Instead, this is a look at some of the Astros prospects that have boosted their standing the most this year who are still in the minors. Don't be surprised at all if some of these names become very prominent during 2025 spring training.

AJ Blubaugh

Coming off a 2023 season where he battled walk issues (despite having his workload limited), AJ Blubaugh had a lot to prove. He was not a finished product as a pitcher, despite being drafted as a college arm, and it was unclear if the adjustments Blubaugh was making would stick and/or turn him into a viable candidate to be in the Astros' big league rotation.

Other than a rough July where he posted a 7.11 ERA in four appearances (woof), it is very fair to say that Blubaugh has answered those doubts in a big way in 2024. He is striking out better than a batter an inning while posting a 3.58 ERA in 26 appearances (23 starts) this season. Even more encouraging, he has seemingly gotten stronger late in the season, as he has given up just one earned run total in his first two starts in September. He'll be in the running for a rotation spot this spring.

Ethan Pecko

Going a bit under the radar here, Ethan Pecko was a curious pick by the Astros in the sixth round of the 2023 draft. Towson isn't exactly known as a factory of big leaguers, and Pecko already had a Tommy John surgery on his arm in college. However, Pecko has opened a lot of eyes in 2024, as he has pitched his way all the way to Double-A.

In 96 innings this year, Pecko has posted a 3.47 ERA across three levels while striking out 125 batters thanks to a biting slider and a fastball that plays really well at the top of the zone. Pecko will have to answer questions about whether or not he will be able to stand up for a full season as a starter until he actually does it, but he should be firmly on fans' radar going forward.

Pedro Leon

Leon had a reputation coming into the season as a speedy outfielder with some pop in his bat, but whose hit tool was holding him back, especially since he wasn't an overly strong defender (despite his legs). His first three seasons in the minors bore that out, as he showed some power and his OPS was serviceable, but he hadn't managed to hit about .244 in a season as a pro.

2024 has been a different story. Not only did Leon get called up to the big leagues for the first time, but he has been a completely different hitter in Triple-A with a .302/.378/.528 line. With his raw physical skills, Leon could earn a more permanent place on the Astros' roster in a hurry if his bat-to-ball improvements are real.

Brice Matthews

It is hard to increase the stock of a first-round pick like Brice Matthews. Generally, these sorts of guys are already highly regarded, or else they wouldn't have been picked highly in the first place. However, Matthews has gone from one of the Astros' better prospects to one of the better prospects in all of baseball this year, regardless what some of the national rankings say on the matter.

After a so-so pro debut in 2023, Matthews has surged through the Astros' farm system all the way to the top after his recent promotion to Triple-A. In 69 games across four levels of the minors, he has slashed .287/.408/.530 with 15 homers and 31 stolen bases. Now, expecting that level of production out of him in the big leagues would be a huge ask. However, a high OBP infielder with some power, the ability to steal bags, and top-tier athleticism has a massive ceiling, and it is more likely than ever that Matthews could actually approach reaching it.