Brett Conine

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Houston Astros #25 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Conine closed throughout his three-year career at Cal State Fullerton, but the Astros drafted him in 2018 with the intention to develop him as a starter. He had a 2.20 ERA and reached Double-A Corpus Christi during his first minor league season before continuing his impressive ascent at the alternate training site in 2020. His performance suggested Conine could be a major league depth option in 2021, but his command and performance regressed at Triple-A Sugar Land, where he finished with a 5.66 ERA and 1.500 WHIP.
  
  Scouting Report: Conine is a finesse righthander who mixes his four-pitch arsenal well, relying on changing eye levels and deception more than bat-missing ability. His four-seam fastball sits 89-92 mph, but he’s shown the ability to hit 94-95. A big, overhand curveball is his out pitch. He’s shown good feel for an above-average changeup and needs to refine his slider, which he uses primarily early in counts but only started throwing in 2019.
  
  The Future: Conine took a step back in 2021. He should start 2022 back in Triple-A, where he could reestablish himself as a depth starter on the big league doorstep.
• 
  Ranked Houston Astros #15 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: Conine has a chance to make an unusual transformation from college closer to major league starter. After saving 25 games over three years at Cal State Fullerton, Conine spent his first full season with the Astros as a starter and went 8-4, 2.20 as he climbed to Double-A. The Astros brought him to their alternate training site in 2020 and he continued to progress before wrapping up in instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Conine doesn't fit the profile of a typical former closer. He relies on mixing four pitches and throwing strikes rather than overpowering anyone. Conine's fastball ranges from 90-95 mph. He backs it up with a solid-average curveball that's his go-to pitch for a strikeout and an average changeup he has the confidence to throw against lefties and righties. Conine sprinkles in a fringe-average slider, though it's more of an early-count offering that doesn't miss as many bats as his curve. His control could be plus and he's adept at moving the ball around the zone.
  
  THE FUTURE: Conine will open 2021 in the upper levels and could make his major league debut during the season. He has the potential to stick around as a back-end starter.
• 
  Ranked Houston Astros #21 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Cal State Fullerton's closer for two seasons, the Astros quickly moved Conine back into the rotation while working to get him more consistently to the upper ends of his velocity range. It's worked so far—he's been effective at four levels.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: In an organization where seemingly everyone has added three-to-six mph to pitch with a plus fastball, Conine is the crafty pitcher who succeeds based on plus control with average stuff. Conine sits 90-94 mph (which is actually a 2 mph bump from what he was as a reliever at Fullerton), setting up an average changeup and an above-average power curve—it's short and tight and sometimes gets described as a slider. His above-average command is key to his success.
  
  THE FUTURE: There are evaluators who see Conine as an up-and-down arm who has feasted on lessadvanced hitters, but he has the stuff to play his way to the majors. He'll return to Double-A Corpus Christi.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #255 prospect in 2018 draft
  Conine saved 25 games the last two seasons as Cal State Fullerton's closer, including the clinching victories in the Stanford Regional and Long Beach Super Regional in 2017. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Conine is dependent on his velocity for success because his fastball is straight and lacks life. He gets swings and misses when he's at his best, regularly reaching 95 mph. At other times, his velocity drops to 90-91 mph and he gets hit around. He gave up more than one hit per inning as a junior because he spent more time at his lower velocity. Conine's best secondary offering is an above-average, power curveball in the 79-80 mph range and he can throw his changeup for a strike as well. Conine has a chance to move fairly quickly as a reliever in pro ball, but only if he can find a way to maintain the upper end of his velocity range. He projects to be picked toward the back of the top 10 rounds.

• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Conine closed throughout his three-year career at Cal State Fullerton, but the Astros drafted him in 2018 with the intention to develop him as a starter. He had a 2.20 ERA and reached Double-A Corpus Christi during his first minor league season before continuing his impressive ascent at the alternate training site in 2020. His performance suggested Conine could be a major league depth option in 2021, but his command and performance regressed at Triple-A Sugar Land, where he finished with a 5.66 ERA and 1.500 WHIP.
  
  Scouting Report: Conine is a finesse righthander who mixes his four-pitch arsenal well, relying on changing eye levels and deception more than bat-missing ability. His four-seam fastball sits 89-92 mph, but he’s shown the ability to hit 94-95. A big, overhand curveball is his out pitch. He’s shown good feel for an above-average changeup and needs to refine his slider, which he uses primarily early in counts but only started throwing in 2019.
  
  The Future: Conine took a step back in 2021. He should start 2022 back in Triple-A, where he could reestablish himself as a depth starter on the big league doorstep.
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Conine has a chance to make an unusual transformation from college closer to major league starter. After saving 25 games over three years at Cal State Fullerton, Conine spent his first full season with the Astros as a starter and went 8-4, 2.20 as he climbed to Double-A. The Astros brought him to their alternate training site in 2020 and he continued to progress before wrapping up in instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Conine doesn't fit the profile of a typical former closer. He relies on mixing four pitches and throwing strikes rather than overpowering anyone. Conine's fastball ranges from 90-95 mph. He backs it up with a solid-average curveball that's his go-to pitch for a strikeout and an average changeup he has the confidence to throw against lefties and righties. Conine sprinkles in a fringe-average slider, though it's more of an early-count offering that doesn't miss as many bats as his curve. His control could be plus and he's adept at moving the ball around the zone.
  
  THE FUTURE: Conine will open 2021 in the upper levels and could make his major league debut during the season. He has the potential to stick around as a back-end starter.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Conine has a chance to make an unusual transformation from college closer to major league starter. After saving 25 games over three years at Cal State Fullerton, Conine spent his first full season with the Astros as a starter and went 8-4, 2.20 as he climbed to Double-A. The Astros brought him to their alternate training site in 2020 and he continued to progress before wrapping up in instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Conine doesn't fit the profile of a typical former closer. He relies on mixing four pitches and throwing strikes rather than overpowering anyone. Conine's fastball ranges from 90-95 mph. He backs it up with a solid-average curveball that's his go-to pitch for a strikeout and an average changeup he has the confidence to throw against lefties and righties. Conine sprinkles in a fringe-average slider, though it's more of an early-count offering that doesn't miss as many bats as his curve. His control could be plus and he's adept at moving the ball around the zone.
  
  THE FUTURE: Conine will open 2021 in the upper levels and could make his major league debut during the season. He has the potential to stick around as a back-end starter.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Conine has a chance to make an unusual transformation from college closer to major league starter. After saving 25 games over three years at Cal State Fullerton, Conine spent his first full season with the Astros as a starter and went 8-4, 2.20 as he climbed to Double-A. The Astros brought him to their alternate training site in 2020 and he continued to progress before wrapping up in instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Conine doesn't fit the profile of a typical former closer. He relies on mixing four pitches and throwing strikes rather than overpowering anyone. Conine's fastball ranges from 90-95 mph. He backs it up with a solid-average curveball that's his go-to pitch for a strikeout and an average changeup he has the confidence to throw against lefties and righties. Conine sprinkles in a fringe-average slider, though it's more of an early-count offering that doesn't miss as many bats as his curve. His control could be plus and he's adept at moving the ball around the zone.
  
  THE FUTURE: Conine will open 2021 in the upper levels and could make his major league debut during the season. He has the potential to stick around as a back-end starter.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Cal State Fullerton’s closer for two seasons, the Astros quickly moved Conine back into the rotation while working to get him more consistently to the upper ends of his velocity range. It’s worked so far—he’s been effective at four levels.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: In an organization where seemingly everyone has added three-to-six mph to pitch with a plus fastball, Conine is the crafty pitcher who succeeds based on plus control with average stuff. Conine sits 90-94 mph (which is actually a 2 mph bump from what he was as a reliever at Fullerton), setting up an average changeup and an above-average power curve—it’s short and tight and sometimes gets described as a slider. His above-average command is key to his success.
  
  THE FUTURE: There are evaluators who see Conine as an up-and-down arm who has feasted on lessadvanced hitters, but he has the stuff to play his way to the majors. He’ll return to Double-A Corpus Christi.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Cal State Fullerton's closer for two seasons, the Astros quickly moved Conine back into the rotation while working to get him more consistently to the upper ends of his velocity range. It's worked so far—he's been effective at four levels.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: In an organization where seemingly everyone has added three-to-six mph to pitch with a plus fastball, Conine is the crafty pitcher who succeeds based on plus control with average stuff. Conine sits 90-94 mph (which is actually a 2 mph bump from what he was as a reliever at Fullerton), setting up an average changeup and an above-average power curve—it's short and tight and sometimes gets described as a slider. His above-average command is key to his success.
  
  THE FUTURE: There are evaluators who see Conine as an up-and-down arm who has feasted on lessadvanced hitters, but he has the stuff to play his way to the majors. He'll return to Double-A Corpus Christi.