Last week, I was able to take in a few games of the Fayetteville Woodpeckers in person. Fayetteville is the Single-A affiliate for the Astros organization and has been since 2019. Here are a few takeaways from my trip.
Nick Potter is Going to be Really Good
That’s not to say he’s not good right now, but the sky is the limit for the right-hander. Drafted in the 5th round of the 2025 draft, Potter was a closer for Wichita state before moving to starter with the Astros. To say he had limited experience is an understatement as he had just 38.1 innings in his three college seasons. Last week, Potter had a great start tossing 5 scoreless innings with 4 strikeouts. He was up to 100 on the stadium gun and set mid to high 90s. He got a strikeout on his curveball, a new pitch for him, and limited the walks to just one. Potter, who stands 6’4″, already has some of the best raw stuff in the system but as he gains more experience starting, he could take off.
Anthony Huezo Oozes Talent
Huezo, an 12th round pick in the 2023 draft, took a couple years for him to break away from rookie ball and after doing so last year, he is showing why the Astros went overslot to secure his talents. This week, the outfielder showed his talent connecting on three home runs (one while I was in attendance). He was aggressive on the bases constantly looking to get an extra bag when he could. He was also super aggressive at the plate, which led to some strikeouts, but also leads to a ton of extra base hits. He’s already started creeping up top 30 lists and at the pace he is on, he could definitely be in the top half of the system before the season ends.
The Woodpeckers are Super Aggressive
This is clearly an organization-wide philosophy, more on that in the coming weeks, but the Woodpeckers showcased that aggressive mindset throughout the games I attended. While stolen bases are one part of that approach, their aggressiveness showed up in other areas as well, including taking extra bases on hits, being willing to tag up on fly balls that may not be automatic decisions, and constantly applying pressure on the opposing defense. That style of play fits this roster well, as the Woodpeckers have a young, athletic team built to take advantage of opportunities and create pressure on the basepaths.
Neyens and Alvarez Approach is Beyond Their Years
The interesting thing about this duo is that top prospects Xavier Neyens and Kevin Alvarez both show advanced offensive approaches, but they do it in completely different ways. Neyens brings a disciplined approach at the plate and is always willing to take a walk. In one game I attended, he came to the plate four times and only took two swings all game. Alvarez, meanwhile, has shown the ability to use the entire field with his approach. Despite being just 18 years old, he isn’t afraid to go the other way and consistently showed the ability to drive the ball to all parts of the field during my time watching him.
The Woodpeckers are a fun team to watch, and hopefully can make a run in the second half of the season.
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