As the 2026 season approaches, a handful of Astros prospects find themselves at a crossroads. Every year, the teams makes a decision. on the 40-man roster regarding Rule 5 eligible players. The below players are all Rule 5 eligible at the end of 2026. A strong year wouldn’t just improve their stat lines, it could reshape how they fit into the organization’s long-term picture.
*Just a note: this list isn’t all-encompassing. There are additional prospects eligible for the Rule 5 Draft, but these are three I wanted to highlight.
Will Bush
Bush took an interesting route to professional ball, spending one year at Tyler Junior College before being selected by the Astros in the 16th round of the 2023 draft. The left-handed hitting Bush has above average raw power and good plate discipline, evident by his 14.6% walk rate in 2025. For a big hitter with power, he also has kept his swinging strike pretty low at 10.5% in 2025, and it was even lower in Double-A at 9.7%. His contact rate as up too. He has split time between catcher and first base, and may end up at first base long term but has solid receiving skills behind the plater. The 21-year-old had a breakout 2025 season posting a 121 wRC+ with 15 home runs over 97 games between High-A and Double-A. With a big year, he could force the Astros to make a decision on his 40-man roster status.
Jackson Nezuh
The Astros pitching lab is at it again with Nezuh, who the Astros selected in the 14th-round for the 2023 Draft out of Louisiana-Lafayette. He began his first full pro season in Single-A, where he struck out 105 batters over 81.2 innings. After earning a promotion to High-A, he was even more impressive, posting a 2.79 ERA with 46 strikeouts in 38.2 innings, bringing his season total to 151 strikeouts across 120.1 innings. Nezuh features a low-to-mid 90s fastball and complements it with a standout split-change, along with a slider and a sweeper that have fueled his high strikeout rates. In 2025 he had some struggles with injuries but finished the season strong posting a 2.00 ERA over his final 27 innings. Nezuh has the stuff to get to the big leagues and a strong 2026 could put him in position to earn a call-up.
Alonzo Tredwell
Tredwell is an imposing presence on the mound, measuring 6’8″ and 230 pounds. A second-round pick in 2023, he had a strong college career at UCLA, finishing with a 2.83 ERA and 113 strikeouts over 92.1 innings. The right-hander features a mid-90s fastball that can touch 96 mph, complemented by a sharp slider as his primary secondary pitch. His fastball plays especially well up in the zone, generating plenty of whiffs due to its carry. Tredwell had a breakout season in 2025. The right-hander pitched across three different levels and posted a 3.69 ERA with 122 strikeouts over 100 innings. This included a dominant 40 strikeouts over 22.2 innings in Double-A to end the season. After a dominant 2025 season, Tredwell will need to replicate this to find himself on the 40-man roster in December.
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