MLB Writer Nails Astros Top Homegrown Player Entering 2026 Season

This was a no-brainer.

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One of the more fascinating offseason topics this winter has been surrounding the Houston Astros' starting rotation going into 2026. Framber Valdez is likely heading somewhere else and ending his time with the Astros. When that does happen, then all eyes will turn to what Houston's starting staff will look like.

Whatever it looks like, there is one certainty, and that is Hunter Brown being at the top of it. What it looks like after that remains to be seen in spring training and how things fall into place for manager Joe Espada. The Astros did make a rather big free agent splash when they signed Japanese ace pitcher Tatsuya Imai to a three-year deal. That's a good start.

As far as Hunter Brown goes, general manager Dana Brown has made it clear that building the rotation around Hunter Brown is what he is going to do, and who can blame him? Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report listed each MLB team's top homegrown player entering 2026, and it is not surprising that his choice for Houston is.

Hunter Brown Listed as Astros Top Homegrown Player Entering 2026

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Reuter tabbed Hunter Brown as the Astros' top homegrown player entering the 2026 campaign. The right-hander is coming off a career year in 2025, and one that many see as what was a breakout season.

"Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa are franchise legends, while Jeremy Peña is coming off a 5-WAR season, but Brown has firmly established himself as one of baseball's top-tier starting pitchers. The 27-year-old posted a 2.43 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 206 strikeouts in 185.1 innings to finish third in 2025 AL Cy Young voting, and there is nothing in his underlying metrics to suggest it won't be more of the same in 2026,'' wrote Reuter.

Houston was in prime position to make the playoffs in 2025, but collapsed in September and was passed by the Seattle Mariners in the American League West. They also faded out of the Wild Card race behind the Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers. It left a sour taste in their mouth going into the offseason and looking ahead to 2026.

Yes, losing Valdez will be a big loss, and Imai is a big pickup, but a bit of an unknown. Hunter Brown returning to his form in was last season would go a long way in the Astros bouncing back in 2026 and getting back to the postseason. There is a reason why Dana Brown is building around the organization's fifth-round pick in the 2019 MLB Draft.

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