Houston Astros

Track Record: Dubin signed for $1,000 after a circuitous college career during which he almost gave up playing baseball. He finished at NAIA Georgetown (Ky.) after Buffalo shuttered its program. Dubin has added 30 pounds and substantial fastball velocity since reaching pro ball. He struck out 12.5 per nine innings at Triple-A Sugar Land in 2021 and was added to the Astros’ 40-man roster after the season despite throwing just 49.2 innings due to elbow inflammation.
Scouting Report: After hovering around 90 mph in college, Dubin’s fastball now sits anywhere from 93-96 mph with explosive life and reaches 99 mph. His plus slider, which he didn’t throw until college, sweeps enough to generate swings and misses from both righties and lefties and is a legitimate out pitch. Both his slider and curveball are high spin and aided by a deceptive delivery. He can incorporate a cutter he learned at Houston’s alternate site along with a developing changeup. Dubin’s delivery is now far more efficient and he uses his lower half more instead of the whippy, long stride he showed in college.
The Future: Dubin’s plus slider and a fastball that plays up in short spurts make him an obvious reliever candidate, but the Astros are still giving him a chance to start with a five-pitch mix.

Track Record: No Astros prospect has richer bloodlines than Kessinger, whose father, uncle and, most notably, his grandfather, Don, all played professionally. Houston selected Grae in the second round of the 2019 draft out of Ole Miss and paid him $750,000. He spent his first full minor league season at Double-A Corpus Christi and ended it with a stint in the Arizona Fall League.
Scouting Report: Kessinger does a lot of things well but nothing spectacular. His baseball instincts and makeup mask some shortcomings. Kessinger’s exit velocities jumped after he added some pre-pitch hand movement and widened the base of his stance to produce more line drive contact. He displays some of the organization’s best strike zone control and pitch recognition but has below-average raw power. Kessinger is an average defender with an average arm at shortstop and could easily shift to second or third base if asked. He played first base in the Arizona Fall League, but only due to team roster construction.
The Future: The Astros view Kessinger as a major league average defender at shortstop but will continue to move him around the infield. He projects to be a utilityman, but if he can tap into some power, he could ascend to greater heights.

Track Record: Whitley’s fall from baseball’s top pitching prospect continued in 2021 when he had Tommy John surgery after a few spring training bullpen sessions. He’s thrown just 59.2 innings in affiliated ball since 2018—and had a 7.99 ERA. He finished the 2019 season at Triple-A with a 12.21 ERA but Houston still put him on its 40-man roster. Whitley flashed promise at the team’s alternate training site in 2020 and in some summer camp simulated games at Minute Maid Park
Scouting Report: Whitley hasn’t pitched to his potential since 2017. A series of changes always seem to follow him, be it with his delivery, training regimen or weight, and none have stuck. His arsenal remains one of the organization’s best: a plus four-seam fastball at 92-97 mph complemented by two high-spin breaking balls and a plus changeup. His collection of five pitches that are all above average or plus remains unmatched, but commanding that arsenal is another issue entirely. His fastball tends to sail over the top of the strike zone and his cutter was often a ball out of his hand before surgery. He also struggled to keep his composure when things weren’t going well.
The Future: Whitley still possesses front-of-the-rotation type stuff. He could return to game action in summer 2022 and will try to actualize his tantalizing promise.

Track Record: Barefoot signed for $150,000 as a sixth-round pick in 2019 after destroying mid-major college pitching for three seasons at Campbell and earning the Cape Cod League MVP award in 2018. He purchased a pitching machine, indoor batting cage and Rapsodo machine during the coronavirus pandemic to produce a breakout 2021 season. Barefoot hit .301 with 36 extra-base hits between Low-A and High-A before hitting a wall with a .525 OPS and .299 slugging percentage in 36 games at Double-A Corpus Christi.
Scouting Report: Barefoot is a “backwards” player who throws lefthanded and hits righthanded. He has simplified his swing since college and is able to make easy, elevated line-drive contact with elite hand-eye coordination. He’s shown prodigious home run power at the lower minor leagues, but it profiles as doubles power against better pitching. Still, his approach is sound and he projects to at least hit for average. Barefoot has plus speed and uses it efficiently to steal bases. He struggles with reads and routes in center field, making him a better corner option. He has an average arm that fits better in left than right.
The Future: Barefoot profiles as a platoon player or fourth outfielder unless he taps into more power. He must conquer higher-level pitching better than he did in his brief Double-A cameo in 2021.

Track Record: During a 2019 international signing period in which the Astros could not exceed a $300,000 signing bonus, Gonzalez got one of the two maximum bonuses Houston handed out. He played in the Dominican Summer League after signing and opened 2021 in the Florida Complex League. He played just 13 games before earning a promotion to Low-A Fayetteville, where he struggled to a .244/.299/.341 slash line.
Scouting Report: Gonzalez has a projectable body that is still filling out. He is nimble but long-limbed, leading to questions about where his true defensive position is. The Astros play Gonzalez primarily at shortstop, where he shows a plus arm that could translate to the outfield if needed. Gonzalez has enough athleticism to stick at shortstop and the Astros intend to try it. He has above-average power and makes harder contact than some of his stats may suggest, but a stiff swing and poor strike zone discipline limit his production. As Gonzalez adds more weight and adjusts his swing, more of this power should manifest.
The Future: Gonzalez has physical upside, but needs to figure out his swing, approach and defensive home. He will likely open 2022 back in Fayetteville.

Track Record: Cleveland signed Diaz for $25,000 during the 2016 international signing period. Five years later, the Astros acquired him and Phil Maton in exchange for Myles Straw at the trade deadline. Diaz played just 12 games at Low-A Fayetteville before earning a promotion to High-A Asheville. He hit .396/.438/.781 in 105 plate appearances there to finish his season batting .324.
Scouting Report: Diaz is an above-average hitter and a well-sequenced swing that easily produces contact. His hit-over-power profile does not fit a typical catcher, but the Astros are intrigued by the possibility. His exit velocities are near major league average and he hits hard line drives to all fields, but needs to tap into more power within his thick frame. His pitch selection needs to improve, and that may help in unlocking some power. Diaz has an above-average arm, but needs to refine his receiving and defense if he will stick behind the plate. He plays first base, too.
The Future: Diaz has hit at every level and passed every test. Facing more advanced pitching at Double-A in 2022 could dictate his immediate trajectory.

Track Record: McKenna won Big West Conference player of the year honors in 2018 at Cal Poly and received a $432,500 signing bonus after the Astros selected him in the fourth round. He played just 65 games after dislocating his finger and straining a hamstring during his first minor league season in 2019. He reshaped his body during the coronavirus shutdown and got off to a torrid start at High-A Asheville in 2021, hitting .305/.389/.616, but he encountered more injury issues during an unproductive stint in Double-A Corpus Christi to end his season.
Scouting Report: McKenna shows above-average raw power, but it comes with a propensity for swings and misses. He is a feast or famine hitter with huge exit velocities and a bevy of strikeouts. His ability to handle advanced pitching is suspect after a subpar end to his 2021 season at Double-A, and he is likely a below-average hitter, at best. McKenna’s above-average speed and instincts translate well in the outfield, but his range is suspect in center field. He has an average arm.
The Future: McKenna profiles best as a fourth outfielder who doesn’t hit enough to play everyday in a corner. He’ll return to Double-A in 2022.

Track Record: McDermott redshirted in 2018 at Ball State while recovering from Tommy John surgery, suffered another injury in 2019 and threw just three times before the coronavirus pandemic stopped college baseball in 2020. He ended his only full collegiate season in 2021 with 13.6 strikeouts per nine innings, and the Astros took him in the fourth round and signed him for $372,500. McDermott continued piling up punchouts at Low-A Fayetteville, striking out 33 in 18.1 innings during his professional debut.
Scouting Report: McDermott has a solid set of four pitches. He misses bats with an above-average fastball that sits 92-96 mph and can get up to 98 on occasion. He pairs his heater with two potentially above-average breaking pitches in his 12-to-6 curveball in the mid 70s and a titling slider that gets chase swings out of the strike zone. McDermott’s changeup is still a major work in progress, as is his control of both breaking pitches. Even during his excellent pro debut, he walked 10 batters in 18 innings at Fayetteville.
The Future: McDermott’s pitch mix gives him the potential to start, but he won’t overwhelm at the top of a rotation. He should have a full season at a Class A affiliate in 2022.

BA Grade: 45/High

Track Record: Ivey is a Rowlett, Texas, native who made his major league debut during a spot start at the Rangers’ Globe Life Park in May 2021. The emotions of a hometown debut, coupled with a family tragedy and an elbow injury he hid from the organization, caused the lanky righthander to take four months off from baseball. Ivey was diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome, but he did not require surgery and made one minor league rehab appearance in the Florida Complex League in late September. Coupled with persistent elbow pain in spring training and in May at Triple-A Sugar Land, Ivey threw just 17.2 innings all season.

Scouting Report: Ivey has a herky-jerky delivery and a high leg kick that generates most of the attention. The Astros have made some minor adjustments so he can better control the running game, but by and large allow Ivey to continue his unorthodox ways given his good command. He averaged just 90 mph with his four-seam fastball during his major league debut due to his injured elbow. When healthy, Ivey is in the low-to-mid 90s with the pitch and can touch 96. His delivery affords some deception on the fastball, which Ivey elevates well, and a high-spin curveball that pairs effectively with it. Ivey’s changeup is still evolving to go along with a slider that can have cutter-like tendencies. Ivey has demonstrated the command and control some scouts doubted he’d discover due to his delivery and now has fringe-average control overall.

The Future: Ivey is a potential middle-to-back-of-the-rotation starter candidate if he can stay healthy. With two elbow injuries in three seasons, that’s a big if.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50. Slider: 50. Curveball: 60. Changeup: 45. Control: 55.

Track Record: Barber received a $1 million signing bonus after the Astros took him in the fourth round of the 2019 draft. He played 20 games of independent ball during the coronavirus pandemic and joined the Astros’ alternate training site in September for developmental purposes. He was touted as a potential breakout candidate when minor league play resumed in 2021, but he played just 16 games at High-A Asheville before injuring his shoulder and having season-ending surgery.
Scouting Report: Barber has retooled his stance and swing to eliminate some of the rollover ground balls to the right side that previously plagued him. He digs his heel into the ground before starting his hands and finishes with his top hand up, allowing him to loft the ball and capitalize on his above-average raw power from the left side. Barber’s patient approach disappeared during his brief 2021 season in favor of an aggressive, strikeout-filled stint that caused some worry. He has above-average speed and an average arm that could stick in center field or profile well in right. Within the organization, Barber’s elite work ethic and determined demeanor have drawn comparisons to Alex Bregman.
The Future: Barber has perhaps more upside than any of the Astros’ crew of young, recently drafted outfielders, but he has to show he’s healthy. He should start 2022 back at Asheville.

Track Record: Brewer played football and baseball in high school before blossoming into the Big Ten Conference player of the year at Michigan during its run to the 2019 College World Series finals. The Astros drafted him in the third round that July and gave him a $500,000 signing bonus. A nagging toe injury limited Brewer to 16 games in 2019 and left knee surgery sidelined him for most of 2020. He spent his first full minor league season at Low-A Fayetteville, stealing 21 bases and hitting .275/.375/.410 in 297 plate appearances.
Scouting Report: Brewer has a bevy of tantalizing tools that haven’t yet come together. He is one of the fastest and most athletic players in the Astros organization and showcases plus speed. He has above-average raw power, but a grooved swing prevents him from displaying it much in games. Brewer swings and misses inside the strike zone too often and needs to improve his overall approach. He is an average defender in center field with an average arm but played in the more corners during his Michigan tenure despite his running ability.
The Future: Brewer held his own at Low-A despite some offensive flaws. He’ll move up in 2022, where better pitching may be the best test for his toolsy profile.

Track Record: The Astros signed Lorenzo as the crown jewel of their 2019 international class, giving him a $1.8 million bonus. He did not play in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic but flashed spurts of promise at instructional league. Lorenzo got a late start in 2021 and played 41 games in the Florida Complex League in his pro debut, hitting .248/.316/.312 in 157 plate appearances.
Scouting Report: Only 19 years old, Lorenzo appeals to the Astros because of his mature approach. He is a switch hitter who is better from the right side, but he has a swing that stays through the strike zone and allows him to make easy contact from both sides. He is still filling out and has yet to show much power. Though heralded as a shortstop when he signed, the Astros played Lorenzo primarily at second base in his debut. He has an average arm and speed, but a lack of quickness at shortstop makes him more suited for the keystone.
The Future: Lorenzo is the latest in a long line of promising, young Latin infielders in the Astros system. He should get to Low-A in 2022, where his mature approach and contact-centric swing will be tested.

Track Record: The Astros drafted Daniels in the fourth round in 2020 after a loud 17-game showing prior to college baseball’s shutdown. He had struggled the previous summer in the Cape Cod League and during his first two seasons at Tennessee, when he hit .176 and struck out 69 times in 64 games. The Astros saw enough in that small sample to give Daniels $400,000, but his first professional season matched the results of his early college days. He hit .224/.342/.358 with 129 strikeouts in 85 games across both Class A levels.
Scouting Report: Daniels has some of the loudest and most tantalizing tools in the Astros farm system. He is a plus-plus runner with plus raw power and enough quick twitch ability to put on an amazing batting practice show. But games demonstrate his lack of feel for hitting and a grooved swing that generates too many swings and misses inside the strike zone, preventing him from making much offensive impact. He has an average arm and speed that profiles well in center field. Daniels is the most athletic player in the Astros’ system, which affords him a better chance to make adjustments.
The Future: Daniels must continue to make adjustments in games to realize the potential the Astros have for him. He will likely open 2022 back in High-A.

Track Record: Endersby threw just 45.1 collegiate innings in a circuitous career. He came to Cal State Fullerton as an infielder and made occasional relief appearances, but transitioned to a full-time pitcher once he transferred to Division II Concordia-Irvine (Calif.) in 2020. Endersby made just five starts there before the pandemic shutdown, but the Astros still signed him as an undrafted free agent for $20,000 following the five-round draft. Endersby reached Double-A Corpus Christi with a 3.90 ERA and struck out 10.2 batters per nine innings in his first professional season.
Scouting Report: Endersby has an excellent arsenal for someone with so little in-game pitching experience. He throws a 92-95 mph four-seam fastball that reaches as high as 2,600 rpms with the elevation and ride Houston desires. He throws a big breaking curveball and slider he’s still developing to go along with a below-average changeup. Endersby’s command and control suffer at times from a lack of experience, but the Astros are helping him adjust quickly.
The Future: Endersby should start 2022 back in Double-A. As he gains more innings and experience, he could cement himself as valuable rotation depth.

Track Record: The Astros signed Torres for $150,000 as a 22-year-old during the 2018 international signing period. He dominated the Class A levels in 2019 and was invited to summer camp in 2020. Torres threw a few times in exhibitions at Minute Maid Park, but was shut down with elbow soreness shortly after. He appeared in eight games for Triple-A Sugar Land in 2021 before he having season-ending arthroscopic surgery to remove a bone chip from his right elbow.
Scouting Report: Torres has a tremendous four-seam fastball that sits in the high 90s and touches 100 mph. He is unafraid to challenge hitters with it and has had success in the minors doing so. His changeup could be his best secondary pitch, especially with the velocity difference off his fastball. He also throws a hard, mid-80s slider that gets chase swings along with a curveball, but he does not have enough consistency with either pitch. His control and command are suspect and will be tested against better competition.
The Future: Torres’ age and injury history invite questions whether he has time to develop the command and breaking pitches to be a starter. His overpowering fastball and changeup combination profile best out of the bullpen.

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.

Track Record: Whitcomb signed for $56,000 after Houston took him with its final pick during the five-round draft in 2020. He flew under the radar at Division II UC San Diego, but popped onto the Astros’ radar with a strong showing in the Cape Cod League after his sophomore year. Whitcomb affirmed the Astros’ faith in him with a strong debut season in 2021 that ended at High-A Asheville. He and Yankees top prospect Anthony Volpe were the only two minor league players that finished 2021 with at least 20 homers, 25 doubles and 30 stolen bases.
Scouting Report: Whitcomb has above-average raw power and some of the organization’s highest exit velocities. He gets pull-happy and is strikeout-prone, creating worry that his swing-and-miss issues will be exploited by advanced pitching. Offense will be Whitcomb’s ticket to advancement. He is a fringe-average runner and a below-average defender at shortstop. With limited range, bad footwork and a below-average throwing arm, some scouts think he is destined for second base while others contend he may slug his way onto a corner.
The Future: Whitcomb quieted some doubts with his excellent 2021, but will face stiffer competition in 2022, when he could reach Double-A.

Track Record: Bermudez had a 1.95 ERA and earned NAIA pitcher of the year honors at Southeastern (Fla.) in 2018, after which Houston selected him in the 23rd round and gave him a $75,000 signing bonus. He reached Double-A Corpus Christi during the 2019 season, but the Astros did not include him in their 60-man player pool during the 2020 season. Bermudez came back with a breakout 2021 season, garnering Astros minor league pitcher of the year honors and a spot on the club’s 40-man roster after a strong showing at Triple-A Sugar Land.
Scouting Report: Bermudez is a pitchability lefty with enough deception to project as a back-end starter. His four-seam fastball sits 91-93 mph with enough rise and run to miss some bats. Both his changeup and splitter have huge tailing action and sit in the low to mid 80s. He throws two variations of a slider: one short with cut in the low 80s and a sweeper in the high 70s. Bermudez hides the ball well in his delivery and has some funk to keep hitters off balance. Astros officials think he has more velocity in his big frame, too. He throws plenty of strikes with average control.
The Future: Bermudez broke out in 2021 and is on the major league doorstep because of it. He should start 2022 in Triple-A and could be in line for his major league debut.

Track Record: The A’s gave Martinez a $70,000 signing bonus after selecting him in the 17th round of the 2016 draft out of Arizona State. He peaked at Double-A in the A’s organization before the Astros selected him in the minor league phase of the 2020 Rule 5 draft. Martinez had a 2.81 ERA in 36 relief appearances at Triple-A Sugar Land before the Astros summoned him for his major league debut in September. He appeared in three games and survived the offseason 40-man churn.
Scouting Report: Martinez has morphed into a long reliever after beginning his career as a starter. He throws five pitches, but his most recent success came after the Astros’ player development staff overhauled his slider. Martinez now throws a horizontal, sweeping slider as opposed to the two-plane offering he had with Oakland. Martinez’s four-seam fastball sits in the low 90s and he mixes in a cutter, sinker and a changeup to remain unpredictable. His control is above average and hitters struggle to square him up.
The Future: Martinez is already 27, but he has a spot on the 40-man roster and will figure into the Astros bullpen. He should bounce between Triple-A Sugar Land and the majors during the 2022 season.

Track Record: Solis signed for $450,000 as a 16-year-old during the 2016 international signing period, but has thrown just 112 innings in the four subsequent seasons. He hasn’t appeared in a game since 2018, after which he had Tommy John surgery and missed the 2019 season. The Astros added Solis to their 40-man roster after a look at his stuff during the 2020 instructional league. He reported to spring training in 2021, but elbow problems persisted. An initial surgery to remove loose bodies did not solve it, and Solis had his second Tommy John surgery in June.
Scouting Report: When healthy, Solis has some of the best upside of any starting pitching prospect in the Astros system. He’s shown above-average control at times with a four-pitch mix. He threw 93-94 mph in spring training and has shown the ability to touch 98. Solis’ above-average changeup is his best secondary pitch and he shows feel for both a slider and curveball, though they both get slurvy. Some scouts say he’s too thin and needs to add muscle, but his constant injuries make it difficult.
The Future: The timing of Solis’ second Tommy John won’t allow him to pitch until late 2022. He’s still young enough to be excited about, but his injuries provide obvious concern.