Back in the 2024 draft, the Astros selected a toolsy infielder in the sixth round and went over slot to secure him. That player was, at the time, shortstop Caden Powell.
Powell initially attended the University of Oklahoma as a freshman, but after playing in just 16 games, he decided to transfer to Seminole State College in Oklahoma. That decision definitely worked out for him. At Seminole State, Powell put together a monster season, batting .502 (yes, you read that right) with 32 home runs and 104 runs batted in over just 55 games. His incredible season earned him the 2024 NJCAA Division I Player of the Year award.
The Astros ended up selecting Powell out of Seminole State, but it wasn’t their first time taking a player from the school. The Astros have spent plenty of time scouting Seminole State, which is in longtime scout Jim Stevenson’s region. Another notable name Astros fans will recognize from Seminole State is Abraham Toro, who the organization selected in the 2016 draft.
Powell started the 2025 season with Fayetteville and was still one of the younger players at the level after being drafted out of junior college. He got off to a nice start, hitting .270 with seven home runs over his first 38 games before missing time with a broken hamate bone. He returned to Fayetteville in late July and had some ups and downs down the stretch, ultimately finishing the season with a .737 OPS over 83 games while playing primarily shortstop.
Hamate injuries are known for sapping a hitter’s power after returning, making Powell’s performance in 2026 even more encouraging. The 22-year-old opened the season with Asheville and struggled in April, hitting just .237 without a home run.
From there, things took off.
Powell hit .379 with four home runs over 19 games in May and followed that up with another strong month in June, batting .299 with six home runs. He continued to produce throughout the summer and finished the season hitting .279 with 18 home runs and 30 stolen bases over 106 games for Asheville.
POW POW POWell!!💥
Another Tourists home run—and another donation from Enbridge Gas for home safety pic.twitter.com/kHe8PV1pWO
— Asheville Tourists (@GoTourists) August 2, 2026
Take away that rough April, and Powell hit .291 with 18 home runs and an .890 OPS over his final 86 games. That’s good for a 117 wRC+ with a strong 13.0 BB%. That’s really impressive production for a player who spent the entire season at just 22 years old.
Another notable development in 2026 was Powell’s transition to the outfield. He played primarily in the infield during college and his first professional season, but given his size and athleticism, a move to the outfield made sense.
The transition is still a work in progress, but Powell showed plenty of encouraging signs. He committed just four errors while picking up eight outfield assists and also made several highlight-reel plays in center field.
Between the power, speed and athleticism, Powell put together a breakout 2026 season. He will need to improve his contact rates moving forward, but the raw talent and tools are clearly there. After showing flashes of his potential in 2025, Powell took a major step forward this year and established himself as one of the more intriguing position players in the Astros system.
Also be sure to follow on X, @AstrosFuture, follow me on Instagram, @AstrosFuture and like my Facebook page, facebook.com/AstrosFuture.
