Breaking Down Houston Astros Pitching Prospects as Opening Day Looms

For Houston Astros fans not paying attention to offseason moves or spring training action, some of the names on the Opening Day roster may come as a surprise.

However, for the die-hard baseball fans who have been glued to the Grapefruit League since it started earlier this month, all 26 names will ring a bell.

That includes the addition of Houston's No. 5 starter Hunter Brown, who will begin the season on the Astros 26-man roster due to Lance McCullers Jr.'s elbow setback, along with left-handed reliever Matt Gage and right-hander Seth Martinez possibly joining a stacked bullpen.

Granted, depth in Houston's starting pitching rotation remains a giant question mark -- especially with McCullers' return still undecided and Brown being a rookie on the mound.

Best case scenario: McCullers returns in early April, giving Brown a shot to get at least one start -- and maybe even two -- under his belt.

Brown is the No. 43-ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline, and 2023 will be his first opportunity to prove he belongs as a starter in the Majors.

It may take some growing pains, but Brown fits the mold of a starting pitcher and had a solid outing on Sunday, March 12, throwing three scoreless innings in a win against the Miami Marlins.

Last season in limited action, Brown appeared in seven games for the Astros, garnering a 2-0 record with a 0.89 ERA, a 1.08 WHIP and 22 strikeouts over 20.1 innings pitched.

If he can replicate those numbers in 2023, there should be no reason to worry with Brown slotted in at No. 5 in Houston's starting pitching rotation.

Gage, meanwhile, is also pushing to make the club's Opening Day roster, having shown significant sparks this spring in Florida.

In fact, through four games and five innings pitched in spring training, the lefty has five strikeouts, a 0.80 WHIP and has yet to allow a single run.

Gage did see limited MLB action in 2022, appearing in 11 games with an 0-1 record, a 1.38 ERA, a 0.92 WHIP and 12 strikeouts over 13 innings.

Those numbers alone, plus a solid spring, give every indication that Gage will make the Opening Day roster.

Another player to keep an eye on is Martinez, a 28-year-old right-handed reliever who has been solid out of the bullpen for the Astros.

Martinez will likely be on Houston's 26-man Opening Day roster as well, as the righty has appeared in five games (five innings) this spring with a 0.40 WHIP and four strikeouts while not allowing a run.

In 2022, Martinez appeared in 29 games for the Astros, garnering a 1-1 record with a 2.09 ERA, a 1.03 WHIP and 38 strikeouts over 38.2 innings pitched.

Granted, the names mentioned above are just a few of the players fighting to make Houston's Opening Day roster, but they're names to remember.

If these young pitching prospects can live up to the hype in 2023 -- and if Houston's offense can produce the way it did last season -- the Astros may very well be on their way to back-to-back World Championships.

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