This year saw some good performances from Astros prospects with each one bringing something different to the field. Check out the best performances below and vote on who you think is the Astros minor league hitter of the year!
Zach Cole
Cole was drafted by the Astros back in 2022. He got off to a slow start with some injuries but once he got hot he couldn’t be stopped. In 82 games in Double-A he had 19 doubles, 14 home runs and a .868 OPS. He was promoted to Triple-A where he hit .353 with 5 home runs over 15 games before earning a call-up to Houston. Overall he had a 22 doubles, 7 triples, 19 home runs and a system leading 151 wRC+ over 97 games.
2025 Stats: 97 G, .279 BA/.377 OBP/.539 SLG, 22 2B, 7 3B, 19 HR, 65 RBI, 18 SB, 151 wRC+
Brice Matthews
Matthews, the Astros first round pick in 2023, followed up a nice year in 2024 with another solid performance in 2025. In 112 games, Matthews connected on 18 doubles, 7 triples, 17 home runs and 41 stolen bases for Sugar Land. The 41 stolen bases set a new record for Sugar Land. He also led the Astros system in hits with 109. Matthews got some time in Houston but showed enough that next season he should get an extended look in Houston.
2025 Stats: 112 G, .260 BA/.371 OBP/.458 SLG, 18 2B, 7 3B, 17 HR, 64 RBI, 41 SB, 118 wRC+
Lucas Spence
Spence has been a great find after signing as an undrafted free agent in 2024. He started the year in Fayetteville and after hitting .286 in Single-A, he was promoted to High-A where he connected on 6 home runs with a .774 OPS. He earned another promotion to Double-A where he added 4 more home runs with 17 runs batted in and 6 stolen bases. He finished the season with 31 doubles, 27 stolen bases and a .771 OPS in 116 games, and an impressive 14.3% walk rate.
2025 Stats: 116 G, .244 BA/.368 OBP/.403 SLG, 31 2B, 3 3B, 10 HR, 55 RBI, 27 SB, 122 wRC+
Joseph Sullivan
Sullivan came into the season with some hype thanks to his performance in Spring Training, and he performed up to that level of expectation. He started the year in High-A where he connected on 15 home runs and stole 34 bases over 75 games. The promotion to Double-A was a little tougher for him, but he still finished with 17 home runs, 42 stolen bases and a .798 OPS over 106 games in his first full season. He also led the Astros system in walks and stole bases.
2025 Stats: 106 G, .220 BA/.395 OBP/.403 SLG, 13 2B, 2 3B, 17 HR, 49 RBI, 42 SB, 132 wRC+
Walker Janek
Janek was the Astros first round pick in 2024 and had a solid first professional season in 2025. The 22-year-old hit .263 with 21 doubles, 2 triples and 12 home runs over 92 games for High-A Asheville. He also added a surprising 30 stolen bases. Even more important though, he threw out 31% of base stealers, a really strong number for a catcher. Janek should be in Double-A next year which will be a big chance to show off at the higher levels.
2025 Stats: 92 G, .263 BA/.333 OBP/.433 SLG, 21 2B, 2 3B, 12 HR, 46 RBI, 30 SB, 112 wRC+
Also be sure to follow on X, @AstrosFuture, follow me on Instagram, @AstrosFuture and like my Facebook page, facebook.com/AstrosFuture.
