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Houston's No. 4 prospect has eye-opening debut pro season

September 16, 2023

This story was excerpted from Brian McTaggart’s Astros Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Here are the 10 hottest rookies over the past 30 days

@RobTnova24
September 5, 2023

Welcome to the September edition of the MLB Pipeline Rookie Hot List. As we’ve done four previous times this season, we will highlight the top-performing rookies of each month. As the calendar changes, we wipe the slate clean for every rookie, giving each newcomer an equal shot -- and the

What Astros prospect learned from World Baseball Classic

August 30, 2023

This story was excerpted from Brian McTaggart’s Astros Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Where Astros' Top 30 prospects rank after Verlander trade

August 12, 2023

This story was excerpted from Brian McTaggart’s Astros Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Homegrown Astros product shows 'It’s possible'

July 19, 2023

This story was excerpted from Brian McTaggart’s Astros Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox. Astros Youth Academy director Daryl Wade and manager Duane Stelly were in Seattle last week coaching players from Houston in the Commissioner’s Cup, which

Ochoa gives Astros power, average, speed combo

July 11, 2023

HOUSTON -- James Turrubiartes will never forget the first time he laid eyes on Nehomar Ochoa Jr. The Galena Park High School baseball coach was in his press box watching a summer league game when a 13-year-old standing 6-foot-2 and his hulking father walked through the door. “They asked if

Astros get a real student of the game to open Day 2

Third-round pick Jake Bloss stays as dedicated to his studies as he is to throwing a baseball
July 10, 2023

HOUSTON -- His grandfather attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. His uncle rowed while attending the Naval Academy. His great uncle played football for the Air Force Academy. Jake Bloss decided to take a different route, though still very challenging -- majoring in economics and mathematics at Lafayette

Astros take former star QB, Houston-area native Matthews in 1st round

July 10, 2023

HOUSTON -- The music was pumping inside the Matthews household in suburban Houston, which may have surprised the neighbors considering it was a Sunday night. The joyful voices in the background and dancing on the floor set a scene straight out of Mardi Gras, which is no surprise when you

Top prospect Gilbert off to rough start in Double-A

June 18, 2023

HOUSTON -- The early struggles of Astros’ top prospect Drew Gilbert since he was promoted to Double-A Corpus Christi having nothing to do with the left elbow discomfort that has kept him from playing the field with the Hooks for the last few weeks, general manager Dana Brown said last

19-year-old Clifford, Astros' No. 4 prospect, on the rise

May 21, 2023

HOUSTON -- Ryan Clifford is the only prospect in the top half of the Astros’ Top 30 rankings by MLB Pipeline who is still a teenager. Clifford will turn 20 years old in two months and is already playing at High-A Asheville, which give you an idea of how highly

Drew Gilbert turning heads in Minors

May 10, 2023

This story was excerpted from Brian McTaggart’s Astros Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Astros' Dirden earns Minor League Performer of the Week

@MavalloneMiLB
May 9, 2023

The first week of May was as good to Justin Dirden as April was bad. Houston's No. 7 prospect matched or exceeded his offensive output for the entire first month of the season in just five games last week for Triple-A Sugar Land. Dirden's prodigious output included two grand slams,

Korey Lee's six hits lead Triple-A Sugar Land to slugfest win

May 7, 2023

To remember a day like he had at the plate on Sunday, Korey Lee said he needs to think back "probably to Little League or high school, or something like that." When they happen at this level, they're hard to forget. "Just from a hitting standpoint, (today) was probably the

France ready for The Show after Minor League grind

May 6, 2023

_This story was excerpted from Brian McTaggart’s Astros Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

This Astros prospect is ready for the moment

April 29, 2023

This story was excerpted from Brian McTaggart’s Astros Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Drew hits two: Gilbert records first pro multihomer game

April 26, 2023

Consider it an achievement unlocked for Gillygoobear. . Who's that? Well, that's the moniker Drew Gilbert uses for his Twitter and Instagram handles, a nickname he created in 2015 when choosing a gamertag for his Xbox. The top Astros prospect has come a long way since then. On Tuesday night,

Loperfido delivered good news on a platter

April 23, 2023

HOUSTON -- An avid hunter, High-A Asheville manager Nate Shaver brought deer jerky to the ballpark for his players to enjoy last week. Joey Loperfido, an infielder/outfielder from Philadelphia, had a couple of pieces, and that was enough. Shaver insisted Loperfido take the final piece of jerky off the plate,

Off the bench, to the bleachers: Julks, Meyers rake in Astros’ win

April 18, 2023

HOUSTON -- You can call them the Bash Brothers, at least for one night anyway. Corey Julks and Jake Meyers -- a pair of reserve outfielders who were selected in the 2017 MLB Draft, came through the Minor Leagues together and were in the starting lineup on Monday against the

Prospect roundup: High-A lefty debuts with 10-K gem

April 16, 2023

HOUSTON -- You won’t find 23-year-old left-handed pitching prospect Brayan De Paula on the Astros’ Top 30 Prospects list, but the Dominican made a statement in his first appearance of 2023 for High-A Asheville on Wednesday, when he struck out 10 batters in 4 2/3 innings at Greenville. De Paula,

This Astros investment is paying off

April 15, 2023

This story was excerpted from Brian McTaggart’s Astros Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Julks hits first MLB HR, leaves Dusty's hand 'ringing' after high five

April 12, 2023

PITTSBURGH -- Corey Julks’ childhood dream became a reality. The Astros left fielder grew up in the Houston suburb of Friendswood, Texas, then played baseball at the University of Houston. He has always been an Astros fan. So it was no wonder that Julks nearly broke manager Dusty Baker’s hand

Top prospect Brown rises to occasion in series finale

April 9, 2023

MINNEAPOLIS -- The role of a stopper, the starting pitcher who takes the ball and halts a losing streak, is not usually one you’d expect a 24-year-old rookie to fill. The Astros, facing a possible road sweep at the hands of the Twins on Sunday afternoon, certainly needed Hunter Brown

Astros No. 8 prospect Leon paving way at Triple-A

April 9, 2023

MINNEAPOLIS -- Pedro Leon, the Astros’ No. 8-ranked prospect by MLB Pipeline, is off to a quick start at Triple-A Sugar Land, batting .370 (10-for-27) through seven games played with nine singles and one double. He’s walked twice and struck out 10 times, which is something he’ll have to improve

Where the Astros' Top 30 prospects are starting the season

April 5, 2023

With the Minor League season opening this week, here's where the Astros' Top 30 Prospects are projected to start:

  1. Hunter Brown (MLB No. 43), RHP -- Houston (MLB)
  2. Yainer Diaz, C -- Houston (MLB)
  3. Drew Gilbert, OF -- Asheville (High-A)
  4. Jacob Melton, OF -- Asheville (High-A)

Talented outfield prospects plentiful for Astros

March 24, 2023

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- No team has more outfielders on our organization Top 30 Prospects lists than the Astros. Six of their top nine prospects and 13 overall patrol the outfield, scattered fairly evenly throughout the system. Houston bolstered its collection of outfield talent with the 2022 Draft, spending