Houston Astros 2023 MLB Draft Report Card College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects

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Best Pure Hitter: Shortstop Brice Matthews (1) has extremely quick hands in the batter’s box and can impact the baseball in all areas of the strike zone, though he showed a bit of swing and miss in his pro debut. He is a solid hitter-average hitter who makes strong swing decisions.

Best Power Hitter: Outfielder Cam Fisher (4) was one of three DI players to hit at least 30 home runs during the spring. He has above-average bat speed and bigtime exit velocities when he makes contact, and in his pro debut he had a 107.5 mph 90th-percentile exit velocity.

Fastest Runner: Shortstop Jeron Williams (9) is a double-plus runner with top-of-the-lineup tools and led Division I with 49 stolen bases this spring. He went 9-for-9 in stolen-base attempts in his 20-game pro debut. 

Best Defensive Player: The Astros drafted Chase Jaworsky (5) as a shortstop and played him at both middle infield positions in a nine-game pro debut in rookie ball. He’s an impressive athlete with plus speed that should serve him well in some up-the-middle defensive position, whether that’s on the dirt or in center field.

Best Fastball: Righthander Jake Bloss (3) has a fastball that sits in the low 90s and has been up to 96-97 mph. He touched 96 in a strong pro debut and has above-average carry on the pitch, as well as a flat vertical approach angle that helps it play up. He generated a strong 35% miss rate with the pitch in his pro debut.

Best Secondary Pitch: Righthander Ethan Pecko (6) has a high-spin slider that is in the 2,600-2,700 rpm range and generated a 45% miss rate this spring with Towson. It’s a tough breaking ball to barrel with occasional hard two-plane biting action.

Best Pro Debut: Fisher (4) had solid performances to go with his loud exit velocities. He slashed .266/.387/.487 with five home runs, two triples and six doubles in 32 games—31 of which came with Low-A Fayetteville.

Best Athlete: Both Jaworsky (5) and Matthews (1) are impressive athletes, with Matthews having solid-average or above-average tools across the board and defensive versatility like Jaworsky.

Most Intriguing Background: The Astros drafted Nehomar Ochoa (11) as an outfielder and he only hit in his pro debut, but on top of his impressive physicality and raw power, he has a big arm on the mound and has been into the mid 90s with his fastball, though he’s raw on both sides and will need time to add feel to his game.

Closest To The Majors: If righthander Alonzo Tredwell (2) stays healthy, he could be a fast mover. He has the sort of deep pitch mix and plus control that should allow him to find success in a variety of pitching roles, if necessary, and the extension that comes from his 6-foot-8 frame allows many of his pitches to play up.

Best Day Three Pick (Or NDFA): Outfielder Anthony Huezo (12) was the team’s big money signing on day three. He is a lean and projectable outfielder with speed, arm strength and solid defensive ability.

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