Injuries are part of baseball, but it has felt like the Astros’ farm system has been hit especially hard over the last year, particularly when it comes to a few of the organization’s top draft picks. The good news is the Astros got a boost this week, activating three key prospects from the injured list in right-hander Andrew Taylor, catcher Walker Janek and outfielder Ethan Frey.
Taylor has been in the Astros organization longer than anyone else on this list. The right-hander was selected in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft with the compensation pick Houston received after Carlos Correa signed with Minnesota. Taylor showed plenty of promise in his first full professional season, striking out 126 batters over 84 innings while posting a 4.61 ERA. Injuries have unfortunately slowed his development since then, limiting him to just 13.2 innings in 2024 and 58.1 innings in 2025. When he’s been on the mound, though, the results have been encouraging, including a 3.39 ERA at High-A last season.
He opened the 2026 season back in Asheville and looked sharp, striking out nine batters over seven innings across his first two starts before landing on the injured list once again. Taylor was activated this morning and is scheduled to start for Asheville tonight. Despite already spending several years in the system, he’s still only 24 years old and has plenty of time to get his career back on track.
Janek, the Astros’ first-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, put together a strong first full professional season in 2025, hitting .263 with 21 doubles, 12 home runs and 30 stolen bases for Asheville. He opened the 2026 season in Corpus Christi but got off to a slow start, batting .235 over his first 19 games before landing on the injured list. Janek began a rehab assignment in May but appeared to re-aggravate the injury, sending him back to the IL.
The good news is he’s healthy again. Janek was activated yesterday and is back with Corpus Christi. His defense behind the plate remains his biggest strength and is among the best in the system. If the bat continues to develop, he has all the tools to become a valuable major league catcher.
The final prospect activated off the injured list is Ethan Frey, the Astros’ third-round pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. The former LSU standout made an immediate impression after signing, hitting .330 with five doubles, three home runs, 17 RBIs and an impressive 20 walks compared to just 25 strikeouts in Single-A. That strong debut created plenty of expectations heading into 2026.
Frey got off to a slow start in Asheville, hitting .215 in April, but found his rhythm in May, batting .293 with eight doubles, four home runs and 17 RBIs. Unfortunately, just as he was heating up, he suffered a hamstring injury while scoring on a wild pitch on June 3. After a rehab assignment in the Florida Complex League, where he went 8-for-17 over six games, Frey has shown he’s healthy again. He was activated yesterday and is back with Asheville, giving the Tourists one of their top offensive threats for the second half.
Also be sure to follow on X, @AstrosFuture, follow me on Instagram, @AstrosFuture and like my Facebook page, facebook.com.
