HOUSTON ASTROS TOP 10 PROSPECTS
1. FORREST WHITLEY, RHP
AGE: 22. B-T: R-R. HT: 6-7. WT: 207.
DRAFTED: HS—San Antonio, 2016 (1st round).
SIGNED BY: Noel Gonzales-Luna.
AGE: 22. B-T: R-R. HT: 6-7. WT: 207. DRAFTED: HS—San Antonio, 2016 (1st round). SIGNED BY: Noel Gonzales-Luna.
TRACK RECORD: Whitley was supposed to be a part of the Astros’ rotation by now. He reached Double-A in 2017 and seemed poised to help Houston’s playoff run in 2018. Instead, his season was derailed by a 50-game suspension for a violation of baseball’s drug program. Whitley’s 2019 season proved to be even rockier. He struggled with command in eight outings with Triple-A Round Rock and was eventually shut down with shoulder fatigue, though the break was a mental respite as much as anything. Sent to the Gulf Coast and Carolina leagues to rehab, he continued to struggle with big innings upon his assignment to Double-A Corpus Christi. He pitched well in a second consecutive trip to the Arizona Fall League.
Whitley’s command backed up by a grade or even two in 2019. He missed badly high and low throughout the season. He would often struggle to finish his delivery, leaving his fastball up far out of the zone, and then he would bounce the next pitch trying to adjust. When Whitley was in the zone, he often caught too much of it. He allowed too many no-doubt home runs. After Whitley’s early-season struggles, the Astros junked his windup and had him pitch exclusively from the stretch. He also moved from the third base side of the
