Astros Have Way Too Early 2027 AL Rookie of the Year Contender After Strong Debut

There wasn't a lot to be excited about regarding the Astros down the stretch, but one young man made quite the impression in the majors.

Astros general manager Dana Brown (left) talks with manager Joe Espada before the game against the Brewers. Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It was quite a disappointing year for the Houston Astros, as they were mediocre for most of it, and that is exactly how they finished at 81-81. From the outside looking in, it is great that they took back the division, but it was just a battle of the bads in the AL West.

So, it seems more than safe to say that they wasted an MVP-type season from Yordan Alvarez and a rather explosive offense, as five players in the order logged at least 20 home runs. But their inability to win games also masked an incredible stretch for a first-year pitcher.

When the trade deadline came around, everyone thought that the Astros would surely add a pitcher to the roster, especially after dealing away Spencer Arrighetti. But the front office decided to rely on in-house players to step up, which worked in some cases, like Miguel Ullola.

Ullola had never thrown a pitch in the big leagues until June 29, but he didn't stay up in Houston for very long after he was roughed up a bit in his third game. But when he was back with the Astros for the month of September in the thick of a playoff race, he was excellent.

The 24-year-old threw in seven different games, posting a 0.84 ERA as he held opponents to a sub-.100 batting average to complement a 0.66 WHIP. Then, he was entrusted in the postseason, where he allowed one earned run over three innings.

The inexperienced youngster was thrown into the belly of the beast and thrived under the pressure, so it is definitely getting ahead of oneself to say that he could throw his name in the hat for AL Rookie of the Year in 2027, but with how he threw the baseball with the pressure on, it is hard not to get excited.

Ullola’s Journey to the Majors

Astros pitcher Miguel Ullola (66) reacts after an out against the White Sox during the wild card round. Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It was not a short path to the Astros roster by any means, as he had been pitching in the minor leagues since 2021, so after five years of development, he finally got his chance, and even more surprisingly, two years in Triple-A.

Usually, when a player makes it to the highest level of the minors and has success, their debut comes much sooner than Ullola's, especially after he posted a 3.88 ERA in 2025 while holding hitters to a .192 average.

There is a chance that his debut came later than he wanted, but he definitely took full advantage of the opportunity once he got it, and one thing is for certain: he is not going anywhere.