From Sugar Land to Houston: Astros Pitchers to Watch at Every Level

The Houston Astros entered the 2026 season with a pitching staff that looked, on paper, like a strength in every way. Reality hit and so did injuries and what once looked like a strength turned into something else entirely.

Start with the givens. Ronel Blanco, Hayden Wesneski and Brandon Walter entered the season on the 60-day injured list, never to throw a single regular-season pitch. All three had Tommy John surgery and are still in recovery.

Lance McCullers Jr lasted in regular season until May 16 ,when right shoulder inflammation stopped him in his tracks. He has just started throwing again but no timetable has been announced for his return.

Hunter Brown and Cristian Javier both suffered Grade 2 shoulder strains and have been out.

Duct tape fixes everything, right? Well, it feels like that is what is holding this rotation together at this point. Maybe there’s been a prayer helping, too?

The times are changing, though. The calendar turned to June, and some optimistic news has finally come out for the Astros.

Brown is expected to be back for the June 15-17 series against the Detroit Tigers. This comes on the heels of him having an impressive rehab start where he threw a 98.6 mph fastball in Triple-A.

Javier’s timeline says he could be back late June (which is approaching fast).

If Brown returns looking anywhere like his pre-injury self, the second half of Houston’s season could look dramatically different.

In the meantime, the team has found a hidden gem, and the pipeline has more options coming. Here is a look at a pitcher at every level of the Astros system.

MLB: Spencer Arrighetti

Sometimes bad news and injuries turn into silver linings and that is exactly what Spencer Arrighetti has done for this team. The 26-year-old right-hander has been one of the best starters in the American League.

He holds a 7-1 record with a 2.21 ERA across his 10 starts and 57 innings. After having a very inconsistent 2024 campaign, Arrighetti has now found his groove. He has a 1.193 WHIP and a 191 ERA+, which is nearly twice the league average. This is a guy holding opponents to just a .183 batting average.

When Brown and Javier return, Houston will suddenly have a legitimate rotation again - and one with some options. Until that time happens, Arrighetti has carried a lot of weight on his shoulders and he hasn’t weakened a bit.

Triple-A Sugar Land: Miguel Ullola

Ullola is a fascinating arm in the Sugar Land rotation; although at times he also brings frustration with him. In his 2025 year, he went 7-6 with a 3.88 ERA in 28 starts. He also gathered 131 strikeouts in his 113.2 innings.

The problem? Walks. He issued 78 free passes last season and its not getting better in 2026. In his 41.1 innings so far this year he has given away 33 walks.

After four years in the minors, he has proven he has the ability to miss bats; what he needs is more strikeouts.

Double-A Corpus Christi: Bryce Mayer and James Hicks

Ok, I couldn’t decide here so you get two options. There are two arms here who tell very different stories.

Bryce Mayer is putting up incredible strikeout numbers. He has 53 in just 33.2 innings for the 2026 year. He has a 14.2 K/9 rate that ranks among the best in the Southern League. He has a respectable 4.28 ERA, but his walk rate needs some work.

James Hicks is making a little bit of a quieter case. He is now 25 and has a 2026 record of 3-4 with a 4.83 ERA in 10 starts. What matters more with Hicks is his raw numbers. He ERA dropped from 5.59 in 2025 and his WHIP fell from 1.521 to 1.351.

Hicks is not a high-ceiling arn but he is a strike thrower. For this organization, that has value.

A-Ball Fayetteville: Ryan Forcucci

Of course, Forcucci is the farthest out of all the prospects here. He had a 3.67 ERA and 159 strikeouts over the course of his time with UC San Diego. His minor league career - well, it doesn’t look that good.

Focucci is holding an 11.17 ERA in six starts. He has produced 19 walks in just 9.2 innings. While these numbers look rather bad, he is just at Single-A and has a lot of development left to do. His college record suggests the ability is there.

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