Rhett Kouba #19

His last name is pronounced as “KOE-bah”...Was a four-year letter-winner at El Reno HS in El Reno, Okla., graduating in 2018...Rated as the No. 11 right-handed pitching prospect and No. 32 overall prospect in Oklahoma by Perfect Game in 2018...Earned Class 5A All-State Honors as a senior...Was also an Academic All-State selection at basketball as a senior...Was valedictorian of his class at El Reno HS...Went undrafted out of high school and began his college career at North Central Texas College, which is located in Gainesville, Texas...Led North Central with 81 strikeouts as a freshman, earning second-team all-conference honors...Went 2-2 with a 2.82 ERA in five starts in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season...Transferred to Dallas Baptist University for the 2021 season...Went 6-2 with a 2.77 ERA in 16 appearances (10 starts) in his lone season at DBU...Was named first team All-Missouri Valley Conference...Drafted by Houston in the 12th round of the June ‘21 draft...Signed by Astros scout Jim Stevenson...The 2024 season is his first at Major League Spring Training...Is currently signed to a Minor League contract for the 2024 campaign.

2023

Had the best season of his pro career in 2023 which included being named Texas League Pitcher of the Year, a Texas League Mid-Season ALL-STAR, Texas League Pitcher of the Month for July and the Astros Minor League Pitcher of the Month for April...Began his season at Double-A and went 7-5 with a 3.27 ERA (40ER/110IP) and 118 strikeouts in 23 games (21 starts)...Ranked second in ERA among Texas League pitchers (min. 100 IP) and ranked fifth in the league in strikeouts...Was promoted to Triple-A on Aug. 26, making five appearances (three starts) with the Space Cowboys to close out his season...Led Astros Minor Leaguers with an average of 2.60 walks-per-nine-innings (min. 100 IP) and was second with a total of 128.0 innings on the year.