Top Astros Pitching Prospect Records Dominant Month of May

After graduating Hunter Brown from the prospect list, it seemed as if the Astros minor league pitching depth was entirely depleted. They no longer had a can't miss arm, at least if you based your opinion on farm system reviews from media entities at large.

Spencer Arrighetti, the Astros #9 prospect according to MLB.com, just recorded an absolutely dominant month of May and should begin to turn heads.

Arrighetti started five games for the Corpus Christi Hooks this month, going 4-0 with a 0.67 ERA and a 0.74 WHIP. Arrighetti struck out 12.3 batters per nine innings and held the opposition to a .136 batting average against.

He finished the month on an especially high note last night against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. Arrighetti completed five innings of work, allowing only two hits and one walk, yielding one run. He struck out 12 of the 18 batters he faced.

Arrighetti was the Astros Minor League Pitcher of the Month in quite possibly the easiest decision of the year.

It appears that the 22-year-old righty has put it all together and is beginning his breakout. He's always possessed great swing and miss stuff, striking out 12.8 batters per nine last year across High-A and AA. He was susceptible to giving up too many walks and hits, walking 4.6 batters per nine and recording a 1.46 WHIP in 2022.

This season he has trimmed his walks per nine rate down to 3.2 and opponents are hitting .225 against him, down from .245.

MLB.com gives Arrighetti and ETA of 2024 with the big league club. If he continues to make light work of his AA opponents, we may see a promotion to Sugar Land in short order. Arrighetti is a name worth knowing. You won't find him on any top 100 prospect lists, but like Luis Garcia, José Urquidy and Cristian Javier before him, he may be a very capable "out of nowhere" Astros starter in the near future.