Another busy week down on the farm as the season continues to roll on. Here’s a look at some of the biggest developments across the system with this week’s Pipeline Report.
System Spotlight
Ethan Pecko
Drafted in the sixth round of the 2023 MLB Draft, Pecko quickly emerged as one of the top pitching prospects in the Astros system after dominating during the 2024 season. After an up-and-down 2025 campaign, Pecko entered this season dealing with a minor injury before beginning his year with a few rehab appearances in Fayetteville.
After returning to action, he was assigned to Sugar Land, where his first few outings were a challenge as he worked his way back into a rhythm and struggled to consistently go deep into games. Since then, though, Pecko has completely turned things around. Over his last four outings, Pecko has allowed just two runs across 24 innings while showing the kind of dominance that made him one of the organization’s most exciting pitching prospects. The 23-year-old currently owns a 3.63 ERA in Triple-A, but has posted a remarkable 0.75 ERA in the month of June.
Regarded by many as the top pitching prospect in the Astros system, Pecko is starting to make a strong case for a call-up. If he continues pitching like this, it may only be a matter of time before Houston has to find a spot for him.
Continuing to Impress
Drew Brutcher – OF/1B – Corpus Christi
Brutcher went undrafted in the 2024 draft and was eventually signed by the Astros. He opened the 2025 campaign with Fayetteville and impressed, batting .330 across 54 games to earn a promotion to High-A Asheville. However, the jump in competition proved challenging, as he hit just .185 after the promotion.
The Astros assigned him back to Asheville to begin 2026, and Brutcher has responded well. Over 33 games, he slashed .266 with three home runs, 20 RBIs, and a strong 17-to-24 walk-to-strikeout ratio. He was promoted to Double-A where he has taken off. Through 23 Double-A games, Brutcher is hitting .367 with 8 doubles, 4 home runs, 29 runs batted in and 22 walks to 22 strikeouts.
Under-the-Radar Performer
Alejandro Nunez – INF – Asheville
Nunez was signed by the Astros in 2022 and has steadily worked his way through the organization, continuing to develop at each level. After spending the 2025 season with Asheville, the Astros sent him back to High-A to begin the 2026 season, and he has responded with improvements across the board. After a slower start to the year, Nunez has really started to heat up in June. The 21-year-old has been one of the hottest hitters in the system this month, batting .352 with four doubles, three home runs, 11 RBI and six stolen bases over 19 games.
Nunez has already set a new career high with 10 home runs this season while also showing his versatility defensively. He has seen time at second base, third base, shortstop and left field, giving the Astros another young player capable of contributing in multiple areas. The continued development and offensive improvements have made Nunez an intriguing name to watch as he continues his climb through the Astros system.
One Transaction This Week
Lucas Spence – OF – Sugar Land
Another prospect signed after going undrafted in the 2024 draft, Spence has been one of the biggest risers over the last year. In 2025 he had a breakout season batting .244 with 31 doubles, 10 home runs and 27 stolen bases across three levels. After a slow start to the 2026 season, Spence has had a huge June hitting .358 with 7 doubles, 2 triples, 4 home runs and 21 runs batted in.
This week, the outfielder was promoted to Triple-A and while it’s only been three games, he is off to a nice start hitting .364 with 2 doubles and 3 runs batted in. With the Astros looking for some outfield help, specifically from left-handed hitters, a strong push from Spence here force his way up to Houston.
Promotion Watch
Who Could Be Next?
At this point, the most likely is between Miguel Ullola, who is pitching well in relief, or Ethan Pecko, who has been dominating as evident above. The only problem for these two prospects is Ronel Blanco and Lance McCullers are on rehab assignments which means they will be taking major league roster spots soon.
Quick Hits
- The Woodpeckers (Single-A) continue to lead the Astros system in stolen bases with 196.
- FCL Astros are ridiculous right now at 30-7. The two DSL teams have combined for 24-12.
- Jason Schiavone leads the system in home runs (23) and walks (62) this season.
- Anthony Huezo leads the system in doubles (19) and triples (4) this season.
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