Emerging Houston Astros prospect could be fastest player in their pipeline

The Houston Astros are trying to get their season back on track after a horrible start that saw alarm bells going off around them as they looked nothing like the team that appeared in seven World Series championships. the American League in a row.

They have started to settle into this long year, however, entering Saturday’s game on a six-game winning streak.

And while the Astros are certainly trying to maximize the championship window they currently find themselves in, general manager Dana Brown was hired in large part to begin rebuilding their farm system that is still considered one of the worst, if not the worst in the entire Major League. Baseball.

Houston promoted one of its top prospects, Joey Loperfido, to its MLB roster after tearing him up at Triple-A. He also hit his first career home run, showing what he could do for this franchise in the future.

But as their pipeline focuses on overall development, many other players should be monitored.

The one who has been turning heads so far is 23-year-old Jeron Williams, who is having a great season at the plate with a .326/.386/.551 slash line, four home runs and 19 RBIs in 24 games at High . Simple-A.

While the hitting numbers are impressive, it may be his speed that ultimately earns him the call-up.

“I think we have three guys that are basically tied in terms of speed on the court… (Jacob) Melton, (Pedro) Leon and (Zach) Cole. Jeron is up there, if not a little faster than that.” , said the senior director. of player development and performance science, Jacob Buffa told MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart.

It’s certainly impressive.

Williams has nine stolen bases this year. He also stole an NCAA-leading 49 bags in his final season in Toledo, which is a big reason why the Astros took him in the ninth round of the 2023 draft.

“Jeron was a super athlete and performer coming out of college. We liked his profile. He’s the fastest guy on the team who makes a lot of contact in the middle of the infield. He got here at Asheville and showed that he is exactly what he is,” Buffa added.

The speedster is not currently ranked among Houston’s top 30 prospects, but that could change soon as he continues to impress with his speed and bat.