Henry Villar

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Houston Astros #22 prospect in 2011
  The 2009 season was Villar's first full season in the United States, and he earned a spot on the 40-man roster in spite of peaking at low Class A. The Astros sped up his development in 2010, opening him in the Corpus Christi bullpen. He moved into the rotation in July after serving as the Hooks' part-time closer, and he finished the season in the big league bullpen. Villar's best pitch is his changeup, which has depth and fade and at times gets mistaken for a splitter. His changeup and solid command of his 86-92 mph sinking fastball help him neutralize lefthanders, who posted a .677 OPS against him in Double-A. At his best, Villar's slider gives him a third average pitch, but it's more of a groundball pitch than a swing-and-miss offering. Righthanders had a .770 OPS against him. The Astros intend to give Villar a shot to start in spring training, and he's a longshot candidate for their fifth starter's job. Considering he's had more success as a reliever than as a starter, it's more likely that he'll earn a bullpen spot in Houston in 2011.
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  Ranked Houston Astros #27 prospect in 2010
  Villar has performed well in four seasons in the lower levels of the system, posing a career 2.93 ERA and 5.4-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He made a smooth transition to full-season ball in 2009, impressing the Astros enough to give him a spot on the 40-man roster. After switching him to the bullpen in low Class A last season, he'll get a trial as a starter in 2010. Villar's stuff doesn't quite align with his numbers. His fastball sits at 89-91 mph and he can reach 93 on occasion. His heater is more notable for its heavy sink than its velocity, and he succeeds by throwing first-pitch strikes. Villar also mixes in an 83-84 mph slider and a changeup. Both pitches need work, as he sometimes struggles to finish his slider and tends to throw his changeup too hard. He's a good athlete who repeats his delivery and fields his position well. It remains to be seen whether Villar can duplicate his performance at higher levels, but he has the upside of a No. 4 or 5 starter.