It’s become an annual tradition, it seems — the Houston Astros don’t have a Top 100 prospect in baseball.
That tradition continued earlier this spring when MLB Pipeline released its Top 100 list and no Astros showed up. It’s not that the franchise has trouble developing talent. The Astros reached the playoffs eight straight seasons from 2017-24, with two World Series titles, four American League pennants and seven AL West crowns. For seven straight seasons Houston reached, at minimum, the AL Championship Series.
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A team cannot do that without developing talent. Houston just hasn’t had those top-shelf prospects.
That could change in 2026. MLB.com’s Sam Dykstra highlighted three prospects that could crack the Top 100 sometime this year — outfielder Kevin Alvarez, shortstop Xavier Neyens and outfielder Ethan Frey.
The Astros’ Big Three Prospects
Kevin Alvarez lined out to SS in his second at-bat (102.7 mph off the bat). pic.twitter.com/JtbikLWU3K
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) March 15, 2026
Alvarez might be the most anticipated of the trio. The Cuba native signed last January for $2 million and had a terrific campaign in the Dominican Summer League, where most international prospects play their first year as professionals. In 47 games he slashed .301/.419/.455 with a .874 OPS, including two home runs and 33 RBI. He also had 12 doubles and three triples. He should play stateside this year.
He just started a spring training game with the Astros, where he went 0-for-3 with a strikeout. He may play one more game with the club before Houston breaks camp to head back home next Sunday.
Neyens hasn’t played a professional game yet. The Astros selected him in the first round last July and he signed a $4 million bonus to pass on college baseball. But he didn’t play a pro game because the Astros wanted to give him extended ramp-up time at their team complex in Florida.
Now 19 years old, the 6-foot-4 left-handed infielder has a 65 grade on his power on the 20-80 scouting scale. Already 210 pounds, he projects as a power hitter in the Majors, which is why many scouts see him moving to third base. He led Mount Vernon (Wash.) High School to a state championship and in the title game he was intentionally walked four times.
Frey was selected in the fourth round of the 2025 MLB draft out of LSU, the same school that produced former Houston All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman. The Astros wasted no time with him and had him start his pro career at Class-A Fayetteville in August. There, he slashed .330/.434/.470 with three home runs and 17 RBI. He also had five doubles But, what stood out was his plate discipline. In just 100 at-bats he drew 20 walks and struck out just 25 times.
