Red-Hot Astros Pitching Prospect Could Be Next Name To Know

This Houston Astros pitching prospect has begun to turn heads.

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The Houston Astros have not had a well-regarded farm system ever since they began shipping out prospects to keep their championship window open. But that hasn't stopped the team from routinely finding players in their pipeline who have become impact players for them.

Jeremy Pena is the most notable one as of late, with him replacing franchise icon Carlos Correa in 2022 to the tune of an incredible playoff run where he won the ALCS and World Series MVP Awards en route to the Astros winning their second World Series championship.

The pitching staff has seen a lot of success in that regard as well, with Hunter Brown turning into the ace of this rotation, Ronel Blanco coming out of nowhere to be a high-end starter before he got hurt and Cristian Javier becoming a big time pitcher. Throw in the likes of Spencer Arrighetti and J.P. France, and it's clear this organization can identify and develop arms with the best of them.

Alonzo Tredwell Is Name for Astros Fans to Remember

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With that in mind, the bit of information that Sam Dykstra and Joe Trezza of MLB.com put out regarding each Major League Baseball team's "hottest pitching prospects right now" is notable, with Alonzo Tredwell being highlighted for Houston.

"He's thrived since an Aug. 5 promotion to Double-A Corpus Christi, pitching to a 2.81 ERA with 26 strikeouts over his first 16 innings for the Hooks, both in starting and multi-inning relief roles," they wrote. "Tredwell's prime performance came two starts ago, when he racked up a career-high 10 strikeouts across four innings of long relief, without walking a batter."

It will be interesting to see exactly what type of pitcher Tredwell turns into. He doesn't have a high-octane fastball since his heater averages in the low 90 mph range, so a conversion to closer doesn't seem likely.

He still has managed to produce strikeouts even without that type of fastball, though, with more than a K per inning to his name as he utilizes his 6-foot-8 frame to throw off the timing and perception of hitters.

Taken in the second round of the 2023 draft, the right-hander has flashed his high upside this year after putting together a disappointing campaign during his first professional season in 2024. And with a notable start to his tenure at the Double-A level, it seems like he could be the next pitcher who Astros should get familiar with.