The Houston Astros are masters of adapting to their environment, and after missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016, they may be forced to make big changes this offseason. Framber Valdez, who has been a fixture of the starting pitching rotation for the last several years, enters free agency and will likely command significant interest around the league. Though, besides potentially replacing the two-time All-Star, the organization will also have to examine its bullpen.
Houston’s relief unit finished among the top-10 in MLB, but it was lacking some firepower. The Astros’ pitching staff surprisingly threw only one 100 mph pitch during the 2025 campaign (Bryan Abreu), which was tied for fewest in the league, according MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart. Although the importance of velocity is sometimes overstated in the modern game, a manager still needs a hurler who can blow a fastball by an opposing slugger in a high-leverage situation.
Can Hudson Leach eventually become that guy? The unheralded and undrafted right-hander has been working his way through Houston’s farm system since 2024, doing his best to make a name for himself after spending his collegiate career with Creighton and Miami (Ohio). He is reaching the upper 90s with his heater, per McTaggart, and could therefore be a player to watch moving forward.
Astros hope they discovered a hidden gem
Leach was well-traveled in 2025, logging appearances in the Florida Complex League, High-A Asheville, Double-A Corpus Christi and Triple-A Sugar Land. He struggled immensely in his last stop, posting a 12.71 ERA in five games for the Space Cowboys. His numbers in the Arizona Fall League are not pretty, either, but the 23-year-old has time to tighten up and harness his power.
The Astros have earned a reputation of getting the most out of their talent, so perhaps they can mold Leach into a lethal bullpen arm. Despite undergoing three elbow surgeries before his junior year of college, the Kansas City, Missouri native is still throwing gas in an MLB organization. He is battle-tested and resilient, qualities that are synonymous with Houston baseball.
Leach has a long way to go, but he might just get the opportunity to serve an important role for the Astros in the coming years.
