Christian Roa #73

Graduated from Memorial HS in Houston, located approximately 25 minutes from Daikin Park...was a Rawlings/Perfect Game Preseason All-Texas First Team member in 2017 and went on to post a 1.65 ERA in 49 innings as a senior that season...also lettered for three years as a wide receiver on the school's football team...other alumni of Memorial High School's baseball team include all three sons of former Astro and seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens (Koby, Kacy and Kody)...Kody Clemens and Roa crossed over at Memorial HS from 2014-15...Was undrafted out of high school and went on to play collegiately at Texas A&M...went 5-3 with a 4.25 ERA (39 ER/82.2 IP) and 93 strikeouts through 35 appearances (15 starts) in three seasons with the Aggies...served as a reliever his freshman year before working his way into the starting rotation... began 2020 as the team's Saturday night starter before the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic...Selected by the Reds in the second round (48th overall) of the shortened 2020 MLB First-Year Player Draft... was a part of a historic Texas A&M draft class, which included LHP Asa Lacy being taken fourth overall by the Royals and OF Zach DeLoach taken with the 43rd overall pick in the second round by the Mariners...it marked the earliest that a trio of Aggies had ever been selected in the MLB Draft...Texas A&M was also the only school in the 2020 MLB Draft to have three players selected within the first 50 picks...Roa utilizes a four-pitch mix, relying mostly on a sinker-slider combo, while also mixing in a four-seam fastball and a changeup...he averaged 96.5 mph with his four-seam fastball in his brief stint in the Majors in 2025...Tossed 2.0 innings of relief as part of combined no-hitter by Triple A Jacksonville on June 27, 2025 vs. Nashville...it was Jacksonville's first nine-inning no-hitter since Sept. 8, 2005, when RHPs Chad Billingsley and Jonathan Broxton combined to toss a no-no...The Astros signed Roa to a Minor League contract with an invitation to Major League Spring Training on Dec. 20, 2025.

2025

Spent his entire season in the Marlins organization and reached the Majors for the first time in his career, tossing three scoreless innings with three strikeouts through two relief appearances...Made his Major League debut on Sept. 6 vs. PHI... worked two scoreless innings of relief with three strikeouts...picked up his first career strikeout vs. J.T. Realmuto, who was the first batter he faced...Logged his only other MLB appearance on Sept. 14 vs. DET, working around two walks to toss a scoreless one inning of relief...Spent majority of his year with Triple A Jacksonville, where he went 10-2 with a 2.83 ERA (19ER/60.1IP), two saves, 64 strikeouts, a .180 opponent average and a 1.09 WHIP in 50 games...ranked tied for first among Marlins Minor Leaguers in wins...Among International League pitchers, ranked second in wins and tied for third in appearances... his .180 opponent average ranked fourth among all Triple A pitchers (min. 60 IP). 

2024

Entered the season ranked by Baseball America and MLB Pipeline as the Reds' No. 24 prospect... Participated in his first Major League Spring Training, allowing two runs on three hits over 1.2 innings in his only appearance on Feb. 26 at MIL...Was reassigned to the Minors on March 7, optioned to Triple-A Louisville on March 8...Spent the entire campaign with Triple-A Louisville, going 4-5 with a 5.55 ERA (30 ER/48.2 IP) in 23 appearances (four starts). Walked 30 batters against 47 strikeouts in his first season primarily spent as a reliever...Missed almost one month at start of season on Triple-A Louisville's 7-day Injured List from March 27-April 23...Made three starts to begin the year (April 23-May 4). Went 0-2 with an 8.64 ERA (eight ER/8.1 IP) with nine walks and 10 strikeouts...Was moved to the bullpen for his next outing on May 10 vs. Indianapolis, where he earned his first victory of the season and tossed 3.0 scoreless innings with one hit, two walks, and two strikeouts...Made just one more start on June 25 at Toledo. Allowed three runs on four hits in 0.2 innings, with one walk. Suffered the loss...As a reliever, went 4-2 with a 4.31 ERA (19 ER/39.2 IP) in 19 games. Combined to go 0-3 with an 11.00 ERA (11 ER/9.0 IP) as a starter...Made his final appearance of season on Aug. 10 vs. Charlotte. Did not record an out, surrendering a home run to the only batter he faced in the ninth inning. Was placed on the 7-day IL the next day, Aug. 11., and transferred to Cincinnati's 60-day IL on Aug. 19 with a right shoulder sprain...Was claimed off waivers by Miami on Nov. 1 from Cincinnati and sent outright to Triple-A Jacksonville on Nov. 15.

2023

In 25 starts and three relief appearances at Class AA Chattanooga and Class AAA Louisville combined to finish 5-9, 5.16 (120.1ip, 102h, 91bb, 170k, 19hr)…Led the organization in strikeouts...On 6/28 was promoted from Chattanooga to Louisville...In his last four starts for the Lookouts went 3-1, 2.31...Led Louisville in strikeouts in just 15 appearances and 12 starts (83k, 61.1ip)…On 9/15 at Durham recorded 12 strikeouts, a career high and the most by a Bats pitcher in a game all season...On 11/14 was added to the 40-man roster, along with OF Rece Hinds and OF Jacob Hurtubise.