Houston Astros 2021 Midseason Top 50 Prospects

Astros Top 50 design by @designsbypack on Twitter

The Astros system is all about depth and upside, and this season has really demonstrated just how good the Astros are at identifying upside. This list is littered with players chosen later in the draft and international signings. Several players have made big jumps from the bottom, or even from not being on the preseason list, with breakout performances. The first half of the 2021 season has also seen five key members of the Astros pitching staff graduate from this list along with Chas McCormick who has been a big charge in the Astros outfield. The depth of the system provides more than enough new talent to fill in those spots and I could have put as many as 80 names on this list with legitimate talent worth watching. The Astros system may be light on big names, but it is anything but unhealthy.

Prospects1500 Tiers:
Tier 1: Players with high expectations of both making the majors and playing at an All-Star level for a number of years
Tier 2: Players with an above-average expectation of making the majors and being a solid contributor
Tier 3: Players with an average expectation of making the majors and being a solid contributor
Tier 4: Players who have the potential of making the majors, or have high likelihood of making the majors but providing minimal impact (e.g. middle reliever, low-ceiling UT guys)
Tier 5: Players of interest, worth keeping an eye on, who have an outside chance of making their team’s 40 man roster

Tier 1

None

Tier 2

1. Pedro Leon, OF/SS (January rank #2)
Age: 23
Current Level: AAA
Thrown right into the fire of AA for his stateside debut, Leon has already been called to AAA and made it clear that he is not long for a spot in Houston.

2. Korey Lee, C (January rank #9)
Age: 23
Current Level: AA
A huge breakout season makes the clear heir apparent catcher a must-own in dynasty leagues.

3. Hunter Brown, RHP (January rank #10)
Age: 22
Current Level: AAA
Brown continues to rack up K’s at a high rate and could be an option for the Astros pen down the stretch.

4. Jeremy Pena, SS (January rank #3)
Age: 23
Current Level: AAA (IL)
An ill-timed wrist injury will cost Pena most if not all of the 2021 season.

Tier 3

5. Forrest Whitley, RHP (January rank #1)
Age: 23
Current Level: AAA (IL)
By the time Whitley returns from Tommy John Surgery he will be five years removed from his last productive season, which makes him a lottery ticket at best in dynasty leagues.

6. Freudis Nova, SS (January rank #4)
Age: 21
Current Level: High-A
Nova is off to an underwhelming start at High-A Asheville and while it’s fair to wonder when the breakout is going to come, Nova is still young enough for some patience.

7. Dauri Lorenzo, SS (January rank #7)
Age: 18
Current Level: Rookie (FCL)
Lorenzo made his stateside debut recently in the Florida Complex League and it will be interesting to see how his projection translates in pro ball.

8. Richi Gonzalez, OF (January rank #8)
Age: 18
Current Level: Rookie (FCL)
Like Lorenzo, Richi Gonzalez is just taking his first handful of at-bats in the US and will be one to watch over the next few months.

9. Alex Santos II, RHP (January rank #12)
Age: 19
Current Level: Low-A
Early results are promising from Santos’ Low-A debut with right around a K per inning though he does need to cut back on the walks going forward.

10. Enoli Paredes, RHP (January rank #5)
Age: 25
Current Level: MLB
Control issues and injuries have rendered Paredes mostly ineffective in 2021, but his stuff remains electric and he could be a factor down the stretch if he settles in.

11. Shay Whitcomb, SS (January rank #40)
Age: 22
Current Level: High-A
The Astros’ 5th round pick in last year’s draft is making big waves with 15 HR and 24 SB between Fayetteville and Asheville.

Tier 4

12. Alex McKenna, OF (January rank #31)
Age: 23
Current Level: AA
Big breakout for McKenna at High-A Asheville where his 13 HR and 7 SB in 41 games earned him a promotion to AA and a chance to prove that he’s for real.

13. Matthew Barefoot, OF (January rank N/A)
Age: 23
Current Level: AA
Barefoot just missed the list in January but 16 HR and 17 SB across stops at Low-A and High-A have made him maybe the breakout prospect of the year for the Astros.

14. J.C. Correa, SS (January rank N/A)
Age: 22
Current Level: Low-A
Brother of Carlos and another player that just missed the list in January is hitting over .300 with an OPS approaching .900 in his pro debut.

15. Justin Dirden, OF (January rank #47)
Age: 24
Current Level: High-A
Solid pro debut for the free agent signing with an OPS over .900 in Low-A competition, but he’s older for the level and it will be interesting to see what he does with the callup to Asheville.

16. Kenedy Corona, OF (January rank #22)
Age: 21
Current Level: Low-A
Slow start in his High-A debut, but Corona has shown the speed tool on a regular basis approaching the 20 SB mark on the season.

17. Brett Conine, RHP (January rank #27)
Age: 24
Current Level: AAA
Conine got off to a hot start, winning pitcher of month for May in AAA West, but the drop in K/9 this season is concerning from a fantasy perspective.

18. Tyler Brown, RHP (January rank #25)
Age: 22
Current Level: AA
It’s been an up and down pro debut from Brown who is allowing an opponent’s BA just under .280 while also striking out just over 9 men per 9 innings.

19. Tyler Ivey, RHP (January rank #13)
Age: 25
Current Level: MLB
2021 has been bittersweet for Ivey who got to make his MLB debut but was lost for the season shortly after with an elbow injury that required Tommy John Surgery.

20. Grae Kessinger, SS (January rank #14)
Age: 23
Current Level: AA
Kessinger has shown glimpses of power and speed in AA this season, but he’s struggled with strikeouts and is hovering right around .600 OPS.

21. Jordan Brewer, OF (January rank #11)
Age: 24
Current Level: Low-A
Brewer has had some early success in the run game at Low-A, but strikeouts remain a problem.

22. Colin Barber, OF (January rank #17)
Age: 20
Current Level: High-A
Barber played in only 16 games at High-A before losing the rest of the season to shoulder surgery.

23. Enmanuel Valdez, 3B (January rank N/A)
Age: 22
Current Level: High-A
Huge power surge so far for Asheville puts Valdez on the map and makes him one to watch going forward.

24. Jaime Melendez, RHP (January rank N/A)
Age: 19
Current Level: High-A
71 strikeouts in 45 innings between Low-A and High-A at 19? That’ll play.

25. Jake Meyers, OF (January rank N/A)
Age: 25
Current Level: MLB
Meyers came out of nowhere this season to completely dwarfing his career hitting line, which earned him a recent callup to the big club.

26. Joe Perez, 3B (January rank N/A)
Age: 21
Current Level: AA
Perez started out on fire at Fayetteville and continued to mash at Asheville, but he’s cooled off a bit since being called up to AA Corpus Christi.

27. Jonathan Bermudez, LHP (January rank N/A)
Age: 25
Current Level: AA
98K/16BB across 13 starts with AA Corpus Christi has Bermudez looking like a real contender for the back of an MLB rotation at some point in the near future.

28. Jose Siri, OF (January rank N/A)
Age: 26
Current Level: AAA
Sugar Land seems to agree with Siri who is posting his best season since 2017 with 19 SB on 21 attempts, 12 HR and an OPS over .850.

29. J.P. France, RHP (January rank N/A)
Age: 26
Current Level: AAA
Significant increase in K rate and solid numbers across the board at AAA could mean an MLB debut in the second half.

30. Jonathan Sprinkle, RHP (January rank N/A)
Age: 23
Current Level: High-A
Striking out almost 18 batters per 9 innings across three levels in your pro debut in going to get you on this list all day long.

31. Luke Berryhill, C (January rank N/A)
Age: 23
Current Level: High-A
Show me a catcher with an OPS approaching 1.000 and I’ll show you a player worth keeping an eye on.

32. Norel Gonzalez, 1B/OF (January rank N/A)
Age: 27
Current Level: AAA
Gonzalez is an interesting prospect as an older signing out of Cuba that could make his way quickly to the big leagues and his start at AA does nothing to cast doubt on that potential.

33. Jojanse Torres, RHP (January rank #18)
Age: 26
Current Level: AAA (IL)
Torres started the season at AAA (skipping AA, where he likely would have pitched in 2020) and had a rough go through 8 appearances before going on the 60 day IL with an elbow injury.

34. Zach Daniels, OF (January Rank #21)
Age: 22
Current Level: High-A
Double-digit stolen bases are good to see, but strikeouts have been a problem across stops at Low-A and High-A so far this season.

35. Yohander Martinez, SS (January rank #23)
Age: 19
Current Level: Low-A
Martinez is holding his own with Fayetteville in his stateside debut and his drop on this list is far more about breakouts from other players than it is about his potential. Still very much one to keep an eye on.

36. Taylor Jones, 1B (January rank #19)
Age: 27
Current Level: MLB
Jones continues to hit well when he’s in AAA despite not showing much power, but his callups to the Astros have been rough likely due to uneven playing time.

37. Luis Santana, 2B (January rank #24)
Age: 22
Current Level: High-A
Santana made waves early this year with a bat flip for the ages, but it’s been mostly downhill from there with an OPS hovering in the .600’s.

38. Shawn Dubin, RHP (January rank #26)
Age: 25
Current Level: AAA
The K’s continue to pile up for Dubin, but his opportunity to break into the Astros bullpen this year seems like a longshot after the trade deadline shakeup.

39. Peter Solomon, RHP (January rank #36)
Age: 24
Current Level: AAA
In 12 starts at AAA and 3 relief appearances with the Astros, Solomon continues to strike hitters out consistently, but he has struggled with the HR ball.

Tier 5

40. Jairo Lopez, RHP (January rank #35)
Age: 20
Current Level: Rookie (FCL)
Lopez just made his season debut in the Florida Complex League and will likely see some time in Low-A Fayetteville later this summer.

41. Tyler Whitaker, OF (January rank N/A)
Age: 19
Current Level: Not assigned, 2021 Draft Pick
3rd round pick out of Bishop Gorman High School in Nevada is a big corner outfield type with power potential.

42. Angel Macuare, RHP (January rank #41)
Age: 21
Current Level: High-A
51 K’s against 14 BB’s in 37 innings gives a glimpse of the promise in his profile, but he’s struggled since being promoted to High-A and is still a work in progress.

43. Blair Henley, RHP (January rank #28)
Age: 24
Current Level: High-A (IL)
Henley only got 16 innings in this season before going on the 60-day injury list with very little information available about his injury.

44. Julio Robaina, LHP (January rank #46)
Age: 20
Current Level: Low-A
Robaina has been solid early for Fayetteville and could move up this list with a strong second half.

45. Rainier Rivas, OF (January rank #43)
Age: 20
Current Level: Rookie (FCL)
Rivas is just getting started in the FCL this season, but he’s posting decent numbers through the first dozen games.

46. Valente Bellozo, RHP (January rank #50)
Age: 21
Current Level: Rookie (FCL)
Bellozo is assigned to the FCL club, but hasn’t yet made his season debut.

47. Kyle Gruller, RHP (January rank N/A)
Age: 23
Current Level: High-A
Gruller is off to a hot start in Low-A with 21 k’s in 13 innings and is one to watch in the 2nd half.

48. Heitor Tokar, RHP (January rank N/A)
Age: 20
Current Level: Rookie (FCL)
Tokar is off to a hot start in the FCL and should see a callup to Low-A this season.

49. Chayce McDermott, RHP (January rank N/A)
Age: 22
Current Level: Not assigned, 2021 Draft Pick
Right-hander out of Ball State with potential for three plus pitches.

50. Jairo Solis, RHP (January rank #35)
Age: 21
Current Level: AAA (IL)
After missing the 2019 season with Tommy John Surgery, Solis will miss most of this season after having lose bodies removed from his elbow.

Next 15
Nick Hernandez, RHP
Leosdany Molina, INF
Quincy Hamilton, OF
Ronnie Dawson, OF
Austin Hansen, RHP
Scott Schreiber, OF
Diosmerky Taveras, RHP
Misael Tamarez, RHP
Brayan De Paula, LHP
Felipe Tejeda, RHP
Jimmy Endersby, RHP
Yainer Diaz, C
Nathan Perry, C/1B
J.J. Matijevic, 1B/OF
Colton Shaver, 3B




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