Subscribe
Follow Us
The Houston Astros seem poised for a return to the MLB postseason. After a miserable first month in which Houston went 10-19, the Astros have battled back as they seek their eighth straight trip to the ALCS and a third World Series title in franchise history.
To get there, they'll have to hold off the Seattle Mariners, who sit 3.5 games behind them headed into play on August 27. That's a small cushion this time of year, and the teams still have three games left to play against each other. Things can change in a hurry.
For a team like Houston, which has played .600 ball over its last 100 games, there aren't a ton of holes to fill. But when rosters expand on September 1, the team will have a chance to call up a couple players. The franchise shouldn't look at it as purely an opportunity to add depth. Yes, the Astros have one of the worst farm systems in Major League Baseball — maybe the worst, depending on which scouting service you prefer. The Astros also have some intriguing prospects.
It starts with Jacob Melton, the only Astros prospect ranked in MLB.com's top 100, and he comes in at No. 99. Houston elected not to trade him at the deadline and they should take advantage of that.
AJ Blubaugh is Melton's teammate in Triple-A and he's the team's ninth-ranked prospect and third-ranked pitcher. It may be time to bring him up too.
Jacob Melton can help a Major League team
Melton has played only 26 games at Triple-A and is still adjusting to the higher level of play. He's holding his own, hitting .228 with three home runs and five doubles in 26 games, but that's a far cry from the tear he was on in his last couple weeks in Double-A.
The Astros' top prospect has improved his swing in his time as a pro and is working on hitting for more power. FanGraphs rates him as a 65 for raw power on baseball's 20 to 80 scale, indicating it should be one of his biggest strengths.
The problem for Melton is that the Astros already have plenty of outfield options. They claimed Ben Gamel off waivers last week and are reportedly on the verge of signing veteran Jason Heyward as they look for offensive production in the outfield that has eluded them since Kyle Tucker went down. And Tucker still might return in September.
The other side of that is that Melton doesn't need to play the field at all to contribute. His speed may be his best weapon right now — he stole 46 bases last year between High-A and Double-A, and has 19 more this season. The Astros could add him as a late-inning pinch runner when rosters expand.
AJ Blubaugh can bolster the Astros pitching staff
The good news for the Astros is they have one of the best pitching staffs in the game. Houston ranks eighth in MLB in starter's ERA (3.79) and fourth in bullpen ERA (3.55). There's not a team around, however, that couldn't benefit from either another body in the pen or an extra day of rest for a tired starter. Blubaugh can do both.
Barring injury, the Astros' rotation should be set for the stretch run with Ronel Blanco, Framber Valdez, Hunter Brown, and a healthy Justin Verlander making up the playoff rotation in some order. So even if Blubaugh only gets a spot start or two, say during a doubleheader, he can do the bulk of his damage in relief. MLB.com places his fastball between 92-95 with the ability to hit the upper 90s out of the pen. Combined with a low-80s changeup and mid-70s curveball, he could present opponents with a baffling combination of pitches.
Blubaugh has been solid in Triple-A, though he walks a touch more than he'd probably like (3.7 per nine innings). He makes up for that, however, by keeping the ball in the park; he's allowed less than one home run per nine innings through his Minor League career.
