Houston Astros: Top 3 Pitching Prospects 2025

Ryan Forcucci, RHP

The 6-foot-3 right-hander had been enjoying a promising start to his college baseball
season in 2024 when disaster struck—an elbow injury that required Tommy John
surgery abruptly ended his campaign. As a result, he is expected to miss the entire
2025 season. Before the injury sidelined him, there was considerable buzz about his
potential to be selected in the first round of the draft. Instead, he was chosen by the
Houston Astros in the third round.
Forcucci boasts a four-pitch arsenal that includes a lively four-seam fastball, an
effective slider, a curveball, and a changeup. His four-seamer is particularly
impressive, capable of reaching speeds up to 97 mph, and it features lively
movement that results in a high whiff rate. His slider complements the fastball
beautifully, generating plenty of swinging strikes. His curveball and changeup are still
works in progress, needing refinement. With a career walk rate of just 7.6%, Forcucci
showcases above-average control, which is impressive at his young age.
If he returns to full health after his injury, he is projected to be a mid-rotation starter.
His combination of a lively fastball, an above average slider, and sharp command
paints a promising picture for his future in the majors. 

Anderson Brito

In January 2023, the Houston Astros made a savvy move by signing a promising
young talent named Brito out of Venezuela for a modest sum of just $10,000. He
quickly made a name for himself in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League,
where he dominated the competition with an astonishing 0.40 ERA, accumulating an
impressive 40 strikeouts over just 22.1 innings pitched. His remarkable performance
led to a swift promotion to Low-A Fayetteville.
At Fayetteville, Brito continued to shine, demonstrating his pitching prowess with a
solid 2.63 ERA across 27.1 innings, while striking out an impressive 34.2% of the
batters he faced. At only 20 years old, he has already shown significant development
in his game, with his fastball experiencing a notable increase of about 5 mph since
he turned pro. His four-seam fastball is particularly impressive, consistently reaching
the mid-90s and even touching 99 mph at times, showcasing an above-average ride.
His slider is also effective, featuring good horizontal action that generates swings
and misses. Additionally, he throws a changeup that needs some development and
sometimes incorporates a cutter.
Brito’s command can be inconsistent at times. While his strong fastball and
developing secondary pitches suggest he could be suitable for a mid-rotation starting
role, concerns about his command and lack of size might limit him to a late-inning
relief position.

Ryan Forcucci, RHP

The lean righty features a five-pitch repertoire that includes a four-seam fastball,
slider, curveball, a tumbling changeup and cutter. He constantly keeps batters
guessing and off-balance by varying his pitches. His fastball typically sits around 92-
93 mph, while his best pitch is his changeup, which sits in the low 80s and exhibits
good tumble.
Last season, he made 25 starts for Triple-A Sugar Land, recording a respectable
3.83 ERA over 124.2 innings in the notoriously hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.
Blubaugh’s skillful ability to mix five pitches with average command suggests that he
has the potential to develop into a back-end starter. We could see him make his MLB
debut sometime in 2025.