Where Astros' Top 30 prospects will start in '26

Plus: Whitcomb's new suftboard

Saturday, April 04 Welcome back to the Astros Beat newsletter! Reporter Jim Callis put together the lead item in this edition.   With the Minor League season opening this week, here's where the Astros' Top 30 Prospects are projected to start:   1. Kevin Alvarez, OF -- Fayetteville (Single-A) 2. Xavier Neyens, SS -- Fayetteville (Single-A) 3. Ethan Frey, OF -- Asheville (High-A) 4. Brice Matthews, 2B -- Houston (MLB) 5. Walker Janek, C -- Corpus Christi (Double-A) 6. Bryce Mayer, RHP -- Corpus Christi (Double-A) 7. Ethan Pecko, RHP -- Injured (thoracic outlet syndrome) 8. AJ Blubaugh, RHP -- Houston (MLB) 9. Ryan Forcucci, RHP -- Injured (lower back) 10. Albert Fermín, SS -- Extended spring training (Dominican Republic) 11. Zach Cole, OF -- Sugar Land (Triple-A) 12. Lucas Spence, OF -- Corpus Christi (Double-A) 13. Miguel Ullola, RHP -- Sugar Land (Triple-A) 14. Joseph Sullivan, OF -- Corpus Christi (Double-A) 15. James Hicks, RHP -- Corpus Christi (Double-A) 16. Jackson Nezuh, RHP -- Corpus Christi (Double-A) 17. Alonzo Tredwell, RHP -- Injured (shoulder strain) 18. Alimber Santa, RHP -- Sugar Land (Triple-A) 19. Anthony Huezo, OF -- Fayetteville (Single-A) 20. Will Bush, C/1B -- Corpus Christi (Double-A) 21. Anthony Millan, OF -- Extended spring training (Dominican Republic) 22. Jase Mitchell, C -- Extended spring training 23. Cole Hertzler, RHP -- Asheville (High-A) 24. Jose Fleury, RHP -- Sugar Land (Triple-A) 25. Parker Smith, RHP -- Asheville (High-A) 26. Hudson Leach, RHP -- Sugar Land (Triple-A) 27. Caden Powell, OF -- Asheville (High-A) 28. Ramsey David, RHP -- Corpus Christi (Double-A) 29. Nick Potter, RHP -- Fayetteville (Single-A) 30. Gabel Pentecost, RHP -- Fayetteville (Single-A) Team to watch   The Astros' top two prospects, outfielder Kevin Alvarez and shortstop Xavier Neyens, will team up at Single-A Fayetteville. Outfielder Anthony Huezo has some of the best tools in the system, and he's coming off a huge winter in which he led the Australian Baseball League with a 1.031 OPS. A pair of interesting 2025 Draft picks, right-handers Nick Potter (fifth round) and Gabel Pentecost (sixth), headline the Woodpeckers' pitching staff.   Players we could see in MLB in 2026   Outfielder Zach Cole compiled an .880 OPS with four homers in 15 games with the Astros last September, though an errant pitch broke a toe on his right foot during a Triple-A game on Sunday, sidelining him indefinitely. Right-handers Miguel Ullola and Alimber Santa each has a nasty fastball and a solid secondary offering, so both could help Houston's bullpen this season. So could righty Hudson Leach, who owns one of the best curveballs in the Minors. New faces Neyens, Potter and Pentecost are all making their pro debuts at Fayetteville, while fellow 2025 draftee Jase Mitchell (seventh round) will do so in the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League in May. Right-hander Ryan Forcucci, who hasn't pitched in an official game since blowing out his pitching elbow at UC San Diego in March 2024, should finally do so later this month after he clears up some lower-back issues. Signed for $2,147,500 in January, Dominican shortstop Albert Fermín is slated for the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League in June.   On the shelf Right-hander Ethan Pecko is coming back from thoracic outlet syndrome and, like Forcucci, should be ready to pitch in games in April. Righty Alonzo Tredwell is out with a strained shoulder, and the timetable for his return is uncertain.   How to watch Fans can watch Minor League Baseball games for free on the Bally Sports Live app or at BallySports.com. Fans may also purchase an MLB+ subscription, which includes access to MiLB games live and on demand, in addition to live MLB audio for all 30 teams, MLB Network and MLB Big Inning. Plus -- with or without a subscription -- Minor League games featuring MLB's top prospects are available in the MiLB Free Game of the Day. MLB MORNING LINEUP PODCAST THIS WEEK IN ASTROS HISTORY April 5, 1976 -- The first professional baseball game is played in the Superdome in New Orleans when the Astros and Twins played an exhibition game before 10,073 fans. New Orleans had hoped to showcase the new facility in hopes of landing an expansion team, but Toronto and Seattle were awarded franchises for the 1977 season. SURF'S UP Shay Whitcomb really likes surfing. Joey Loperfido really likes the No. 10 jersey number. So when Loperfido was traded from the Blue Jays back to the Astros earlier this spring, he texted Whitcomb and asked what he wanted in exchange for him giving him the No. 10.   "He said a surfboard," Loperfido said. "It was a specific kind. He explained it to me. It's something about like the sides of it, so it makes it like very dynamic on the wave. He's a really good surfer and that's the board he wanted, so we ordered it in Spring Training and it shipped from somewhere in California [to Houston]."   Loperfido wore No. 10 when he made his Major League debut with the Astros in 2024 and kept the number while with the Blue Jays last year.   "The continuity of it was cool and so my girlfriend, my mom, my grandma and my sister and everybody doesn't have to rebuy jean jackets [with another number]," Loperfido said.   Whitcomb had worn No. 10 since breaking into the big leagues in 2024, but will wear No. 14 in the big leagues this season. Loperfido said the surfboard and the shipping set him back about $1,400.   "If he said 'Get me two surfboards,' I would have gotten him two surfboards," Loperfido said.   And Whitcomb said he would have given him back the No. 10 for nothing.   "I was planning on giving it to him the whole time," Whitcomb said. "He knows how big of a surfer I am, so he wanted to do something cool for me. If you know me, that's a perfect gift for me." FORWARDED FROM A FRIEND? SUBSCRIBE NOW To subscribe to Astros Beat, visit this page and mark "Astros Beat" from our newsletter list. Make sure you're following the Astros or that they're checked as your favorite team. View Online © 2026 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. MLB trademarks and copyrights are used with permission of Major League Baseball. Visit MLB.com. Any other marks used herein are trademarks of their respective owners. Please review our Privacy Policy. You (gahleexholly.hdhask@blogger.com) received this message because you registered to receive commercial email messages or purchased a ticket from MLB.  Please add info@marketing.mlbemail.com to your address book to ensure our messages reach your inbox. If you no longer wish to receive commercial email messages from MLB.com, please unsubscribe or log in and manage your email subscriptions. Postal Address: MLB.com, c/o MLB Advanced Media, L.P., 1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.

10 nasty new pitches worth watching this year

Plus: From nearly quitting baseball to a slam

Saturday, April 04 View In Browser  TOP NEWS 10 new pitches that hitters will dread   Pitchers often tinker with new pitches during Spring Training before abandoning them when the season starts, but there are some interesting offerings that we've seen in real games during the first week. Griffin helps Pirates raise Jolly Roger with RBI double in 1st career AB He pondered retirement. A day later, he made the team. Now, he hit his 1st slam Soto to have MRI after early exit in Mets' much-needed outburst DeLauter's latest clutch moment felt 'like a dream come true' Suit up, show out: Judge, Yanks take care of business in home opener That'll do it! Ohtani's 1st homer ignites rest of lineup in 5-homer rout of Nats Willson's way on display in home opener with cocksure challenge, and a wallop Top of order breaks out to make 10-run statement after early slump Former top prospects Skenes, Henderson remind Griffin 'you're here for a reason' MORE TOP NEWS PERSONALIZE STORIES TOP PERFORMANCES Longest Home Run Kyle Schwarber   460 ft 5th Inning   Watch   Hardest Base Hit  Junior Caminero   114 mph 1st Inning   Watch   Fastest Strikeout Andrés Muñoz   100.1 mph 9th Inning   Watch   Decisive Play Braves   34.4% WPA 9th Inning   Watch   Longest Home Run Kyle Schwarber   460 ft 5th Inning   Watch   Hardest Base Hit  Junior Caminero   114 mph 1st Inning   Watch   Fastest Strikeout Andrés Muñoz   100.1 mph 9th Inning   Watch   Decisive Play Braves   34.4% WPA 9th Inning   Watch   Chase DeLauter 5 HR are most by CLE player in 1st 7 career regular-season games Konnor Griffin 4th teenager with BB and RBI in debut since 1920 Francisco Alvarez 5th multi-HR game as catcher, tied for 3rd-most in MLB since 2023 Kyle Schwarber 4th 460+ foot homer since start of 2025, most in MLB Eduardo Rodriguez 0 ER allowed in 12 innings to open '26 season PLAY A SPORCLE BASEBALL QUIZ! MORE FREE GAMES AT MLB PLAY MUST-SEE PLAY You need luck. You need talent. Sometimes, you need both, as Cody Bellinger demonstrates. MORE TOP PLAYS STAFF PICKS Nephew steals the show at uncle's first start Giants No. 21 prospect Daniel Susac had quite the night against the Mets in his first MLB start, singling three times and drawing a walk. But it was his nephew Chuck who had the viral moment. Look who's scorching Whether it's traditional stats or Statcast metrics, if you've given this season's numbers at least a cursory look, one name at the very top of most leaderboards might not be surprising. Blue looks good on you Kyle Tucker hit his first Dodgers homer in the club's new blue jerseys -- the first time the franchise will have a blue top in its regular uniform rotation on the road. Olympic hockey gold medalists throw first pitch at Yankees' opener Fresh off leading Team USA to Olympic glory, Jack Hughes and Aerin Frankel delivered ceremonial first pitches ahead of the Yankees' home opener on Friday. Blue Jays vs. White Sox on MLB Network Vlad Guerrero Jr. and the Blue Jays are in Chicago to battle Colson Montgomery and the White Sox at 2 p.m. ET. (Subject to local blackout) Don't miss a moment with MLB Big Inning Jump around the action with Big Inning! Featuring extensive live look-ins of games in progress and breaking highlights of all the biggest moments from the biggest stars at 8 p.m. ET. MORE STORIES SCOREBOARD LAD 13 WSH 6 STL 0 DET 4 MIA 2 NYY 8 SD 2 BOS 5 TOR 4 CWS 5 CIN 5 TEX 3 CHC 1 CLE 4 TB 4 MIN 10 PHI 10 COL 1 BAL 4 PIT 5 SEA 3 LAA 1 HOU 4 ATH 11 ATL 2 AZ 0 NYM 10 SF 3 © 2026 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. MLB trademarks and copyrights are used with permission of Major League Baseball. Visit MLB.com. Any other marks used herein are trademarks of their respective owners. Please review our Privacy Policy. You (gahleexholly.hdhask@blogger.com) received this message because you registered to receive commercial email messages from MLB.com. Please add info@marketing.mlbemail.com to your address book to ensure our messages reach your inbox. If you no longer wish to receive commercial email messages from MLB.com, please unsubscribe  or log in and manage your email subscriptions. Postal Address: MLB.com, c/o MLB Advanced Media, L.P., 1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.