The All-Star break is here, the MLB Draft has come and gone, and the second half of the minor league season is about to get underway. With the first half in the books, let’s take a look at four takeaways from the Astros farm system and what we’ve learned over the first few months of the season.
Aggressiveness is becoming the organization’s identity
I wrote about it a few weeks ago, but one of the biggest organizational changes this season has been the Astros’ commitment to playing a more aggressive brand of baseball. Whether it’s stealing bases, turning singles into doubles or taking the extra base whenever possible, the organization has made it a point of emphasis.
“It’s definitely been an emphasis for us,” Astros Director of Player Development Sam Niedorff said. “We started the push in Spring Training and really tried to educate the players on the run value of stealing a base and taking the extra base.”
The results speak for themselves. In 2025, the Astros’ minor league system totaled 1,172 stolen bases across 710 games. This season, through just 455 games, they’ve already swiped 975 bases and are well on pace to surpass last year’s total.
The individual numbers are just as impressive. Last season, the organization had six players steal at least 30 bases. This year, five players have already reached that mark, two more sit at 29 stolen bases, and another five have already eclipsed 20.
Yamal Encarnacion leads the system with 40 stolen bases, followed by Josh Wakefield with 33. Max Holy and Sebastian Mendez are tied with 31. While stolen base totals don’t tell the entire story, they paint a clear picture of the identity the Astros are building throughout the farm system, one built on putting pressure on the defense and creating value with aggressive baserunning.
The 2025 draft class is looking like a big win
The 2025 draft class was Dana Brown and company’s third, and one year later it’s looking like another strong haul for the Astros.
First-round pick Xavier Neyens has been everything the Astros hoped for. The 19-year-old recently earned a promotion to High-A after hitting 14 home runs with a .911 OPS through 68 games, and he’s already climbed into MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 prospects.
Second-round pick Ethan Frey has also shown promise, though he’s missed time with an injury and is expected to return soon. Fifth-rounder Nick Potter has been one of the biggest breakout arms in the system, posting a 2.19 ERA with 55 strikeouts over 49.1 innings while running his fastball up to 98 mph. Gabel Pentecost and Nick Monistere have both dealt with injuries, but each impressed in their limited action.
Further down the class, Kyle Walker and Justin Thomas Jr. have both put together strong seasons at High-A. Walker is hitting .263 with 27 stolen bases, while Thomas owns an .880 OPS with 12 home runs and 24 stolen bases. Josh Wakefield has continued to show off his speed, stealing 33 bases in just 57 games while batting .271. Chase Call hit .244 with 19 doubles and 15 home runs in Asheville before earning a promotion to Double-A.
The Astros also invested in the high school ranks with Jase Mitchell, Elijah Farley and Landon Arroyos, all of whom are getting their first taste of professional baseball in rookie ball. Overall, the class is off to an excellent start and has already produced multiple Top 30 prospects.
A More Patient Approach
Just like the Astros have seen a significant increase in stolen bases, they’ve also seen a noticeable jump in plate discipline throughout the farm system.
At the midway point of the season, seven players have already drawn 50 or more walks, led by Xavier Neyens, who has an incredible 79 walks in just 68 games. The organization also has seven players carrying an on-base percentage above .400.
To put that into perspective, the Astros farm system drew 3,219 walks over 710 games in 2025, averaging 4.53 walks per game. This season, through just 455 games, they’ve already drawn 2,374 walks, an average of 5.21 walks per game. The system-wide on-base percentage has also climbed from .338 in 2025 to .360 this season.
Even more encouraging, the increase in on-base percentage hasn’t come at the expense of production. The farm system has also seen improvements in both batting average and slugging percentage, showing that hitters aren’t just taking more walks, they are producing more complete offensive performances.
Breakout Prospects Emerging
Like every season, the Astros have seen several prospects take significant steps forward. Back in March, I highlighted a handful of potential breakout candidates, and those predictions are looking pretty good through the first half.
Twenty-year-old Anthony Huezo has put together one of the best seasons in the system, leading the organization with 20 doubles and four triples while adding 14 home runs and 30 stolen bases. His performance earned him a promotion to Asheville.
On the mound, Cole Hertzler has been one of the system’s most impressive pitchers, posting a 2.74 ERA with 75 strikeouts over 62.1 innings while allowing just 34 hits between High-A and Double-A. Javier Perez has also turned heads in Fayetteville, recording a 3.17 ERA with a system-leading 89 strikeouts across 76.2 innings.
The list doesn’t stop there.
Catcher Jason Schiavone, the Astros’ 11th-round pick in 2024, got off to a scorching start in Asheville before earning a promotion to Corpus Christi. He leads the organization with 23 home runs and 60 RBIs while posting a .993 OPS over 77 games. Drew Brutcher has also continued his ascent, carrying his success from Asheville to Corpus Christi where he’s hitting .304 with 16 doubles, seven home runs and an .898 OPS.
On the pitching side, 19-year-old Jagger Beck has emerged as another exciting arm, posting a 2.91 ERA with 62 strikeouts over 52.2 innings in Fayetteville. Nick Potter has also established himself as one of the biggest risers in the organization, continuing to strengthen an already impressive group of breakout performers.
The impressive part isn’t that the Astros have produced one or two breakout prospects, it’s that nearly every level has featured multiple players who have significantly raised their stock during the first half.
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