Houston Astros Prospect Nova Off Rehab Assignment, Remains on Injured List

After starting a rehab assignment in July, Freudis Nova hasn't made his way back to the field in two weeks.

Maya Carter/Asheville Citizen Times via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Added to the 40-man roster before the 2021 season, Freudis Nova found trust within the Houston Astros. The high-rated international prospect was protected from the Rule 5 Draft and assigned to High-A Asheville to start the year.

Nova didn't have the season many expected. Over 73 games with the Tourists, the righty slashed .224/.301/.335 with 91 strikeouts to 26 walks. The offense hasn't come around yet for the 22-year-old while his defense is what carried him to a promising scouting report.

But in September of last year, Nova arrived at Minute Maid Park where he underwent surgery for a left-knee ACL tear. The Astros transferred Nova to the 60-day injured list and evidently designated him for assignment in November.

Going unclaimed, he was outrighted to the minor leagues and started his 2022 campaign on the shelf with the Tourists. But at the end of July, Nova received his first assignment of the season—a rehab game in the Florida Complex League.

He homered in his first at-bat while totaling eight trips to the plate across three games. The righty slapped two more hits including a double with a strikeout and a walk to his name.

But Nova's last game came July 29 when he was granted four at-bats as the designated hitter and replaced in the ninth inning. There was no injury delay, and since his third rehab game, Nova's status has been changed back to "injured 60-day."

Minor League Field Coordinator Jason Bell hopes to see Nova back in games soon, but for the time being, the once promising farmhand remains on the shelf without a report on his injury status this year.

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