Astros Swing, Miss In Latest Prospect Rankings

The Houston Astros did not have a single Top 100 prospect when MLB Pipeline released its new rankings on Friday.

Outfielder Jacob Melton has been the Astros’ highest-ranked prospect since they traded two outfielders — Drew Gilbert and Ryan Clifford — in order to re-acquire pitcher Justin Verlander in a deadline deal last season.

Gilbert and Clifford were both Top 5 prospects in the Astros’ system at the time.

Now, the pair are Top 100 prospects for the Mets. Gilbert is ranked No. 53 and Clifford is ranked No. 97.

MLB Pipeline ranked the Astros with the No. 30 farm system in baseball last July. The franchise is working to reload it, even in the midst of dealing those prospects last season.

Melton is projected by MLB Pipeline as a potential Astros call-up in the next two seasons. He was one of several top prospects invited to Major League Spring Training, including right-handed pitcher Spencer Arrighetti (No. 3), infielder Zach Dezenzo (No. 5), outfielder Joey Loperfido (No. 6), left-handed pitcher Colton Gordon (No. 7) and right-handed pitcher Rhett Kouba (No. 9).

Last season he caught the Astros’ attention with quality power numbers that caused them to move him from High-A Asheville to Double-A Corpus Christi.

In 99 games last season he batted .245 with a .334 on-base percentage and a .467 slugging percentage. He also belted 23 home runs, drove in 55 runs and stole 46 bases.

The Astros drafted Melton in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of Oregon and signed him to a $1 million bonus. He played a short season in 2022, batting .261 with four home runs and 13 RBI in just 23 games.

Before the re-rank, the Astros did not have any Top 100 prospects.

Rankings were created based on input from scouts, scouting directors and other talent evaluators. It also takes into account skill set, upside, proximity to the Majors and potential immediate impact to their teams.

The Top 100 includes players with 2024 rookie status, which includes players that debuted in 2023 that don’t have the service time (45 days on the active roster), at-bats (130) or innings pitched (50) to graduate.