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.
HOUSTON -- The Astros have some of their most talented prospects in years coming through the system, though the majority are in the lower levels of the Minor Leagues. That should change in the next year or two, when a new wave of promising prospects begins making its way to Daikin Park.
Here’s a Minor League report in 3, 2, 1 …
COMPLETE ASTROS PROSPECT COVERAGE
Three players who forced their way onto the radar this year
3B Xavier Neyens (No. 2 / MLB No. 100): Drafted as a shortstop in the first round out of a Seattle area high school in 2025, Neyens has settled at third base. He put up tremendous offensive numbers in his first full pro season, most of which was spent at Single-A Fayetteville. He slashed .231/.429/.446 with 20 homers, 114 walks, 155 strikeouts and 19 steals in 103 games.
“The 20 home runs, the 19 stolen bases, the 24% walk rate, just a lot of really good qualities of the player under the hood," Astros director of player development Sam Niedorf said. "The patience, the strike-zone control, the mature approach with the high-level impact gets us really excited about what the potential of Xavier could be. Obviously, playing third base solely right now, we think that's going to kind of free him up a little bit to dominate one position versus toggling between the two."
SS/3B Albert Fermin (No. 4): One of the most physical shortstops in the 2026 international class, Fermín signed with the Astros for $2,147,500 and shined in the Dominican Summer League. A 6-foot-3 switch-hitter, he slashed .311/.485/.507 with more walks (51) than strikeouts (38), along with 24 steals.
“He has really good strike-zone control, does not chase at 7% [chase rate], makes a ton of contact which is really exciting,” Niedorf said. “He's going to grow into more power as the body matures throughout his tenure here but the starting point on Albert is far ahead of where most players are at his age and where he’s from."
C/1B Jason Schiavone (No. 6): No player in the system made a bigger jump this summer than Schiavone, an 11th-round pick out of James Madison in 2024. Schiavone posted the second 30-30 season by a Minor League catcher this year with 32 homers and 32 steals, slashing .252/.391/.531 in 123 games while climbing from High-A Asheville to Triple-A Sugar Land.
"He just put himself in elite company with previous players who have been in that band of performance," Niedorf said. "I think with Jason, the ability to catch and the pitcher-catcher relationship and the plus arm behind the plate rounds out a really solid everyday Major League catcher package for us that should be knocking on the door at Daikin before we know it."
Two possible breakout players to watch in 2027
RHP Juan Fraide (No. 20): Signed by the Astros for $10,000 in August 2024 out of Mexico, he finished last season at Fayetteville as Houston's best lower-level pitching prospect. He posted a 2.96 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in 79 Minor League innings, with 91 strikeouts and only 27 walks.
"He does a phenomenal job of controlling the strike zone," Niedorf said. "Just really an exciting package. He can spin the ball a bunch of different directions, has the ability to manipulate shapes and will pitch next year at 21 years old, which is really exciting."
SS Kam Durnin (No. 24): A fourth-round pick this year out of the University of Missouri, Durnin got his career underway with 75 at-bats at Fayetteville and slashed .267/.385/.400. He makes tons of contact, doesn't chase and is as good of a shortstop prospect as the Astros have. The club hopes his power will come next.
"This guy has a chance to move pretty quick and he's all baseball, which we love," Niedorf said. "We love players who are obsessed with the game and Kam is one of them and we’re really excited to see what he can do in 2027."
One big question for next season
Can 2026 first-round pick Logan Hughes (No. 3) stick defensively in the outfield?
There’s no question Hughes can hit after he posted a 1.048 OPS with four homers and 27 RBIs in 21 games in his pro debut at Fayetteville. He split time between the corner outfield spots and first base but is determined to stick in the outfield.
"We are going to exhaust every inch and opportunity and avenue to make him a capable outfielder," Niedorf said. "We think there's some meat left on the bone with his ability to understand the intricacies of routes and angles and when to dive for a ball, when to not -- a lot of things that he's still relatively green on that really excite us for what is to come."