Just like the stock market, prospects’ stock will go up and down throughout the season. Below are a few hitters and pitchers who have seen their stock rise. Here is the Astros Prospect Stock Report 2026: Volume 5.
Previous Stock Reports:
⇑ Stock Up ⇑
Hitter – DJ Newman
Newman was drafted by the Astros in the 15th round of the 2025 draft out of Bowling Green, where he was a two-way player. In his final season, he hit .419 in 25 games while also posting a 3.77 ERA on the mound. The Astros have used Newman exclusively as a position player, and after dealing with an early-season injury, he has been on fire. In 13 games with Asheville, Newman is hitting .457 with five doubles, three home runs, 12 runs batted in and three stolen bases. Overall, the 22-year-old has put together a strong season, hitting .342 with 15 doubles, six home runs, 15 stolen bases and a .987 OPS across 50 games and three levels. His combination of hitting ability, power and speed has made him an intriguing name in the system, and his performance this year could set him up for a breakout season in 2027.
2026 Stats: 50 G, .342 BA/.419 OBP/.568 SLG, 15 2B, 3B, 6 HR, 34 RBI, 15 SB
Hitter – Logan Hughes
Hughes was drafted by the Astros in the first round of the 2026 draft, and while you’re probably thinking it’s too early for him to be on here, I’d argue his stock has already gone up in just a few weeks. Hughes was a standout at Texas Tech and has come into the Astros system and continued to crush the ball. Through his first 12 professional games, the 21-year-old is hitting .360 with seven doubles, a triple, two home runs and 16 runs batted in. He’s also posted strong walk (13.1%) and strikeout (18.0%) rates so far. Hughes has made contact on 84.7% of his swings while posting a swinging-strike rate of just 6.9%. It’s hard to imagine a much better start for a first-round pick. It’s a small sample, but Hughes has already shown that the bat that made him the No. 17 overall pick is translating well to professional baseball.
2026 Stats: 12 G, .360 BA/.475 OBP/.660 SLG, 7 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 16 RBI, 7 SB
Pitcher – Juan Fraide
The Astros signed Fraide out of Mexico in January 2025, and he is already looking like a potential steal. The right-hander opened the season in rookie ball, where he dominated before quickly earning a promotion to Single-A Fayetteville. If anything, he has been even better since making the jump. The 20-year-old has made 12 outings for Fayetteville, posting a 2.65 ERA with 60 strikeouts over 54.1 innings. He has been especially dominant of late, tossing 11.2 scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts over his last two outings. Fraide has flashed a plus fastball that has touched 97 MPH while also showing an intriguing breaking ball. Between his stuff, age and success in full-season ball, Fraide has quickly emerged as one of the more interesting young arms in the Astros system.
2026 Stats: 16 G, 2.79 ERA, 71.0 IP, 51 H, 22 ER, 25 BB, 82 K, 10.4 K/9
Pitcher – Alex Santos II
Santos was drafted by the Astros in the second round of the 2020 draft and has taken a long road through the system, spending multiple seasons in rookie ball before eventually reaching Double-A. Now, in 2026, he is putting together the best season of his professional career. After moving to the bullpen this season, Santos has posted a 3.31 ERA with 83 strikeouts over 54.1 innings. He has been even more dominant over the last two months, posting a 1.17 ERA with 48 strikeouts in 30.1 innings while holding opponents to just a .176 batting average. It’s been a long journey for Santos, but the move to the bullpen appears to have unlocked another level. With his recent dominance, he is now just one step away from potentially earning his first major league call-up.
2026 Stats: 40 G, 3.31 ERA, 54.1 IP, 45 H, 20 ER, 33 BB, 83 K, 13.7 K/9
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