In 2023, the Astros, fresh off a World Series title, brought in a new general manager in Dana Brown. Brown was lauded for his scouting acumen given his background as an amateur scout and his role in helping build a strong organization in Atlanta.
With the 2026 MLB Draft now complete, we have four draft classes to evaluate what Brown and company have been able to do. Let’s take a look at those classes, along with the international signings and trades, and see how the Astros’ farm system compares to where it was when Brown took over in 2023.
Going into the 2023 season, the Astros had a decent farm system with two Top 100 prospects in Hunter Brown and Yainer Diaz, according to Baseball America. Diaz, however, was not included on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 list.
2023
In the first round of the 2023 MLB Draft, the Astros held the 28th pick and selected shortstop Brice Matthews out of Nebraska. Matthews eventually broke into Pipeline’s Top 100 in July 2025, ranking No. 98. Their second-round pick, Alonzo Tredwell, had a breakout 2025 season but has only pitched one in 2026.
The Astros had a few other intriguing picks, including Jake Bloss, who was eventually traded in the deal for Yusei Kikuchi; Chase Jaworsky, who was traded for Jesus Sanchez; and Ethan Pecko, who is now one of the top pitching prospects in the system. Nehomar Ochoa and Anthony Huezo were two later-round fliers who have developed into legitimate prospects.
Also of interest from that draft are right-handers Jackson Nezuh (Triple-A) and James Hicks (Double-A), along with an intriguing C/1B option in Will Bush. While it doesn’t appear the class produced any slam-dunk top prospects, it has already produced two major league players, and I would expect at least another two or three to debut.
At the 2023 trade deadline, Brown traded Drew Gilbert and Ryan Clifford for Justin Verlander and Korey Lee for Kendall Graveman, dealing away some talent from the system in an effort to bolster the major league club.
2024
The 2024 international class was the first that Brown was really a part of. The Astros signed Cesar Hernandez for $1.7 million, but he has struggled, hitting just .242 over three minor league seasons. Luis Rives also received a significant bonus and is currently a 21-year-old in the FCL. There is still time for him to develop, but there hasn’t been much else of note from that class so far.
The 2024 draft was the next step in the process of rebuilding the system. In the first round, No. 28 overall, the Astros selected Walker Janek. He had a solid 2025 season, but 2026 has been a struggle as he’s hitting just .215 in Double-A. The Astros didn’t have a second-round pick due to signing Josh Hader. Their third-round pick, Ryan Forcucci, unfortunately hasn’t been able to stay healthy and has struggled in 2026.
Looking deeper into the draft, there are some good prospects in Cole Hertzler, Caden Powell, Joseph Sullivan and Jason Schiavone. They also found Bryce Mayer in the 16th round, and he is now one of the top pitching prospects in the system. On the undrafted side, they landed Lucas Spence and Jagger Beck. Only one player from that draft class has debuted so far, and it was Spence.
At the 2024 trade deadline, Brown traded Joey Loperfido, Jake Bloss and Will Wagner for Yusei Kikuchi. None were Top 100 prospects at the time, though Bloss was trending in that direction before the trade.
2025
The next big date was the international signing period in January 2025, and so far, it looks like the Astros nailed it. They gave their biggest bonus that year to Kevin Alvarez, who is now a Top 100 prospect and the top prospect in the system. Anthony Millan has also drawn good reviews, while Juan Fraide and Sami Manzueta look like other solid finds from the class.
The 2025 draft was next, and the Astros went with prep talent Xavier Neyens in the first round. He has been as advertised, showing big power along with some swing-and-miss, but he has still developed into a Top 100 prospect in baseball. The Astros didn’t have a second-round pick due to signing Christian Walker, but their third-round pick, Ethan Frey, appears to be a nice selection.
Other picks who have drawn interest from that class include Nick Potter, Gabel Pentecost, Jase Mitchell and Justin Thomas. A few other names are intriguing as well, but it’s still very early in their professional careers.
At the 2025 trade deadline, Brown made a series of smaller moves, trading away a few prospects but nobody who was considered a significant piece of the system.
2026
Next came the 2026 international signing period, where the Astros signed Albert Fermin, who has been great and is on the verge of Top 100 consideration, and Randy Arias, who signed for more than $1 million. It’s way too early to make any definitive judgments on the class, but Fermin already looks like a great pickup.
In Brown’s three-plus years as general manager, no opportunity to improve the farm system was more important than the 2026 draft. The Astros had two first-round picks and two fourth-round picks, giving them an opportunity to inject significant talent into the organization.
They selected Logan Hughes and Jack Radel in the first round, Wes Mendes in the second and then added overslot signings in Keon Johnson and Beau Peterson. Six players from the class have already made Pipeline’s Top 30 Astros prospects list and while debuts have been limited, there is a lot to like with this class.
Where Does the System Stand?
A general manager’s job is never finished, but the Astros have found some nice prospects through both the draft and international market under Brown. They’ve also missed on a few high picks, which is inevitable when evaluating multiple draft classes.
The biggest difference now is the depth of legitimate prospects throughout the organization. Alvarez and Neyens have developed into Top 100 prospects, which is the first time having two top 100 prospects in a long time. Players such as Fermin, Mayer, Pecko, Hertzler, Frey, Schiavone, Huezo and others have given the system more depth behind them. That’s before knowing what the Astros will ultimately get out of a potentially important 2026 draft class.
There have also been prospects traded away during Brown’s tenure, most notably in deals to improve the major league roster, which has worked against some of the progress made through the draft and international market.
Overall, I would say the Astros’ farm system is in a better spot today than it was when Brown took over in 2023. How much better could ultimately hinge on the 2026 draft class. With multiple premium picks and six players already ranked among the organization’s Top 30 prospects, that group has a chance to define Brown’s success in rebuilding the Astros’ farm system.
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