In the 2023 draft, the Astros selected and signed three high school players. Chase Jaworsky has already been traded, Nehomar Ochoa has spent the season sidelined due to injury, and the third player, Anthony Huezo, has had a breakout year.
Anthony Huezo, the Astros’ 12th-round pick in 2023 out of Etiwanda High School in Rancho Cucamonga, California, signed for $397,500, well above the $150,000 slot for that round. After the draft, he appeared in 12 Florida Complex League games, posting a .577 OPS with a home run and five RBIs.
In 2024, Huezo was in the Florida Complex League again playing in 40 games and posting the same OPS, .577, with 4 home runs. He closed the season with a late assignment in High-A Asheville where he .200 over seven games.
Huezo’s 2025 season has been a major step forward. The 19-year-old began back in the Florida Complex League but quickly turned heads, posting a .856 OPS with six home runs, 12 stolen bases, and 26 RBIs over 43 games.
“Definitely my mindset and how I approached the game,” Huezo said about what changed for him this year. “Understanding there will be good days and learning days but staying positive through it all. Just trusting the process and staying confident in my skillset everyday.”
After finishing the Florida Complex League, Huezo finally received the long awaited assignment to Single-A Fayetteville. Huezo took well to his promotion hitting .500 with 2 home runs and 9 runs batted in over his first week of games.
“My mentality coming into affiliate ball was just to keep it simple and trust the plan,” Huezo said. “Understanding that it is the same game so there is no need to try and do too much.”
Huezo kept his hot streak alive, hitting .333 (7-for-21) in his second week at Single-A. Making an immediate impact and showcasing his tools at the next level was a big moment for him, proving that he could adjust quickly to tougher competition and continue building on his breakout season.
“It was a blessing for me to start out hot in Fayetteville,” Huezo said. “I am grateful for the people who surround me as they push me to become a better person and player everyday. I would not have been in the position to perform like that without them.”
At this point in the season, Huezo has played in 22 games for Fayetteville. He’s hitting .301 with a .363 on-base percentage and has drove in 12 runs while stealing 6 bases. A really nice close to the season for him and one that proved the work he was putting in worked.
“I felt I made the biggest strides a month into the FCL season where I decided to just have fun out on the field,” Huezo said. “This allowed me to play with a positive mindset and become more present on the field.”
Despite all the positives this season, Huezo hit a setback. He’ll miss the final week of the season due to injury, though it’s expected to be fully resolved by next spring, so it shouldn’t slow his progress going forward.
“I will for sure be ready for the season next year,” Huezo said. “I believe the situation I am in could have been way worse so I am remaining positive as I know I will be back soon.”
Two years after being drafted, Huezo finally broke out and earned a full-season assignment to Fayetteville. Following an impressive 2025 campaign, a .828 OPS with eight home runs and 18 stolen bases over 67 games, he’s now poised to take the next big step in his career in 2026.
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