HOUSTON – The call came to the family home in Bellaire, a bedroom community in Houston known for having one of the best high school baseball programs in state history, and Parker Smith immediately clammed up. He had just been informed the hometown Astros had taken him in the fourth

How did the grandson of a Heisman Trophy winner and college football coach and the son of a quarterback end up on the baseball field? It’s a question Joseph Sullivan, the Astros' seventh-round pick in the 2024 Draft, has fielded often. His grandfather, Pat, starred at quarterback for Auburn before

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HOUSTON -- In the short amount of time that Jake Bloss has spent up with the Astros this season, first-year skipper Joe Espada has learned that nothing fazes the 23-year-old rookie. Being called up from Double-A Corpus Christi to make his Major League debut. Exiting it due to right shoulder

This story was excerpted from Brian McTaggart’s Astros Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox. HOUSTON -- A.J. Blubaugh (the Astros’ No. 6 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline) woke up July 2 to a cell phone filled with congratulatory

This story was excerpted from Brian McTaggart’s Astros Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

This story was excerpted from Brian McTaggart’s Astros Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox. HOUSTON -- The success Shay Whitcomb had at the plate in the first half of the Triple-A season shouldn’t come as a surprise when

CHICAGO -- The Astros have spent the 2024 season dealing with an injury-ravaged rotation and seeking help anywhere they can find it. On Friday, their latest reinforcement will be arriving from Double-A. Manager Joe Espada confirmed that Jake Bloss, the team’s No. 10 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, will make

This story was excerpted from Brian McTaggart’s Astros Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox. HOUSTON -- Pascanel Ferreras was the final overall pick of the 2023 MLB Draft out of Western Carolina. He wound up being one of

For the first time since the franchise relocated to the Gulf Coast of Texas, the Corpus Christi Hooks checked off their first no-hitter in 19 seasons. On the shoulders of Astros prospects Jake Bloss and Cesar Gomez, the Double-A affiliate blanked the San Antonio Missions in a 3-0 win at

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SUGAR LAND, Tex. -- When A.J. Blubaugh got through his second inning of work Wednesday, he felt gassed. The heat at Constellation Field got to him, putting the starting pitcher in a position where he needed to make a decision on where to go with his game plan. The Astros'

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HOUSTON -- Prior to flying to Mexico City for their two-game series against the Rockies late last month, the Astros cleaned their slate. They were a disappointing 7-19 after getting swept by the Cubs, but they met as a team and decided none of that mattered anymore. The Astros hit

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. -- As a young ballplayer, Waner Luciano spent months away from his home in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, for the chance to play baseball in the United States. And he did that for one main reason -- to make the dream he and his dad, Robinson, shared of

This story was excerpted from Brian McTaggart’s Astros Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox. HOUSTON -- The Astros have cornered the market on finding hidden gems on the international pitching market, signing impact Major League arms Framber Valdez,

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MEXICO CITY -- Joey Loperfido, the hot-hitting prospect who slugged his Minor League-leading 13th homer of the season on Sunday for Triple-A Sugar Land, will join the Astros on Tuesday at Minute Maid Park. Loperfido said Space Cowboys manager Mickey Storey informed the team in a meeting following Sunday’s 10-5

Pedro León was already having the best season of his Minor League career for Triple-A Sugar Land, but one swing of the bat has made his hot start much more impressive. The Astros’ No. 27 prospect needed to see just two pitches in his at-bat in the top of the

Since 2013, only two batters in Triple-A have started the season loaded with power, launching 12 home runs between March and April, and both hail from the same organization -- Yordan Alvarez and now Joey Loperfido. The Astros’ No. 6 prospect reached the dozen dinger mark after going yard twice

This story was excerpted from Brian McTaggart’s Astros Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox. HOUSTON -- While the Astros have already shuffled three pitchers from Triple-A Sugar Land to Houston to make their Major League debut this year

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KANSAS CITY -- Through two innings, Spencer Arrighetti's Major League pitching debut was going just fine. But then, the third inning rolled around and the positive vibes for the Astros’ highly-regarded prospect were obliterated by a Royals’ frenzied hitting attack that was like nothing he had seen at Triple-A Sugar

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KANSAS CITY -- With a 4-8 record and a slew of pitching injuries, the Astros are going into an aggressive mode as they strive for both short-term and long-term success. Manager Joe Espada confirmed after Houston’s 4-3 loss to the Royals Tuesday night in 10 innings at Kauffman Stadium that