Unknown Astros Catching Prospect Leading Minor Leagues in Power Numbers

The Houston Astros have a lot invested in first-round pick Walker Janek, but this unheralded backstop is off to an insane start.

Houston Astros manager Joe Espada (left) and general manager Dana Brown. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

When it comes to the Houston Astros’ talent pipeline at catcher, the top of the pyramid is 2024 first-round pick Walker Janek.

After a solid first full season as a pro in 2025, he’s struggling at the plate with Double-A Corpus Christi. He’s also missed time due to injury. It’s not time to give up on Janek, but it isn’t a bad idea for the Astros to explore more options.

Right now, Houston’s best hitting catcher in the system is Jason Schiavone, a James Madison product who was taken in the same draft as Janek — but in the 11th round. Since the start of the season, he’s been knocking the cover off the baseball in ways that no other player in the minor leagues is doing right now.

Jason Schiavone’s Red Hot Start

C Jason Schiavone leads @MiLB in HR (17) and OPS (1.259).

In 33 games with @GoTourists, he is slashing .300/.459/.800.

Schiavone's also nabbed 13 would-be base stealers, making throws as hard as 88 MPH to second base🔥 pic.twitter.com/Bk3tztijeP

— Astros Player Development (@AstrosPlayerDev) May 16, 2026

Schiavone is playing for the Astros’ High-A affiliate in Asheville. With the Tourists he’s slashed .300/.459/.800 in 33 games with 17 home runs and 41 RBI. He also has an OPS of 1.259. Both is home run and OPS totals are best in the minor leagues, regardless of affiliate level.

For perspective, he’s hit more home runs than any Astros star at the Major League level. Yordan Alvarez leads the team with 15 home runs. Only one player in the Majors has more home runs than Schiavone — Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, who has 20 home runs. Chicago White Sox rookie Munetaka Murakami has 17.

What’s more impressive is that Schiavone had shown little power at the plate to this point.

Schiavone began his pro career with a handful of games at Class-A Fayetteville, where he slashed just .156/.280/.297 with two home runs and seven RBI. He followed that in 2025 with 78 combined games at Fayetteville and Asheville, where he slashed .180/.390/.324 with six home runs and 29 RBI.

He is not a Top 30 prospect in the organization but that could change if he continues to this this way. Janek and Jase Mitchell, who is in rookie ball, are the only Top 30 catching prospects in the organization.

Schiavone is emerging as a breakout candidate in the system this season. Whether he gets to Corpus Christi this season will depend on a couple of factors, including how long Janek remains injured and if he can turn around his performance at the plate. A tandem between the pair would put Schiavone on equal footing later this season — and he would have earned it.