Former Astros Slugger Believes Franchise Already Has Its Next ‘Verlander’

During a recent podcast, a former Houston Astros World Series star talked about the franchise’s ace-in-waiting.

Mar 28, 2025; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Hunter Brown (58) delivers a pitch during the sixth inning against the New York Mets at Daikin Park. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Houston Astros have an ace in Framber Valdez, but one former star believes the franchise already has its next ace.

During an appearance on the Crush City Podcast hosted by The Athletic’s Chandler Rome, former Houston slugger Josh Reddick talked about Houston’s pitching situation, which he believes is in good shape now and in the future.

He acknowledges that Valdez is the ace now and for however long he wants to stay in Houston. Valdez is a free agent after this season, and he will be one of the most sought-after starting pitchers on the market.

But, if Valdez signs elsewhere, Reddick says the Astros have their next ace, their next “Justin Verlander” in right-hander Hunter Brown. Reddick says Brown has showing that for more nearly a year.

“When you when you go back to last year and you can go — I think it was gosh was it early to mid-May when he came out of the bullpen in Detroit — he has just been a completely different guy since that day,” Reddick said.

That day in Detroit was May 11. Brown pitched five innings of five-hit baseball, giving up one run. He struck out seven and walked none. At the time, he was 0-4. And that appearance did, indeed, represent a renaissance of sorts.

From that point, he went 11-5 with a 2.46 ERA in 142.2 innings pitched. He struck out 150 and walked 42. He finished the season 11-9 with a 3.49 ERA with 179 strikeouts and 60 walks in 170 innings.

“Everybody compared him to JV (Verlander) and he was always going to be the next Justin Verlander and, yes, the potential is there,” Reddick said. “What he’s been doing since then is just unbelievable.”

Brown is just two starts into the season and he is 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA, with 15 strikeouts and three walks in 12 innings.

Reddick believes Brown’s first win of the season was significant. On Thursday against Minnesota, he claimed the victory in a 5-2 Astros win over the Twins. That win came after a three-game losing streak.

Ace aren’t just pitchers who dominate games, Reddick said. They’re pitchers that stop losing streaks.

“He put the brakes on a three-game skid,” Reddick said. “So when we talk about aces and guys that can really help your team, they become stoppers. They stop those losing streaks and they get you back on that wind train.”

Reddick was part of their 2017 World Series team and now lives outside of the Houston area with his family. His career ended in 2021 with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He was a lifetime .262 hitter. In his first season with Houston in 2017 he batted a career-best .314 with 13 home runs and 82 RBI in 134 games.