For a long time, the Astros were viewed as one of the premier organizations in baseball when it came to developing pitching. While that reputation has cooled a bit in recent years, the organization has continued to develop arms who are contributing at the big-league level. Now, they may have found another under-the-radar arm in right-hander Ryan Verdugo.
Verdugo was selected by the Astros in the 12th round of the 2024 MLB Draft out of California State University, Bakersfield. His first full season in the organization didn’t go as planned, as injuries limited him to just four appearances in 2025.
In 2026, Verdugo was assigned to Fayetteville, where the right-hander has shown some dominant flashes.
When evaluating young pitchers, I think it’s important to look at the highs, and Verdugo’s highs have been impressive. While there have been some rough outings mixed in, three of his first five appearances of the season were hitless. Over those five outings, he allowed just five hits in 21 innings.
Verdugo’s results were more up and down during the middle months of the season, but the dominant outings were still there. On June 3, he allowed just one hit over 5.1 innings. He also finished the season on a strong note, posting a 1.93 ERA with 33 strikeouts over his final 23.1 innings.
Verdugo works with a fastball that sits 93-95 mph and pairs it with a low-90s cutter, a mid-80s sweeper and a high-70s curveball. His secondary pitches feature excellent spin rates, while the sweeper generates a ton of horizontal movement.
That arsenal has allowed Verdugo to keep hitters off balance and consistently limit hard results. Opposing hitters batted just .203 against him this season, and he finished the year with seven consecutive outings without allowing a home run.
At 6-foot-2, Verdugo has the size and arsenal to continue developing as a starter. There are still areas that need refinement, but the flashes he showed throughout 2026 make him an intriguing arm to follow going forward.
And if the Astros ultimately decide his stuff would play better in shorter stints, Verdugo could also develop into an interesting relief option. Either way, the 12th-round pick has put himself firmly on the radar following a strong finish to the 2026 season.
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