Astros Top Prospect Xavier Neyens Earns First Promotion of Minor League Career

He was Houston's first-round pick last year

Fayetteville infielder Xavier Neyens (9) throws the ball during opening day of the Augusta GreenJackets at SRP Park in North Augusta, S.C., on Tuesday, April 14, 2026. The GreenJackets beat Fayetteville 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Katie Goodale - Augusta Chronicle/USA TODAY NETWORK | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Houston Astros' top infield prospect, Xavier Neyens, is officially beginning his ascension through the minor leagues.

Neyens, the Astros' No. 2 prospect for 2026 on MLB Pipeline, is being called up from Single-A Fayetteville to High-A Asheville, the Fayetteville Woodpeckers announced. Due to the ongoing All-Star break this week, the 19-year-old's first opportunity to play for the Asheville Tourists will be on Friday against the Rome Emperors, the High-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves.

It's been almost exactly one year since Houston selected Neyens out of high school with a first-round draft pick. And so far, the young infielder has produced solid offensive numbers in his first taste of minor league action, setting the stage for the Astros to test him at the next level.

Outlook on Xavier Neyens in 2026 and beyond

Jul 13, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Xavier Neyens is drafted by the Houston Astros with the 21st pick during the first round of the MLB Draft at The Coca-Cola Roxy. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Through the first 68 games of his minor league career, Neyens has a .240 batting average, a .449 on-base percentage, and a .911 OPS with 14 home runs, 38 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases in Single-A this year. His .449 on-base percentage leads all Single-A hitters in that category so far in 2026, according to the official MiLB account on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Defensively, Neyens has played 40 games at third base and 17 at shortstop to begin his professional career. So, while the Astros might still be trying to figure out exactly where the 19-year-old will spend most of his time on the diamond, it seems like he'll end up somewhere on the left side of the infield.

Neyens adds to the list of several first-round picks from the 2025 MLB Draft who are already standing out early in their minor league careers. The Washington Nationals' Eli Willits, the Toronto Blue Jays' JoJo Parker, and the Milwaukee Brewers' Andrew Fischer are just a few of the infield prospects from last year's first-round draft class who are making plenty of noise in the minors this season. And then there are the pitching prospects, like the Seattle Mariners' Kade Anderson and the Pittsburgh Pirates' Seth Hernandez, who have dominated hitters for most of 2026.

It's obviously still early, but it looks like the 2025 draft class could feature several stars in the making. But, for now, Neyens will focus on carrying over his success at the plate in Single-A to his High-A debut later this week.