Houston Astros 2024 Top 30 Prospect Rankings: Insane outfield depth

For the Houston Astros, spring training isn't likely to feature a ton of competition for roster spots. This is an Astros roster that has a lot of established players who are not going anywhere, even if they have subpar springs. However, what spring training will do is provide an opportunity for the team and Astros fans to see which prospects to keep an eye on in 2024.

Most of the prospects that the Astros have down in camp don't have much of a chance of making the big league roster right out of the gate. There is probably an Opening Day opportunity at one rotation spot, maybe one spot in the outfield if Houston isn't actually as pro-Jake Meyers as they have put on this offseason, and a couple bullpen spots.

Who are the prospects that could be in play not only for 2024, but beyond as well? Well, we have you covered.

Houston Astros 2024 Top 30 Prospect Rankings

Preseason prospect rankings are a fun thought exercise, but it is important to take all of them with a grain of salt. We don't know what guys look like on the minor league backfields down at camp for the most part, nor do we know what they have been working on this offseason. If you see a prospect that you like ranked lower or not at all, it is important to remember that all of these evaluations are subject to change, and the difference in talent levels between guys ranked five spots apart isn't as big as you might think.

With all of that out of the way, here is Climbing Tal's Hill's list of the top 30 Astros prospects heading into the 2024 season.

30. Cam Fisher - OF

Drafted in the fourth round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of Charlotte, Fisher impressed in his pro debut, where he showed some real raw power and the ability to get on-base at a quality clip. There is a real question as to whether or not he will make enough contact against more advanced pitching, but if his bat can continue to progress, he is a legit corner outfield prospect.

29. Camilo Diaz - SS/3B

Diaz is still so far away to draw too many conclusions about his future, but he deserves some recognition for the thump in his bat and way above average bat speed that he has displayed ever since the Astros signed him as an international free agent in 2024. He strikes out way too much right now and may have to shift over to third base as he grows into his body, but there is a lot of upside here.

28. Shay Whitcomb - SS

Whitcomb had a great first season in the minors in 2020, where he posted an .893 OPS in his first 99 games. However, there were some early questions about his defense, and his approach at the plate needs to be refined if he is going to be able to tap into his very real power enough for it to matter. The defense has improved enough to at least profile as a utility infielder, but his aggressive approach at the plate still holds him back from getting ranked higher.

27. Forrest Whitley - RHP

It was just a couple years ago when Forrest Whitley was considered one of the top pitching prospects in baseball. Now, after multiple injuries, a suspension, and an impending move to the bullpen, Whitley is basically on his last chance to make Houston's big league roster. His stuff is still very real, and if he can stay on the mound and show what he can do out of the Astros' bullpen for a full season, this ranking could end up looking very soft.

26. Miguel Ullola - RHP

Ullola throws his fastball in the mid-90s and has a pair of breaking balls that can get outs, but his command leaves a lot to be desired. Most seem to think that a future in the bullpen is coming, but if he can refine his command enough to start, he is probably at least 10 ranks better than this, if not more. Color us skeptical that he can throw enough strikes to avoid the bullpen, but this is a live arm.

25. Nolan DeVos - RHP

DeVos isn't a flamethrower, sporting a fastball that generally resides in the low 90s, but he gets a lot of mileage out of the ride he produces on the pitch at the top of the zone. His slider is the better of his two breaking balls, as it is a legitimate swing and miss pitch. His lack of power stuff limits his ceiling considerably, but he has enough quality stuff and command to potentially be a No. 5 starter type. Some have projected him as a bullpen arm, but his lack of velocity might make that transition pretty tricky.

24. Cesar Hernandez - OF

This is pure speculation, as the Astros just signed Hernandez this past January as an international free agent, but there is a lot to like based on what we know. He can really run, with some thinking he could be a plus defender in center field down the line, given his speed. He also has displayed some good bat-to-ball skills already. How much he will impact the ball as a pro is up in the air, but there is real upside here.

23. Justin Dirden - OF

Dirden had a pretty crummy 2023 season, where he hit just .231 with 10 homers, but he is only a year removed from back-to-back .930+ OPS seasons in the minors. Dirden's calling card is his power, and while his down 2023 season, especially with all the swing and miss he showed, is a legitimate concern, we are betting that he still has some room to grow and gets back to where he once was.

22. A.J. Blubaugh - RHP

Blubaugh was actually a reliever in college before the Astros picked him in the seventh round of the 2022 draft, then started giving him a look as a starter in the minors. Blubaugh has multiple quality pitches, including a changeup that is a real weapon against lefties. We don't know how he would perform under a true starter's workload, as he typically has thrown around four innings per start in the minors and isn't a power pitcher, but there is a chance that he ends up as a middle-of-the-rotation starter, if everything breaks right.

21. Miguel Palma - C/1B

Palma is a weird one, because while his offensive profile wouldn't turn many heads at any other position, at catcher it gets pretty interesting, especially considering he is also a strong blocker and game caller. At the plate, he knows the strike zone well, has a bit of pop, and just hit a career-high .285 last season mostly in High-A. He is still pretty young, and catchers should be developed slowly, but impacting the ball more and learning how to control the running game at a higher level need to be prominently on the list of priorities for Palma in 2024.

15. Andrew Taylor - RHP

All of Taylor's pitches play well off his fastball. While not really a velocity guy, hitters can't seem to pick the pitch up, as he gets a lot of swing-and-miss/chasing out of the zone. His slider and changeup lag behind his heater in a vacuum, but his quality pitch tunneling allows them to play up as hitters try to not get beat by his fastball. Some think that, with his frame, the quality of his stuff should tick up with proper adjustments and coaching. If that were to happen, he could end up being a top-five prospect in Houston's system quickly.

14. Alonzo Tredwell - RHP

While Tredwell's stuff and frame make him a fun player to bet on, he just can't stay healthy. He had Tommy John surgery in high school, missed time in college with multiple injuries, and has yet to throw an inning in pro ball. If everything goes right, Tredwell is a 6'8" monster on the mound with a plus fastball, curveball, and slider, each with big time upside. That said, you may want to temper your expectations until he can show he can actually pitch a full season.

13, Michael Knorr - RHP

Knorr primarily uses a fastball/changeup combination, and his first year in pro ball saw him miss plenty of bats with the combo, as he struck out 78 batters in 58.1 innings of work. If Knorr is going to make it as a starter, he needs a real breaking ball, and preferably a power breaking ball at that, as it would fill the velo gap between his fastball and changeup. Not necessarily a high ceiling guy, but he throws enough strikes to have a relatively high floor.

12. Will Wagner - 3B/OF

Wagner was already on folks' radar heading into 2023, and then he went out and posted a .935 OPS despite a wrist injury early in the season. Wagner has seen time in the infield, particularly third base, but probably needs to move to left field. Fortunately, if he keeps hitting like he did last year, where in the field he plays isn't going to matter much, and there is an outside chance that he could get some consideration for big-league playing time sometime in 2024.

11. Rhett Kouba - RHP

Kouba is yet another Astros' pitching prospect that isn't a flamethrower, but he has gotten a lot of mileage from his deceptive mechanics and his ability to mix in his plus changeup exceedingly well. His slider is really effective against righties, but lefties can see the pitch well, so it will be on his changeup to carry the day with his platoon splits. While other Astros pitching prospects get more attention, Kouba is among the closest to actually being ready for the big leagues.

10. Kenedy Corona - OF

Once Corona got added to Houston's 40-man roster, the secret was out and the countdown to his debut in the majors began. Not only can he play all three outfield positions, but he also has some raw power from the right side and is a legitimate stolen base threat every time he is on the bases. Assuming he can maintain his gains from 2023, he should be in the running for an outfield spot in 2024, especially if Meyers fails to figure out how to hit.

9. Colin Barber - OF

There is reason for some skepticism here, as Barber hasn't shown the ability to stay healthy as a pro, but when he is right, he can really hit, hit for power, and get on base at a high clip. The trick here is if he can actually impact the ball more in the wake of his shoulder issues. If he is able to stay on the field and build up game strength, he could factor into the team's plans very quickly. If he struggles or gets hurt again, the Astros may be best served to move on.

8. Zach Cole - OF

The Astros saw Cole go on quite the heater in college and decided that was enough to warrant picking him in the 10th round of the 2022 draft. His hit tool doesn't have a great track record overall, but he is a toolshed of a human, assuming he can hit enough to get to it. He can run, he hits the crap out of the ball when he makes contact, and would probably be a plus defender at all three outfield spots. Cole's strike zone awareness needs to improve, but he could be special if he can just be a consistent .260 hitter.

7. Colton Gordon - LHP

Gordon doesn't get the respect he deserves because he doesn't throw very hard, but both of his seasons as a pro have seen him miss bats at a high clip thanks to his funky release angle and his command of his four above-average-to-plus pitches. Being a lefty sure doesn't hurt his cause, either, and no one should be surprised if the Astros give Gordon a long look for their fifth starter spot in spring training this year.

6. Zach Dezenzo - 3B

With Alex Bregman seemingly set to leave the Astros after this coming season, it is fortunate that Houston has a quality prospect to potentially replace him with in Zach Dezenzo. His defense has improved at third base and he has more than enough arm to play the position, plus he put up a .914 OPS with 18 homers and 22 stolen bases in 2023. That certainly doesn't hurt his chances.

5. Brice Matthews - SS

The Astros' first pick in the 2023 draft, Matthews is loaded with athleticism. His pro debut didn't go all that well, as he hit just .208, but he drew a bunch of walks and still managed to steal 18 bags in just 35 games. In a perfect world, Matthews ends up as a starting shortstop who can hit for power and cause havoc on the basepaths. However, his hit tool is a bit concerning at present, and he may end up having to move over to second or the outfield if he can't figure out how to consistently make strong, on-target throws over to first.

4. Joey Loperfido - OF

Loperfido is just one of those guys that does a lot of things very well. He cracked 25 home runs while stealing 27 bases in 2023. The past two seasons in the minor leagues, he has shown a well-rounded skillset at the plate, with the ability to get on base and do damage on his own as well. While his future home is probably a corner outfield spot, Loperfido does have the nice ancillary benefit of being able to play at a couple of infield spots in a pinch as well.

3. Luis Baez - OF

In terms of upside, Baez may be at the top of the heap in the Astros' system. Houston paid $1.3 million for Baez in international free agency due to his bat speed and tantalizing raw power from the right side. Baez's first looks at pro ball has seen him hit some absolute tanks, but he also strikes out too much at the moment. Once he learns the strike zone and how to get pitches to drive, we'll be more comfortable ranking him higher. Until then, we are showing a slight bit more caution with Baez, given the swing-and-miss risk with him.

2. Spencer Arrighetti - RHP

Arrighetti is a familiar name to those that have followed the Astros' farm system the last couple of years. The Astros' sixth-round pick from 2021 has a fastball that sits in the mid-90s, which pairs well with his plus slider. His command can come and go, but he has continued to make progress and now is turning heads down at spring training. If you are looking for frontrunners for the Astros' fifth spot in the Opening Day rotation, Arrighetti is on the short list.

1. Jacob Melton - OF

No surprises here, as Jacob Melton is pretty universally considered to be the top prospect in the Astros' farm system. Melton can hit, hit for power, run, and provide strong defense and cover ground at any of the three outfield spots. While he only hit .245 last year in the minors, all his underlying batted ball and exit velocity data points to him being a bit unlucky and poised for a big season in 2024. Melton is also the biggest argument for keeping Jake Meyers on a short leash in 2024 as Melton would be a more than adequate replacement if Houston decides to make a change there.

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