Shay Whitcomb #14

Graduated from Newbury Park High School in Thousand Oaks, Calif., in 2017...was selected All-Marmonte League First Team and All-Ventura County Second Team in 201...batted .315 throughout his prep career, playing primarily second base...Went undrafted out of high school and played three seasons at UC San Diego (2018-20)...had a breakout sophomore season in 2019 and was selected as a NCBWA All-America honorable mention and the California Collegiate Athletic Association MVP...hit .310 with 25 doubles, 10 homers and 41 RBI and made 57 starts at shortstop, becoming one of three players in program history to start every game in a season...After his sophomore season in 2019, played with the Orleans Firebirds of the Cape Cod League, which is considered the most prestigious collegiate summer league...hit .303 (33-for-109) with eight homers, 17 RBI and a .977 OPS in the wooden bat league...Selected by Houston in the fifth round of the 2020 Draft...was the 160th overall and final pick of the draft, which was shortened to five rounds due to the COVID-19 pandemic...signed by Astros scout Ryan Leake...was the highest-selected player in UC San Diego's Division II era, and was the third-highest selected player overall in the program's history...Born and raised in Southern California, enjoys spending his free time surfing and fishing...Received his first-career invitation to Major League Spring Training camp in 2024...added to the Astros 40-man roster during the 2024 season, accruing 45 days of Major League service before adding 40 more days in 2025...is currently signed to a one-year contract for the 2026 season.

2025

Made four stints with the big league club (May 31-June 14, June 18-23, July 1-10 and July 20-30)...appeared in 20 games (six starts), and slashed .125/.125/.219 (4-for-32) with one homer...Smashed his first Major League home run on July 7 at COL, a 451-foot blast off LHP Austin Gomber to rank as the farthest-hit homer by an Astro in 2025...In 108 games with the Sugar Land Space Cowboys, slashed .267/.360/.509 (108-for-405) with 68 runs scored, 23 doubles, 35 home runs, 65 RBI and 52 walks...was named the 2025 Space Cowboys...Was one of two players in the Pacific Coast League with at least 20 doubles, 20 homers and 15 stolen bases (OKC Ryan Ward).

2024

Hit .220 (9-for-41) with three doubles, five RBI, five walks and a .597 OPS in 20 games with the Astros...Spent the majority of his season at Triple-A Sugar Land, where he earned the Astros Minor League Player of the Year award...In 108 games at Triple A, he hit .293 with 19 doubles, 25 HR, 91 RBI, 26 stolen bases and a .908 OPS...at the time of his promotion on Aug. 16, he ranked second in the PCL and fourth in all of MiLB in HRs...also led the PCL and ranked second in all of MiLB in RBI. Selected to the Major League roster on Aug. 16... stayed with the Astros until being optioned back to Triple A on Sept. 27...Hit a double in his first career PA on Aug. 17 vs. CWS...became the 16th player in Astros history to record an XBH in their first career PA (last, C Garrett Stubbs on May 28, 2019 vs. CHC)…became one of nine players in Astros history to collect multiple hits and reach base safely three times in their MLB debut (last, OF Derek Fisher on 6/14/17 vs. TEX)...Started seven consecutive games at 3B from Aug. 17-23, while 3B Alex Bregman was dealing with swelling in the back of his right elbow...Went 1-for-4 with a two-run double on Aug. 26 at PHI...Was optioned back to Triple A on Sept. 27...in his only game back at the level, played in the Triple A Championship Game, for which he was named the game's MVP after he went 3-for-5 with a double and three RBI.

2023

Tied for the most home runs in MiLB in 2023, belting a combined 35 homers in stints with Triple A Sugar Land (87g) and Double A Corpus Christi (46g)...batted .240 (129-for-538) with 19 doubles, 20 stolen bases and a .771 OPS (.301 OBP/.470 SLG) in a combined 133 games...along with home runs, also led Astros Minor Leaguers in games and RBI... was one of three players in Minor League Baseball to record at least 30 home runs and 20 stolen bases....began the year with Corpus Christi and was promoted to Sugar Land on June 6...led Sugar Land and was tied for sixth in the Pacific Coast League with his 23 homers while with the Space Cowboys.