Astros Non-Roster Invitees To Watch
Baseball is finally back and Spring Training in underway. With that, the Astros extended invites to some prospects that weren’t on the 40 man roster. Some of the big name guys like Korey Lee, Hunter Brown, and Pedro Leon are well know, but I am going to look at a few lesser known prospects to keep an eye on below.
J.P. France, RHP
France was drafted by the Astros in the 14th round of the 2018 draft. The right hander had an incredible 2021 season which saw him strikeout 157 in 114 innings, both highs for the Astros system last season. He had a 4.28 ERA in Double-A but was even better in Triple-A with 3.59 ERA in 80.1 innings. France doesn’t have blow away stuff, but has a good blend of pitches. He mixes a slider, cutter and chanegup off of his low 90s fastball. He has a strong chance to make it to the MLB this season.
David Hensley, INF
Like France, Hensley was another breakout prospect from the 2018 draft. He was drafted in the 26th round but has already proven many people wrong. In 2021 he played the entire season in Double-A but finished slashing .293/.369/.439 with 25 2B and 9 HR. He ended the season on a tear hitting .346 over his final 44 games. Hensley is the definition of utility infielder playing all over this last season. He has a few guys in front of him, but a strong spring would help him become an option this season if needed.
Scott Schreiber, 1B/OF
It just so happens that he is also from the 2018 draft, a 9th round pick. Like the other two, Schreiber had his best season as a professional in 2021. He played across High-A and Double-A and slashed .293/.355/.527 with 17 HR in 80 games. Schreiber may end up at first base, but has intriguing power that could be on display this spring.
Here is the full list of invites.
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**Photo Credit: Josh Hill**
