Houston Astros Prospect Brown Lands On Another Top Prospects List
Starting pitcher Hunter Brown, the Houston Astros unquestioned top prospect, has found himself on yet another coveted list. CBS Sports has just released their top prospects for each team and have listed Brown as the Astros' top prospect heading into the 2023 MLB season.
It comes as no real surprise considering Brown has been propelling himself up the rankings board for months now. He capstoned his 2022 MLB season by pitching some meaningful innings in the postseason. His efforts helped Houston win their second World Series championship in franchise history.
CBS Sports' R.J. Anderson explains where he listed Brown at the top of the organization in his recent rankings.
"Brown's mid-to-upper-90s fastball led the way, though he also chucked his swing-and-miss curveball more than 30 percent of the time and deployed his slider often enough to keep batters honest," said Anderson. "The big question with Brown is whether or not he has the command to start. The Astros have the rotation depth to provide him with additional reps in Triple-A if they so desire. Even if he ends up pitching in relief, he should be able to contribute in a high-leverage role."
Brown's command has been a subject of concern for the entirety of his developmental career in the minors. While that is nice phrasing when talking about Brown, it is important to note that last season at Triple-A Sugar Land, Brown pitched to the tune of a 2.55 ERA which was supported with an impressive 1.085 WHIP over 106.0 innings pitched.
He then carried that over to the MLB level when he tossed 20.1 innings with a 0.89 ERA and 1.082 WHIP. He then backed that up with 3.2 innings during the postseason in which he didn't allow a run. The only postseason series he did not pitch in was the World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies.
All that to say: it appears he may have figured out the command "issue" to a certain degree last season. Funny how development plans come to fruition like that.
Brown seems more than ready and should have every opportunity to make the Astros' rotation for the coming season.
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