Houston Astros Breakout MLB Prospects Entering 2024
Entering 2024, we’re examining multiple Astros prospects on the verge of a breakout season. To qualify as a breakout prospect for this exercise, a player must rank outside the Top 10 Prospects in his organization entering the year.
You can find all of our preseason prospect rankings here and a link to breakouts for all 30 teams here.
Astros Top Prospects In 2024
We rank the top players in Houston’s system entering the season complete with new scouting reports, tools, grades & more.
Breakout Prospects
Jake Bloss, RHP
Preseason rank: 11
BA Grade: 45. Risk: High.
TRACK RECORD: Bloss spent three seasons with Lafayette College in Pennsylvania, earning an All-Patriot League first-team selection after his third season. He transferred to Georgetown for his fourth season and went 8-4, 2.58 with 96 strikeouts and 24 walks across 76.2 innings. Bloss won Big East pitcher of the year and was a unanimous first-team all conference selection. The Astros took Bloss in the third round of the 2023 draft and signed him for a below-slot bonus of $497,500. Bloss debuted in the Florida Complex League making two appearances before a promotion to Low-A Fayetteville.
SCOUTING REPORT: A strong-framed and athletic pitcher, Bloss has the broad- shouldered build of your typical innings-eater. Bloss mixes primarily a four-seam fastball, a curveball, a slider and a changeup. Bloss’ fastball sits 93-95 mph and was clocked as high as 97 while at Georgetown. Due to the spin efficiency and lower release height he’s able to create a flat plane of approach on the pitch which makes it difficult for hit- ters to get on plane. His primary secondary is an upper-70s curveball at 77-78 mph with heavy two-plane break. Bloss’s slider is hard at 85-87 mph with heavy cut, and he shows above-average command of the pitch. His changeup is an upper-80s offspeed with two-seam fastball movement. Bloss has fringe-average command but should develop into an average strike-thrower.
THE FUTURE: A late blooming college arm with a four-pitch mix led by a plus fastball, Bloss has a chance to blossom into a back-of-the-rotation starter with the ability to be effective out of the bullpen.
Scouting Grades
Fastball: 60. Curveball: 50. Slider: 50. Changeup: 40. Control: 50.
Preseason rank: 24
BA Grade: 45. Risk: Extreme.
TRACK RECORD: Ochoa is the son of a former pitcher by the same name who played parts of three seasons in the Expos system in the early 2000s. A native of Venezuela, Ochoa emigrated to Texas when he was 10 years old. In his senior year, Ochoa hit .602 with 11 home runs. He was selected by his hometown Astros in the 11th round and signed for a bonus of $300,000. Ochoa debuted in the Florida Complex League hitting three home runs over a dozen games.
SCOUTING REPORT: A physical teenager at 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, Ochoa has flashed the plate skills to consistently tap into his power. Ochoa shows good bat speed and a discerning eye at the plate but also ran into some difficulty against spin on the showcase circuit in 2022. He showed more refined barrel accuracy in the spring and post draft. With a strong approach and improving contact skills, Ochoa now gets to his plus raw power more consistently. At 18 years old, Ochoa’s exit velocity data is already near major league average. He is an average runner who will likely move to an outfield corner, and his plus throwing arm that was up to 95 mph on the mound is an asset in the field.
THE FUTURE: A tooled-up power hitter who could climb up the rankings in the coming years, Ochoa has everyday regular upside with some hit tool risk.
Scouting Grades
Hitting: 45. Power: 55. Run: 50. Fielding: 50. Arm: 60.
Preseason rank: 30
BA Grade: 45. Risk: Extreme.
TRACK RECORD: Hernandez signed out of Cuba during the 2022 international signing period for $950,000 and was the 21st Cuban-born player in the Astros system, marking the first time one organization rostered more than 20 Cuban players since the 1960s. Hernandez debuted in the 2022 Dominican Summer League and hit .235/.332/.349 over 56 games. He made his stateside debut in 2023 and hit .257/.375/.414 across 40 Florida Complex League games.
SCOUTING REPORT: Despite just league-average production in 2023, Hernandez shows a good balance of plate skills and developing power. Hernandez had previously been a switch-hitter but dropped it, and now hits righthanded full-time. Hernandez shows average bat-to-ball skills and a discerning eye at the plate. With further refinement, he could develop into an above-average hitter. While Hernandez has not shown much over-the-fence power in games, his bat speed and exit velocity data point to untapped potential. Hernandez has above-average speed but has been a subpar baserunner overall. Hernandez is an average defender in the infield with an average arm and saw time at shortstop, second base and third base in 2023.
THE FUTURE: Hernandez is an exciting young infielder with polished plate skills and the ability to stick in the infield.
Scouting Grades
Hitting: 50. Power: 45. Run: 55. Fielding: 50. Arm: 50.
