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
MLB Draft
Last weekend, MLB held the 2026 Draft, and the Astros came away with one of their largest draft classes in years. Houston made 22 selections, its most since the draft was 40 rounds in 2019. The Astros also held two first-round picks for the first time since 2015, using them on outfielder Logan Hughes at No. 17 and right-hander Jack Radel at No. 28. With the extra draft capital, the Astros also took four high school prospects: Keon Johnson, Beau Peterson, Jack Beck and James Tronstein. At this point, it appears they’re in a good position to sign three of the four.
What really stood out, though, was the organization’s draft philosophy. On the offensive side, the Astros clearly prioritized hitters with advanced hit tools and strong bat-to-ball skills, a noticeable shift from recent years. Hughes posted a 12.8% strikeout rate in 2026, Durnin checked in at 19.7%, Piasecki struck out just 6.9% of the time and Nowak an incredible 4.1%. They still took some swings on upside, adding toolsy prep bats like Peterson and Beck later in the draft.
On the pitching side, the focus shifted toward big-bodied starters with extension, quality pitch mixes and the ability to throw strikes. Radel, Eddy, Addari, Carney and Fiene all fit that mold, making for an intriguing group of arms. And don’t overlook left-hander Wes Mendes, who may have had the best changeup in the entire draft class.
Under-the-Radar Performer
Parker Smith – RHP – Asheville
Smith, the Astros’ fourth-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft out of Rice, put together a solid first full season and began climbing prospect rankings. While 2026 has been more of a struggle overall, he’s quietly started to turn things around.
Over his last four starts, Smith has posted a 2.02 ERA across 22.1 innings, showing signs of getting back on track. The season-long numbers still don’t jump off the page, and Asheville is one of the toughest pitching environments in the minors, but his recent stretch could be a sign that he’s ready for the next challenge in Double-A.
One Transaction This Week
Ethan Frey – OF – Asheville
Frey, the Astros’ third-round pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, entered 2026 with high expectations. After a slow start in April, he found his groove in May, hitting .293 with eight doubles, four home runs and 17 RBIs.
Unfortunately, an injury in early June sidelined him for several weeks. After completing a rehab assignment, Frey has now rejoined Asheville and was activated yesterday. He should be back in the Tourists’ lineup tonight, giving the Astros one of their better hitting prospects back for the second half.
Promotion Watch
Who Could Be Next?
A few weeks ago, I had infielder Pascanel Ferreras in this spot, and he still hasn’t cooled off. The versatile infielder continues to tear up Triple-A, hitting .366 with 11 doubles, two home runs and 27 stolen bases through 31 games.
Ferreras has also shown his defensive versatility, logging time at second base, third base and shortstop. It’s been an incredible rise for the 2023 last-round draft pick, who has gone from being the final selection in the draft to looking like a player who has a legitimate chance to reach the major leagues.
Quick Hits
- The Woodpeckers (Single-A) continue to lead the Astros system in stolen bases with 216. More on that here.
- FCL Astros clinched their division with a record of 38-11. The two DSL teams have combined for 35-24.
- Jack Moss leads the system with 15 hits in July. Chase Call has the most home runs with 5.
- Nick Potter has the lowest ERA in the system in the first half at 2.19.
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