The Houston Astros farm system leaves plenty to be desired. ESPN recently ranked them as the 29th-best system in the minor leagues and are one of two teams to have no players in MLB’s Top 100. They may be able to reinforce their prospect talent assuming their trade rumors become reality but until then, they’ll have to work with what they have.

Because of this lack of compelling young players, it may seem like there aren’t notable position battles to keep an eye on since the roster will likely end up looking quite similar to what Houston trotted out in 2025.

However, that doesn’t mean there could be some underrated players just waiting for their chance to make an impact at some point this spring. For the Astros, there are two names in particular that could be dark horse candidates to become the young powerhouses this franchise so badly needs.

Here are 2 Astros prospects who could break out during spring trainingRHP Jose Fleury

Originally signed for just $10,000 as part of the Astros’ 2021 international free agent class, Fleury has made a name for himself despite starting his career without any real prospect pedigree. The right-handed starter has consistently posted strong results at each level of the minor leagues, finally making it to Triple-A in 2025 where he hit his first major roadblock.

Nonetheless, his 2025 numbers in Double-A over ten starts were encouraging. Over 39.2 innings, he posted a 1.82 ERA with a 2.92 FIP and a 4.11 K/BB. His pitching is defined more by style than substance, primarily relying on a low-90s fastball with carry and a fading changeup in the low-80s.

As Houston’s No. 14 prospect in 2025, scouts noted that Fleury doesn’t quite have the upside to lead a big league rotation, but an ace isn’t what the team needs right now thanks to the dynamic duo of Hunter Brown and Tatsuya Imai. What they would love to have is someone at the back of the rotation who’s capable of making quality starts, even if they’re not shutting down the opposing lineup.

Fleury could fit that mold if he’s able to fix the shortcomings that limited him against tougher competition. Even in Triple-A, he did show glimpses of being able to compete but he’ll have to maintain that consistency in spring training to prove that he’s worthy of a roster spot.

What a night for Jose Fleury!

6.0 IP
2 H
1 R
0 BB
6 K

His first quality start in Triple A, and he faces two over the minimum 👏 pic.twitter.com/NbCRg9Cp28

— Sugar Land Space Cowboys (@SLSpaceCowboys) September 10, 2025Wes Clarke

Last June, the Brewers sent Wes Clarke to the Astros for cash. The motivation was simple — Milwaukee had seemingly found their answer at first base in Andrew Vaughn and there wasn’t a clear future for the then-25-year-old with the franchise.

Although Clarke originally split time between being a catcher and first baseman, he hasn’t taken significant reps as a backstop since 2023. It’s the best way to make use of his exceptional power while glossing over his defensive limitations.

Clarke had a productive season in the minors after joining the Astros, posting a 143 wRC+ over 283 plate appearances in Double-A. While with the Corpus Christi Hooks, he walked at a 22.3% clip against a 19.4% strikeout rate, exceptional results for a player who also had an impressive .447 slugging percentage.

Clarke doesn’t seem quite ready for the majors but with a Christian Walker trade looking less likely as we approach the final days of the offseason, Houston could be looking for more options at first base. A strong showing from Clarke in spring training could be exactly what he needs to set himself up for his long awaited debut in 2026.

Wes Clarke CRUSHED that baseball! pic.twitter.com/62j8hP3xAJ

— Corpus Christi Hooks (@cchooks) August 6, 2025