HOUSTON -- Forrest Whitley took the whole thing in just the right spirit: a learning experience. He watched the veterans, especially Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole, to see what he could pick up. He listened when they spoke.

Now, in a spring in which he fulfilled pretty much all the promise the Astros have for baseball’s top pitching prospect, Whitley prepares to head to Triple-A Round Rock and work towards the opportunity that seems certain to come at some point this season.

“It’s very cool,” Whitley said. “It’s kind of interesting to have it right in the forefront. It’s really exciting, and also a little bit nerve-racking at the same time. It’s an exciting time in my life, and I’ll never forget it. I’m very excited. Just go to the affiliate here shortly and try to pitch as well as I can, and get back up here.”

The 21-year-old right-hander -- ranked as MLB Pipeline’s No. 1 overall pitching prospect -- did something on Monday he hadn’t done much this spring: he hit a speed bump.

In Whitley’s first start at Minute Maid Park, the Pirates tagged him for three runs in the first inning, including a two-run home run by catcher Francisco Cervelli. Whitley didn’t allow another run in a three-inning, 67-pitch stint to finish Spring Training with a 3.00 ERA.

“This outing was pretty weird,” he said. “I haven’t had one of these in a while. I kind of had everything but my fastball. Kind of hard to pitch without the fastball. Just had a hard time pitching off that, locating off that. It was a real struggle. But I found a way to bounce back a little bit. That was encouraging. But I need to have the fastball next time.”

He’d pitched four hitless innings in his last Major League appearance, and finished the spring with 17 strikeouts in 15 innings. While Astros manager AJ Hinch said the spring gave Whitley plenty of reasons for hope, as well as plenty to work on, he sees a huge upside.

“His stuff is electrifying,” Hinch said. “When you watch him face Major League hitters, it’s fun to see. All he has to do is get more comfortable in his own skin, and on the mound, and control the ball. This [spring] is a small little step for him.”

White goes deep

Tyler White hammered a three-run home as the Astros scored seven runs in the third inning of a 12-9 victory over the Pirates. They also got home runs from infielder Nick Tanielu, catcher Garrett Stubbs and outfielder Myles Straw.

For White, the home run was his second of the spring as he makes the Opening Day roster for the first time since 2016, and the second time overall.

"It’s always [good] to get going at the right time,” White said. “It’s a long Spring Training. Trying to get ready for the season, trying to get everything right and get comfortable in the box is what it’s all about. I’m starting to feel good and want to carry it over into Tuesday, and into the season [opener on Thursday in St. Petersburg against the Rays].”

Astros tidbits

• Tanielu’s home run was his fifth, and to say he opened some eyes during this camp would be an understatement. Hinch was so impressed that he asked Tanielu to stay with the big league team even after he’d been assigned to Minor League camp.

• The Astros will bring just three members of their Major League pitching staff to the Monday and Tuesday exhibition games against the Pirates: Will Harris, Josh James and Framber Valdez. The remainder of the staff remained in Florida to work out at the spring complex before Thursday’s regular-season opener against the Rays.

• Texas Gov. Greg Abbott named Monday “Houston Astros Appreciation Day” during a ceremony in Austin. Astros presidents Reid Ryan and Jeff Luhnow, and players Will Harris, Tony Kemp and Jake Marisnick attended.

• Justin Verlander will make his 11th Opening Day start, his second for the Astros, on Thursday.

Up next

The Astros wrap up their exhibition schedule with a 1 p.m. CT Tuesday game against the Pirates at Minute Maid Park. Astros rookie J.B. Bukauskas takes a 0.75 ERA into his seventh spring appearance. Another rookie, Corbin Martin, will also pitch. Bukauskas is ranked 96th, Martin 80th, on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 prospects list.