Just like the stock market, prospects’ stock will go up and down throughout the season. Below are a few players hitter who have seen their stock rise. Here is the Astros Prospect Stock Report 2024: Volume 3.
Previous Stock Reports:
⇑ Stock Up ⇑
Hitter – Kenni Gomez
Gomez was signed by the Astros out of Cuba for $775,000 in 2022. The Astros were aggressive with him having him start the year in Fayetteville this season at 18 years old. He has performed well posting a .753 OPS with 33 extra base hits and 13 stolen bases. The left-handed hitter makes a lot of contact but also has room to add power in his frame. A great athlete, Gomez is a plus runner and should be a threat on the bases and have the ability to stick in center field. He has been even better hitting .343 with a .926 OPS over his last 20 games.
2024 Stats: 87 G, .265 BA/.338 OBP/.415 SLG, 23 2B, 4 3B, 6 HR, 35 RBI, 13 SB
Hitter – Shay Whitcomb
Whitcomb was the Astros 5th round pick in the 2020 draft signing for just $56,000. Whitcomb had a monster season in 2023. In 133 games between Double-A and Triple-A, Whitcomb had 35 HR (which led all of minor league baseball) and 102 RBI. Whitcomb has some swing and miss to his game, but he has made adjustments and cut down on the strikeouts while still showing power with 24 homers and 26 stolen bases this season and is hitting .319 with 19 HR and a .975 since the middle of May. Read more on him here.
2024 Stats: 105 G, .299 BA/.385 OBP/.536 SLG, 19 2B, 2 3B, 24 HR, 89 RBI, 26 SB
Pitcher – Miguel Ullola
Ullola is a young flame throwing right hander. The 21-year-old features a plus fastball that sits mid-90s and touches 99 MPH, even when in multi-inning spots. The fastball and slider are his two best pitches, but he does throw a curveball as well. He struggled in 2023 posting a 5.86 ERA with 63 walks in 90.2 innings. This season in Double-A, he has posted a 4.35 ERA with 127 K in 101.1 innings but has been better lately posting a 3.57 ERA with 61 K in 53 innings since June. On the season he has allowed just 56 hits, good for a .160 BAA.
2024 Stats: 21 G, 4.35 ERA, 101.1 IP, 56 H, 49 ER, 59 BB, 127 K, 11.3 K/9
Pitcher – Ethan Pecko
Pecko was a 6th round pick by the Astros in the 2023 draft. Despite just 59.2 college innings, the Astros saw something in him and have been right so far. Pecko started the season in Single-A racking up 63 K in 46.2 innings earning a promotion to High-A (34 K in 22.2 inning) and then another promotion to Double-A. Pecko has a mid 90s fastball and mixes that with a slider, cutter, curveball and changeup. While it’s only two outings in Double-A, he has allowed just 3 earned run in 12.2 innings. Read more on Pecko here.
2024 Stats: 22 G, 3.62 ERA, 82.0 IP, 71 H, 33 ER, 31 BB, 107 K, 12.0 K/9
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