HOUSTON -- Coming off a historic season in which he slammed 32 home runs and stole 32 bases as a catcher, Astros prospect Jason Schiavone put himself on the map in 2026, and perhaps on the cusp on the Major Leagues in '27. Schiavone will likely be invited to Major League camp and should push for playing time on the big league club next season.
Last week, MLB Pipeline revealed its selections for Minor League Hitting Prospect of the Year and Minor League Pitching Prospect of the Year during the 2026 MiLB Awards Show on MLB Network. Then earlier this week, it named its top hitting and pitching performers in each farm system. Schiavone, Houston's No. 6 prospect, was named the Astros’ top hitting performer, and right-hander Bryce Mayer (No. 8) was named top pitching performer.
"We feel really good about the workload that he endured this year," Astros director of player development Sam Niedorf said of Schiavone. "Obviously, we're going to be smart and conscious with him as he goes into the winter. But he's a guy who takes unbelievable care of his body. His routines are on point, and is someone we have a lot of faith in going down to the Dominican for extra PAs and innings behind the plate to continue to fine-tune his profile."
After hitting .180 in 2025 during his first full pro season, Schiavone posted the second 30-30 season by a Minor League catcher in his second, slashing .252/.391/.531 in 123 games while climbing from High-A Asheville to Triple-A Sugar Land, where he played the final nine games this season.
“It was awesome, but that meant a new challenge for me every single day and I was all about that,” Schiavone said. “I want to get better for my team and my teammates and help the team win at the end of the day. Whatever it takes, I’m all for it.”
Schiavone recorded his 30th stolen base of the year on Sept. 16 at Sugar Land, becoming the first Minor League catcher to produce a 30-30 season since Willie Royster, who did so as a 27-year-old for the Charlotte O's in 1981. Schiavone and Royster account for the only two instances on record in which a catcher notched the milestone as far back as 1946.
“It was really cool to hit that mark in Sugar Land,” said Schiavone, the Astros’ Minor League Player of the Year. “To hit 30-30 was really good. I’m really grateful.”
There have been only 10 instances of a 30-30 season in the Minor Leagues -- including former Astros center fielder George Springer in 2013 -- since 2002. (Royals prospect Carson Roccaforte achieved that mark this year.) None of them were catchers, and there has never been a catcher to have a 30-30 season in the Majors.
“We were pushing hard for it,” Niedorf said. “It came down to the last week. Obviously, an unbelievable season behind the plate and for the first catcher to do it in over 40 years is an unbelievable accomplishment.”
Schiavone, an 11th-round Draft pick in 2024 out of James Madison, started 29 games at first base last season, but he possesses a great arm behind the plate, which is why he will likely stay at catcher for now. Schiavone put his 60-grade arm to good use by throwing out 33 percent (43 of 86) attempted basestealers last season while making 71 appearances behind the plate.
Unless they trade him, the Astros will return Yainer Diaz as starting catcher next year (backup Christian Vázquez is a free agent). Diaz rallied to post a .772 OPS in 2026 after slashing .346/.373/.553 (.926 OPS) with eight homers in his final 49 games, but he’s limited defensively.
Walker Janek, the Astros' 2024 first-round pick who had a strong showing in Major League camp last season, struggled at the plate to start the '26 season while battling some injuries. He slashed .276/.327/.434 in his final 40 games at Double-A Corpus Christi after posting a .439 in his first 20 games of the season. The Astros sent him to West Palm Beach, Fla., for two months in the middle of the season to work on his swing.
“He made some strides from an offensive standpoint, kind of changed his approach a little bit and got him back to what he had been doing as an amateur,” Niedorf said.
Janek will play this winter in Puerto Rico, then he will come to camp in the spring with Schiavone with the future of the Astros’ catching position seemingly in good hands.