A new thing I’ll be doing here is highlighting the Astros’ top prospect at each level every month, giving fans a clearer idea of who to watch. The monthly format also accounts for promotions as the season progresses. Below you will find the list for August. I will be using some of my new list, which will go live in about a week.
Sugar Land (Triple-A)
1. Bryce Mayer, RHP – Mayer was selected by the Astros in the 16th round of the 2024 draft and has quickly emerged as one of the biggest steals of the class. He began the season in Fayetteville, striking out 30 batters over 17.1 innings, which earned him a promotion to High-A. In Asheville, the right-hander continued to impress, posting a 2.85 ERA with 45 strikeouts across 41 innings. He was later bumped up to Double-A, where he’s held his own striking out 37 over in 29 innings. Mayer has been really good in Double-A this year posting a 2.61 ERA with 100 K in 69.0 innings. He just got promoted to Triple-A. Read more here.
2. Ethan Pecko, RHP – Pecko was selected by the Astros in the sixth round of the 2023 draft. Despite logging just 59.2 innings in college, the organization saw potential and so far, they’ve been proven right. Pecko had a breakout 2024 season where he posted a 3.47 ERA across three levels. In 2026, Pecko got off to a slow start due to injury Pecko was named the PCL pitcher of month for June after posting a 2.48 ERA over 29 innings. Read more on Pecko here.
3. Jackson Nezuh, RHP – Nezuh, the Astros’ 14th-round pick in 2023 out of Louisiana-Lafayette, is shaping up to be a draft-day steal. He began his first full pro season in Single-A, where he struck out 105 batters over 81.2 innings. After earning a promotion to High-A, he was even more impressive, posting a 2.79 ERA with 46 strikeouts in 38.2 innings, bringing his season total to 151 strikeouts across 120.1 innings. This year in Double-A Nezuh had a 3.97 ERA before a promotion to Triple-A, where he’s struck out 19 over 14.2 innings. Read more on him here.
4. Pascanel Ferreras, INF – Ferreras was the last pick of the 2023 draft and has already defied the odds making it up to Double-A in 2025. He played the full season in Corpus Christi and led the team in hits and doubles. In 113 games, Ferreras hit .242 with 23 doubles, 3 triples and 7 home runs. Ferreras started back in Double-A hitting .263 before earning a promotion to Triple-A. Ferreras has been great in Triple-A hitting .331 over 38 games in Sugar Land. While he doesn’t have a standout tool, Ferreras does a lot of things well and plays all over the infield.
5. Brandon McPherson, RHP – The Astros signed McPherson in June 2025 after he spent some time in independent baseball. McPherson features a high 90s fastball that touches 100 mph. He posted a 5.11 ERA with 30 strikeouts over 24.2 innings earning him a promotion to Triple-A where he has a 6.21 ERA with 39 strikeouts in 37.2 innings. The numbers haven’t been great, but the stuff from McPherson is legit.
Corpus Christi (Double-A)
1. Jason Schiavone, C – The Astros selected Schiavone in the 11th round of the 2024 draft. After a down year in Fayetteville, he has been on an absolute tear this season batting .277 with a minor league leading 18 home runs. He also earned a promotion to Double-A to start the season and homered in his first game. Schiavone is an intersting hitter as he provides elite power, good plate discipline, but also some swing and miss. Schiavone has been great overall this year connecting on 23 home runs and posting a .973 OPS.
2. Walker Janek, C – Janek was seen as the best defensive catcher in the 2024 draft, showing up a plus arm and a quick release. His raw power has improved and he has chance to be a gold glove type at catcher while hitting for average and power. In 2025 the he hit .263 with 21 doubles, 2 triples and 12 home runs over 92 games for High-A Asheville. He also added a surprising 30 stolen bases. Even more important though, he threw out 31% of base stealers, a really strong number for a catcher. He got off to a slow start this season but has turned it on recently and is hitting .267 overall.
3. Cole Hertzler, RHP – Hertzler was drafted by the Astros in the 5th round of the 2024 MLB Draft out of Liberty University. Hertzler has pitched limited innings due to injury but has dominated hitters in Single-A with a four pitch mix. In 21 professional innings, he has a 1.29 ERA with 28 strikeouts. After some healthy issues, Hertzler is back now and was dominant in High-A posting a 2.72 ERA with 64 strikeouts over 43.0 innings. He was promoted to Double-A where he’s been really good too posting a 2.88 ERA over 25.0 innings.
4. Will Bush, C/1B – Bush took an interesting route to professional ball, spending one year at Tyler Junior College before being selected by the Astros in the 16th round of the 2023 draft. The left-handed hitting Bush has some above average raw power and solid plate discipline. He has split time between catcher and first base, and may end up at first base long term. He had a nice 2025 season posting a .777 OPS. Bush got off to a great start this year and after an IL stint, he has really heated up recently posting a .805 OPS in Double-A.
5. Joseph Sullivan, OF – Sullivan was the Astros 7th round pick in 2024 after a solid college career at South Alabama. The outfielder was a mid round selection but came with a ton of upside. He has a great makeup and has an edge to him in the weight room and on the field. He had a big 2025 season connecting on 17 home runs and stealing 42 bases. 2026 has been a struggled for him as he has just 11 home runs but the upside is still there.
Asheville (High-A)
1. Xavier Neyens, INF – Neyens was selected by the Astros in the first round of the 2025 MLB Draft and signed for $4.12 million, the organization’s largest bonus since Alex Bregman received $5.9 million in 2015. While he has a strong arm suited for a corner infield or outfield spot, it’s his powerful bat and advanced hitting ability that made him a top pick. Neyens has ridiculous power and an extremely patient approach at the plate. He’s been really good this season posting a .905 OPS with 16 home runs and 94 walks in 81 games this season. Read more here.
2. Ethan Frey, OF – Frey was selected by the Astros in the third round of the 2025 MLB Draft, with the team going over slot to secure his signing. Standing 6’6″, Frey combines impressive size with surprising athleticism and speed. He offers above-average power and has the tools to play center field, though he could eventually settle into a corner outfield role or first base as some scouts project him there. After a slow start this year, Frey hit .293 in May but missed most of June with an injury. He’s back now and swinging it well.
3. Anthony Huezo, OF – Huezo, the Astros’ 12th-round pick in 2023, spent a couple of seasons in rookie ball before finally earning an assignment to full-season baseball. The 20-year-old played most of the season in the FCL showing some huge growth and while he hit .231 he had a team leading .856 OPS with 6 home runs and 12 stolen bases. Huezo posted an impressive 107 MPH 90th percentile exit velocity and a 27% barrel rate. Huezo’s in zone contact rate was high at 86%. Huezo has been electric at the plate with 23 doubles, 4 triples, 17 home runs and 34 stolen bases.
4. Caden Powell, OF – Powell was selected by the Astros in the 6th round of the 2024 draft and signed overslot for $422,500. He started his college career at Oklahoma but transferred to Seminole State College where he was named the D-1 junior college player of the year after hitting .502 with 32 HR, 104 RBI and a slugging percentage over 1.000. Powell started of the year great in Single-A posting an OPS over .800 while showing off power and speed. He also missed time with a broken hamate bone, an injury that often takes hitters a while to fully regain their power from. Powell has been really good hitting .291 with 12 home runs, 27 stolen bases this season.
5. Nick Potter, RHP – Potter was drafted by the Astros in the 5th round of the 2025 draft after two years at JuCo and one year at Wichita State. Despite being a reliever in college, the Astros have converted him to a starter. The right-hander has a big time fastball that sits 95-96 MPH and can touch 100. He also has a solid curve but the hurdle coming into pro ball was command. He’s looking like a steal right now as he’s posted a 2.11 ERA with 70 strikeouts over 59.2 innings. He was recently promoted to High-A. Read more here.
Fayetteville (Single-A)
1. Kevin Alvarez, OF – The Astros signed Alvarez this past winter for $2 million, one of the highest international bonuses the organization has ever awarded. Alvarez was widely regarded as one of the top pure hitters in the 2025 international signing class. A left-handed bat with an advanced approach, he projects for above-average power and stands out as a well-rounded athlete with a strong arm and solid defensive instincts. Alvarez put together a strong pro debut in the DSL posting a .874 OPS with an impressive 12.0% walk rate and insane 9.9% strikeout rate. This year in Single-A he’s been great hitting .281 with 23 doubles, 9 home runs at just 18 years old.
2. Jagger Beck, RHP – The Astros took a somewhat unconventional route after the 2024 draft, signing right-hander Jagger Beck out of high school as an undrafted player. Beck, listed at 6’6″, has a ton of projection in his frame left and already has stuff that is playing well in full season ball. Beck runs his fastball up to 96 MPH but has been able to keep hitters off balance with a really good curveball. The 19-year-old opened this season with his full-season debut in Fayetteville and has shown plenty of promise early on. Through 13 appearances, Beck owns a 2.74 ERA with 76 strikeouts over 65.2 innings pitched. Read more here.
3. Luis De Leon, C – De Leon was signed by the Astros for just $17,500 but has been a great find by the scouting department. After a solid showing in the DSL, De Leon played stateside this year in the FCL and hit .390 with 8 doubles, 4 home runs, 23 runs batted in and 21 walks to just 16 strikeouts. De Leon has an advanced approach and the ability to make a lot of contact. He has some solid power with potential to add more. Defensively, he has a strong arm and threw out 44% of base stealers in the FCL.
4. Juan Fraide, RHP – Fraide is looking like another under the radar signing that could be a good pitching prospect. Signed in January 2025, Fraide has quickly moved in the system and in the FCL this year he had a 3.24 ERA with 22 K over 16.2 innings. His promotion to Fayetteville has been even better striking out 45 over 39 innings with a 3.00 ERA. He has a fastball that runs up to 96 mph and is just 20-years-old.
5. Juan Sierra, OF – Sierra didn’t come with the typical large bonus that you see international prospects command, signing for just $67,500 in 2023. But he has progressed through the system and made it stateside last year. He has a simple swing that allows him to make contact without having to jeopardize power. Sierra got off to a nice start but an injury caused him to miss some time. He’s back now and has 9 home runs and a .781 OPS in 48 games.
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