Houston Astros: Forrest Whitley praised as top pitching prospect

As the season approaches, top prospect lists spread across the web. And sitting near the top of most lists is Houston Astros pitcher Forrest Whitley.

Few baseball fans knew about Houston Astros prospect Forrest Whitley and his dominance in the minor leagues last season.

They know about him now.

Whitley, who finished last year in Double-A, soared up Baseball America’s prospect rankings into the No. 10 position. He’s the second-ranked pitcher, only behind the eminent Shohei Ohtani.

The 20-year-old also ranks second among right-handed pitching prospects on MLB.com‘s list of 10. Surely he will be within the top 20 when the website releases its top-100 list on Jan. 27.

Only a select number of pitchers made it up to Double-A during their first season out of high school. Two notable names on that list are Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke. Former Dodgers pitcher Chad Billingsley and Dylan Bundy are the other two to accomplish the feat.

Unlike those four, Whitley is a tall, lanky power arm. His fastball reaches the upper 90s, and he complements it with a sharp slider and hard, biting 12-6 curveball.

The Astros haven’t had a prospect praised this highly since Mark Appel, the team’s No. 1 pick back in 2013. Granted, Whitley’s numbers are far superior to anything Appel posted during his minor-league career in Houston.

Whitley allowed a few too many hits in both Single-A leagues, increasing his WHIP to nothing special. But he was ultimately dominant during his short time in Double-A, whiffing 26 hitters across 14 2/3 innings.

While several pitchers struggle keeping pitches in the zone as they develop, the 6-foot-7 phenom excels in that category. Though he had issues throughout his first 12 starts, he yielded just 13 walks in 46 innings compared to 76 strikeouts in that span.

Whitley’s potential is nothing short of conspicuous. He could be the next big thing.

Why wait?

The Astros won’t be able to make it through the entire year without injuries or trades – it’s just not feasible. But when adversity takes place, who will manager A.J. Hinch call up?

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Several experienced starting pitchers sit in the minors, such as Brady Rodgers and David Paulino. However, both barely logged any innings last year due to injuries and a suspension – Paulino.

Nevertheless, Houston already has a backup plan for the rotation. Brad Peacock and Colin McHugh can occupy slots in the staff if someone goes down.

However, that would open up spots in the pen for an Astros pitcher. Whitley, though inexperienced, might be the team’s best choice.

Last year’s example was Francis Martes, who earned an early call-up even though he was unnerved in Triple-A. Whitley sported more promising numbers, but maybe Martes’ experience dissuaded Houston from promoting younger prospects too early.

Next: David Paulino could be team's first call up next year

The Astros don’t need to expedite Whitley’s trip to the majors by any means. Yet, he could find a way into the pitching staff if they need a boost in the middle of the season – or near playoffs.