Adrian Houser Stats & Scouting Report

IP	69.1
ERA	5.84
WHIP	1.53
BB/9	4.15
SO/9	5.84

Full name Adrian David Houser
Born 02/02/1993 in Tahlequah, OK
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 242 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Locust Grove
Debut 09/26/2015
Drafted in the 2nd round (69th overall) by the Houston Astros in 2011 (signed for $530,100).

View Draft Report

Houser's last high school outing was one of his best. He took a no-hitter into the sixth inning and finished with a 16-strikeout two-hitter in the Oklahoma 4-A quarterfinals, and two days later Locust Grove won its first baseball championship. Also a center fielder, he scored two of Locust Grove's four runs and threw out a runner at the plate in the semifinals, and made a nifty back-to-the-infield catch during the finale. An Oklahoma recruit, Houser has good size (6-foot-3, 200 pounds) and a quick arm capable of delivering 90-92 mph fastballs and topping out at 95. He also shows feel for a hard curveball but has a lot of work to do with his changeup. He uses his height and a high arm slot to throw on a steep downhill angle. Though he's athletic, Houser needs to do a better job of maintaining his delivery and command. His father Mike is the baseball coach at Locust Grove, and one of his cousins (Bob Davis) spent eights seasons in the big leagues as a big league catcher.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Track Record: Houser has been a prospect for a while as a second-round pick of the Astros in 2011. After coming to Milwaukee in the Carlos Gomez trade in July 2015, his career was sidetracked by Tommy John surgery that wiped out most of 2016 and 2017, but in 2018 he climbed back up through Double-A and Triple-A and made seven relief appearances with the Brewers. He became a fixture of sports talk radio when, on June 18 against the Phillies, he vomited twice on the mound.

Scouting Report: Pitching in short relief bursts in the majors, Houser threw his fastball in the 95-97 mph range with good sinking action that produced a lot of groundouts. A big, physical workhorse, Houser throws a powerful curveball in the low 80s with his changeup serving as a third pitch that continues to need work. He has worked hard since his injury to repeat his delivery and pitch to contact. To give him innings and allow him to work on all of his pitches, the Brewers continued to use Houser in a starting role in the minors.

The Future: The Brewers will continue to develop Houser as a starter, but his future in the majors will likely be in the bullpen as a multi-inning reliever with a power fastball and curveball.
It's easy to forget that Houser was one of the four prospects acquired from Houston in July 2015 in the Carlos Gomez/Mike Fiers trade. Domingo Santana staked his claim to the Brewers' right field job last season, lefty Josh Hader emerged as a force out of the bullpen as a rookie and outfielder Brett Phillips made his presence known as a September callup. Meanwhile, Houser was completing his comeback from Tommy John surgery in July 2016, returning to the mound in the final weeks of the season. Houser got his feet back on the ground in the Rookie-level Arizona League before being sent to low Class A Wisconsin, where he made a few outings to prove that he was completely healthy. The Brewers then sent Houser to the Arizona Fall League to allow him to recoup some more innings. If the way Houser was throwing the ball there meant anything, the Brewers should get the fourth player acquired from Houston to the big leagues, as well. With a clean, repeatable delivery, Houser was throwing his fastball in the 95-97 mph range, mixing in an effective low-80s curveball and also flashing a deceptive changeup as a quality third pitch. The Brewers will continue to use Houser as a starter, but at the least they believe he can be an effective pitcher out of the bullpen at the top level.
Houser had a whirlwind 2015 season, pitching for four clubs including the Brewers as an unexpected September callup from Double-A Biloxi. One of four prospects acquired from the Astros in July 2015 in the Carlos Gomez/Mike Fiers trade, he pitched much better after coming to the Milwaukee organization. Houser made a couple brief scoreless relief outings for the Brewers before finishing the year in the Arizona Fall League. He throws a fastball with good sink and tail away from lefthanded batters that sits in the 92-94 mph range and sometimes registers a bit higher. Big and strong, Houser maintains his velocity deep into starts and has a sound, repeatable delivery. He has worked on improving his slider, normally his best secondary pitch, but also flashes a curveball and effective changeup. Some scouts believe Houser's ceiling in the majors will be as a reliever, but the Brewers think he has back-of-the-rotation potential.
Houston kicked off its 2011 draft--the last of the pre-Jeff Luhnow era--with outfielder George Springer and then Houser, an Oklahoma prep who signed for $535,000. Houser comes from a baseball family, as his father coached him in high school and his cousin Bob Davis was a big league backstop for eight seasons. Houser has moved slowly as a pro, finally reaching full-season ball in 2014. He gets scouts' attention with a fastball that often sits 93-95 mph with cut and tail away from righthanders, and he can maintain his velocity deep into games. He made real progress with an above-average cutter and flashes above-average with his 11-to-5 curve. He's shown feel for his curve that he lacks with his nascent slider and changeup, which flashes average. Houser has a solid, repeatable delivery and the durable body and good-not-great stuff to profile as a back-end starter. He should move up to high Class A Lancaster in 2015
The Astros decided to take it slow with Houser, who signed for a $530,100 bonus in 2011 as a second-round pick. He repeated Greeneville last summer and was fairly consistent, giving up two or fewer runs in eight of his 11 starts. Houser has a good frame and a promising repertoire. He stays tall and delivers an 88-92 mph fastball that regularly touches 95 and features cutting, sinking action at times. His downhill plane with his fastball keeps hitters from elevating the ball against him, and he has allowed just two homers in 106 pro innings. Houser can get swings and misses with his 12-to-6 curveball. He doesn't throw much of a changeup yet and uses the curve as his change of pace, sometimes slowing his arm on both pitches. Houser still is growing into his lanky body and could stand to add strength to better maintain his velocity. Innings and throwing his changeup more are other obvious needs as he advances to low Class A this year.
Houser was the fourth Oklahoma high school pitcher drafted in 2011, and he still went 69th overall. It was a banner year in the state, and House was able to lead his Locust Grove High team (coached by his father Mike) to a state 4-A championship as both a pitcher and center fielder. He comes from a baseball family, with a cousin (Bob Davis) who played in the majors and an uncle (James Knott) who pitched briefly in the Mets system. The Astros gave Houser a $530,100 bonus in the second round to dissuade him from attending the University of Oklahoma. He made strides after signing, tossing five shutout innings in his final outing in the Rookie-level Appalachian League and impressing scouts in instructional league. Houser has two pitches that grab scouts' attention, with a low-90s fastball notable both for its sinking life and his ability to run it up to 95 mph, and a hard curveball. He uses a high arm slot and works up and down in the zone with his fastball and curve. As with most young pitchers, he still has work to do with his changeup and fastball command. Houser likely will work on those areas of his game in extended spring training before going to short-season Tri-City in June.

Minor League Top Prospects

Houser spent half of his 2011 pro debut at Greeneville, posting a 4.56 ERA and 19-15 K-BB ratio in 26 innings. He fared much better in his repeat of the Appy League this year. Scouts like Houser's repertoire, 6-foot-4 frame and ability to deliver the ball on a downhill plane. He pitches at 90-93 mph and touches 95, inducing plenty of groundballs with the sinking action on his two-seam fastball. He appears to cut the ball at times. Houser owns a big-breaking, mid-70s curveball that he might throw too much at this stage. He tends to slow his arm when throwing a fringy changeup. Streamlining his delivery and fastball command will top his to-do list in 2013.

Career Transactions

RHP Adrian Houser assigned to Norfolk Tides.
Iowa Cubs released RHP Adrian Houser.
Baltimore Orioles signed free agent RHP Adrian Houser to a minor league contract.
RHP Adrian Houser assigned to Iowa Cubs.
Chicago Cubs signed free agent RHP Adrian Houser to a minor league contract.
New York Mets released RHP Adrian Houser.
New York Mets designated RHP Adrian Houser for assignment.
Milwaukee Brewers activated RHP Adrian Houser from the 15-day injured list.
Milwaukee Brewers sent RHP Adrian Houser on a rehab assignment to Nashville Sounds.
Milwaukee Brewers sent RHP Adrian Houser on a rehab assignment to Nashville Sounds.
Milwaukee Brewers sent RHP Adrian Houser on a rehab assignment to Nashville Sounds.
Milwaukee Brewers placed RHP Adrian Houser on the 15-day injured list retroactive to March 27, 2023. Right groin tightness.