2026 Astros Top 20 Fantasy Baseball Prospect Rankings

The Astros have consistently produced useful Major League players, with the best results coming on the mound. Do they have more help coming on the offensive front? In this article, we’ll profile the top 20 fantasy baseball prospects of the Houston Astros.

About our rankings

These prospect rankings are strictly fantasy-focused. While they are performance-informed, our rankings also lean heavily on upside. A high-OBP slugger with game power and pedigree is going to rank higher than a speedy slap hitter with limited fantasy impact, even if the latter is closer to the majors. Likewise, you can usually grab a league-average pitcher from the waiver wire. Our rankings will value the pitchers with the upside to be No. 1 and 2 starters much more highly than command pitchers who look to be roster filler.

More great Fantasy Baseball Analysis: Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire | Weekly SP Rankings | Pitching Streamers | Two-Start Pitchers | Lineup Analysis | MLB Injury Report | Rookie Report | Advanced Stats | Under the Radar | Overvalued & Undervalued | Bullpen Report

Top 20 Fantasy Baseball Prospects of the Athletics

These Top 20 Houston Astros Fantasy Baseball Prospect Rankings are largely based on our Top 500 Dynasty Rankings along with our Top 600 Fantasy Baseball Prospects, with a little tweaking done to accommodate recent news. Updates for both of those lists are also in the works and will be coming in short order.

Houston Astros Prospect Breakdown

Kevin Alvarez (OF) – MLB ETA: 2026

Age: 19  |  Current Level: AA  |  Bats: S  | Throws: R

— Single-A Fayetteville: The consensus #1 prospect in the system and the centerpiece of the 2025 international class. A Cuban-born outfielder who signed for $2 million, Alvarez has drawn comparisons to Kyle Tucker for his smooth left-handed stroke with natural loft. He hit .301/.419/.455 in the DSL with an elite 12% walk rate and just a 9.9% strikeout rate, showing the kind of swing decisions that are rare for a teenager. Now in Single-A, he’s already shown flashes — he delivered a four-hit, two-steal performance for Fayetteville in April and combined with Xavier Neyens for three homers in a single game in May. Long-term profile is a bat-first corner outfielder with potential plus hit and power tools. High ceiling, long runway.

Joseph Sullivan (OF) – MLB ETA: 2027

Age: 23 | Current Level: AA | Bats: L | Throws: L

— Double-A Corpus Christi: A 7th-round pick in 2024, Sullivan reached Double-A last season, swiped 42 bases, and hit .296 in the Arizona Fall League. Through May, he led Double-A Corpus Christi with 10 home runs on the season and has added steals, showing a real power-speed combo. The kryptonite remains chase and whiff — 33 strikeouts in 92 at-bats with only four walks in May is unsustainable. The tools are loud, but the plate discipline will determine his ceiling. Best case is a 20/30 guy; worst case is a strikeout rate that makes it unplayable.

Xavier Neyens (SS) – MLB ETA: 2028

Age: 19 | Current Level: A | Bats: L | Throws: R

— Single-A Fayetteville: The 21st overall pick in the 2025 draft, a 6’4″ left-handed hitter with 70-grade raw power potential. He posted an .805 OPS in May at Fayetteville with a nearly even K:BB ratio (29 Ks, 21 walks), though the patient approach may not be fully sustainable at upper levels given his 31.1% swing rate on the season. Three home runs in May with five errors in 105 innings at short is confirming what scouts projected — he’s likely a third baseman or corner infielder long-term. The pop is the dream here. If it plays at the big league level, he’s a middle-of-the-order bat regardless of where he lands defensively.

Zach Cole (OF) – MLB ETA: 2026

Age: 25 | Current Level: MLB | Bats: L | Throws: R

—MLB/Triple-A Sugar Land: Made his MLB debut in September 2025, hitting .255/.327/.553 with four homers in 15 games, and became just the fifth player in franchise history to homer in his first big league at-bat. He started 2026 back at Triple-A Sugar Land but made his season debut for Houston on May 4, hitting a home run off Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The raw tools — speed, power, arm — are legitimate. The ongoing concern is a strikeout rate that has consistently been north of 36%, which has followed him through the system. A 20/20 ceiling with a real swing-and-miss risk.

Ethan Frey (OF) – MLB ETA: 2027

Age: 22 | Current Level: A+ | Bats: R | Throws: R

— High-A Asheville: A 3rd-round pick out of LSU in 2025, Frey is a 6’6″ right-handed masher who hit .331/.420/.641 in his draft year with two national championship teams, posting 90th-percentile exit velo above 108 mph. After a slow start to 2026, he broke through in May with an .872 OPS, four homers, eight doubles, 17 RBIs, and six steals at High-A — though he punched out 38 times while walking 14. The power is real and the discipline is better than expected for his age, but the swing-and-miss will be tested as he moves up. Defensive questions persist — there’s pressure on his hit/power combination because the defensive profile is uncertain, with some scouts projecting a corner outfield or even first base future.

Miguel Ullola (RHP) – MLB ETA: 2026

Age: 23 | Current Level: AAA | Bats: R | Throws: R

— Triple-A Sugar Land: Spent all of 2025 at Triple-A Sugar Land, starting 23 of 28 appearances with a 3.88 ERA and 10.4 K/9. The fastball grades out as the best in the system. May was rough, though — an 8.16 ERA with six homers in 14.1 innings, driven by a 49% flyball rate and continued command issues (43.7% zone rate on the season). He had 16 strikeouts to 12 walks in May alone. His top international arm signed for just $75,000 out of the Dominican Republic, making him one of the best value finds in the system. The closer projection on one MLB depth chart reflects what many scouts think — the command issues may push him to relief even though he has the stuff to start.

Alimber Santa (RHP) – MLB ETA: 2026

Age: 22 | Current Level: AAA | Throws: R

— Triple-A Sugar Land: A reliever profile through and through, with a heater that sits mid-90s and can touch 100. A sinker and sweeper give him three legitimate offerings. He was dominant in Double-A in 2025 with a 1.26 ERA, 63 Ks, and 23 walks in 57 innings, then ran into trouble at Triple-A with a 6.92 ERA and command issues in 13 frames. He sat 96-97 in spring training and has been on a shortlist of arms the Astros could call on. If the Triple-A command comes around, he’s a legitimate 2026/2027 bullpen option.

Bryce Mayer (RHP) – MLB ETA: 2027

Age: 24 | Current Level: AA | Throws: R

— Double-A Corpus Christi: The University of Missouri product climbed three levels in 2025 (A/A+/AA) and was named the Astros’ minor league pitcher of the year. He carries a 3.41 ERA with 46 strikeouts over 29 innings in Double-A in 2026 and is being watched as a potential Triple-A promotion candidate soon. The ceiling is probably a low-upside starter, but his current arsenal could work in Houston with a couple of tweaks. A 16th-round pick who has outperformed his draft slot significantly.

Ethan Pecko (RHP) – MLB ETA: 2026

Age: 23 | Current Level: IL | Throws: R

— Injured (thoracic outlet syndrome): After forearm discomfort delayed his 2025 Double-A debut until June, Pecko finished strong — striking out 30 against just three walks over 21 innings in his final four Triple-A starts. He entered 2026 as a legitimate candidate to crack the big league rotation, but started the year on the injured list with thoracic outlet syndrome, which is a serious and often lengthy issue. His drop-and-drive delivery creates a flat angle that makes his low-to-mid-90s fastball play like a plus weapon, with the pitch flirting with 30% miss rates. Back-end starter upside if healthy.

Walker Janek (C) – MLB ETA: 2027

Age: 23 | Current Level: AA | Bats: R | Throws: R

— Rehab (Low-A Fayetteville): Houston’s first-round pick in 2024, widely considered the best defensive catcher in that draft class with a plus arm and quick release. He hit .263 with 21 doubles and 12 homers in 92 High-A games in 2025, adding a surprising 30 stolen bases and throwing out 31% of base stealers. He got injured on May 3 with Double-A Corpus Christi and is currently on a rehab assignment at Low-A Fayetteville. Scouts reportedly believe he’s already good enough to start defensively at the MLB level right now. The injury is the primary concern at the moment.

Ryan Forcucci (RHP) – MLB ETA: 2027

Age: 23 | Current Level: DEV | Throws: R

— Development List: One of the higher-ceiling arms in the system with the best fastball grade among 2025 draft picks. Through early May, Forcucci had walked 19 hitters in just 9.2 innings with an 11.17 ERA and was transferred to the development list on May 20. He had also begun the year on the injured list with a lower back issue before getting on the mound. The stuff was tantalizing pre-pro, but command has been nowhere near the zone so far. A clear development case — the raw arm is worth monitoring.

Albert Fermín (SS) – MLB ETA: 2029

Age: 17 | Current Level: DSL | Bats: S | Throws: R

— DSL / Extended Spring Training: A physical switch-hitter who signed for $2.1 million, Fermín has a puncher’s chance to stick at shortstop but is more likely to slide to third base as he fills out physically. There’s comfort and ease to his game but no big athleticism explosion. He’s the Astros’ top international signing from the 2026 class and began 2026 in extended spring training in the Dominican Republic. Pure projection play — won’t be relevant in dynasty for a few years.

James Hicks (RHP) – MLB ETA: 2027

Age: 24 | Current Level: AA | Throws: R

— Double-A Corpus Christi: Grades out as the best command arm in the system, which is the calling card for a guy who doesn’t have overpowering stuff. Nezuh can be a spot starter; if the command doesn’t come, that note actually applies to both arms at this level. Hicks jumped eight spots on MLB.com’s preseason list to #15, a significant riser heading into 2026. A potential back-end innings-eater type if the command translates.

Jackson Nezuh (RHP) – MLB ETA: 2027

Age: 23 | Current Level: AA | Throws: R

— Double-A Corpus Christi: A 14th-round steal out of Louisiana-Lafayette in 2023. Nezuh features a low-to-mid 90s fastball and complements it with a standout split-change, along with a slider and sweeper that have fueled big strikeout rates. He piled up 151 Ks over 120 innings in his first full season. The changeup is the key — if it’s there, he’s a spot starter. If not, likely a reliever. Graded with the best changeup in the system by MLB.com.

Alonzo Tredwell (RHP) – MLB ETA: 2027

Age: 23 | Current Level: AA |  Throws: R

— Double-A Corpus Christi (was injured shoulder strain to open the season): A 6’7″ righty who battled injuries in 2024 and then tossed 100 innings across three levels in 2025, getting progressively better. His fastball has played up, and his curveball generates tons of vertical break from that tall frame. Command concerns exist, and there’s no consistent third offering, which puts pressure on both primary pitches. A riser on multiple lists heading into 2026, and someone with a distinct physical profile that scouts haven’t given up on.

Anthony Huezo (OF) – MLB ETA: 2028

Age: 20 | Current Level: A | Bats: L | Throws: R

— Single-A Fayetteville: Huezo has some of the best tools in the system and had a big winter performance. He rose 11 spots on MLB.com’s preseason list, jumping from #30 to #19. A 12th-round pick in 2023 as a 17-year-old high schooler who signed for nearly $400,000 — he’s had swing-and-miss issues on the complex in his first two pro seasons. The tools and projection are there; the track record is still very thin. One to watch in 2026 if the bat starts playing.

Cole Hertzler (RHP) – MLB ETA: 2027

Age: 22 | Current Level: A+ | Bats: ? | Throws: R

— High-A Asheville: A 5th-round pick in 2024 out of Liberty University, Hertzler has been dominant at High-A with a 2.70 ERA and 49 strikeouts over 33.1 innings. His fastball sits low-to-mid 90s, touching 96, and the changeup grades as potentially plus. He’s added a slider and curveball to create a four-pitch mix. He was limited early in his career by injury but has looked like a legitimate breakout candidate for 2026. One scout at Astros Future flagged him as their #1 breakout pick for the year.

Anthony Millan (OF) – MLB ETA: 2030

Age: 17 | Current Level: DSL | Bats: R | Throws: R

DSL / Extended Spring Training: Among the fastest runners in the system with a 60 run grade. Graded with the best outfield defense in the system as well. Currently in extended spring training as an 18-year-old. Extremely raw, but the speed and glove are legitimate — he’ll need to show he can hit as he gets more at-bats stateside. Very long-term play.

Lucas Spence (OF) – MLB ETA: 2027

Age: 23 | Current Level: AA | Bats: L | Throws: L

— Double-A Corpus Christi: Spence is known for a disciplined approach at the plate with strong swing decisions, plus speed that plays on the bases and in center field defensively. He had a strong junior season at Southern Illinois Edwardsville (.385, OPS over 1.000) before going undrafted and signing as a NDFA. He jumped six spots to #12 on MLB.com’s preseason list. A high-floor, lower-ceiling type — a potential major league fourth outfielder if he continues to hit at the upper levels.

Will Bush (C/1B) – MLB ETA: 2027

Age: 22 | Current Level: AA | Bats: L | Throws: R

— Double-A Corpus Christi: A 16th-round pick in 2023 out of Tyler Junior College, Bush is a left-handed power bat who brings above-average raw power and solid plate discipline. In 2025, he posted an .812 OPS with 12 homers at High-A before earning a Double-A promotion, where he added three more homers and 14 walks in 24 games, finishing with a 121 wRC+ — near the top of the Astros system. He’s carried that momentum into 2026 — through mid-April at Double-A, he was slashing .308/.514/.577 with 11 walks against just eight strikeouts.