Last weekend, I was able to take in a couple games of the Asheville Tourists in person. Asheville is the High-A affiliate for the Astros organization and has been since 2021. Here are a few takeaways from my trip.
Caden Powell is Underrated
Powell was selected by the Astros in the sixth round of the 2024 draft and signed for an overslot bonus after a dominant JuCo season in which he hit over .500 with 32 home runs. After flashing potential last year, Powell has put together a really nice season for Asheville hitting .301 with 10 home runs and 15 stolen bases over 59 games. Powell was drafted as an infielder and has since transitioned to the outfield, where he made a few really good grabs in center field while I was there. Powell has legit power and produced some really good exit velocities too. He’s also cut down his strikeouts from last year.
Justin Thomas is a Legit Prospect
Drafted in the 11th round out of Arkansas last year, Thomas is putting together one of the best offensive season in the system this season. Through 63 games, the 22-year-old is hitting .283 with a ridiculous .432 OBP. This also includes 16 doubles, 10 home runs and 23 stolen bases. Thomas is a really good athlete and uses that athleticism to his advantage. The only downside this season has been the strikeouts, but like other prospects in the system, he has a very patient approach swinging at just 37% of pitches he sees. Adding a little more aggressive early could cut some strikeouts down, but nonetheless, the outfielder has produced really strong 131 wRC+.
Raimy Rodriguez is Still Intriguing
Rodriguez flew up on people’s radars when he posted a 3.94 ERA in the DSL at just 16 years old. He made his full-season debut in Fayetteville at just 18 years old but has struggled with his command. This season, Rodriguez has experienced similar struggles but the raw stuff is clearly strong. On Sunday, he tossed 2.2 scoreless innings striking out 4 batters and his fastball consistently set 97-98 MPH. His breaking stuff was nasty too when he could locate. He is still just 20 years old and if he can refine his command, he will be an intriguing bullpen arm.
While the two games I saw weren’t great for Asheville, they still had some prospects that really stood out.
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