Jason Schiavone’s rise this season gave the Astros something hard to ignore: a catcher who paired real pop with real production and kept forcing his way up the ladder.
Houston named Schiavone its 2026 Minor League Player of the Year after the 23-year-old put together a breakout campaign that stretched from High-A Asheville to Double-A Corpus Christi and then to Triple-A Sugar Land for the final two weeks. In 121 games, he hit 32 home runs and stole 32 bases, becoming the first 30-30 catcher in the minor leagues since Willie Royster in 1981.
The numbers told the story of a player who changed fast. Schiavone, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound catcher drafted in the 11th round after hitting 18 homers as a junior at James Madison in 2024, had spent his first two pro seasons standing out more for his defense at the Class A levels. This year, the bat caught up in a big way.
He finished with a .247/.387/.526 line, added 24 doubles and drew 93 walks. The strikeouts were part of the package too - he fanned 32% of the time, one of the highest rates among regular minor league catchers - but the Astros clearly saw enough growth to reward him.
“Jason has made a significant jump in his hitting,” said Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell, an Astros special assistant. “Most importantly, he has the mental makeup to adjust his flaws.
“His power is real to all parts of the ballpark, and his hitting mind is growing. He needs to cut down on his strikeouts, but he consistently knows the strike zone, which is why his walks are high.
“Power, on-base percentage, and his desire to be a great catcher have him on a great path to the big leagues.”
Bagwell also pointed to the parts of Schiavone’s game that have long stood out behind the plate.
“Jason’s catching ability and arm strength have always been his strength,” Bagwell said. “His ability to command a pitching staff, and work ethic is off the charts.”
In Other News...
Jim Crane May Be Running Out Of Time To Reset Astros
The Astros are at a point in the season where the losses are starting to carry more weight than the talk around them. After getting swept by the Braves, Houston is staring up in both the AL West and the wild card race, a sharp reminder of how far the club has drifted since its 2022 World Series title run. The core still has name value, but the group looks older and less imposing, and the conversation around the franchise has shifted from chasing October to figuring out what comes next.
Reports that Joe Espada and Dana Brown could be on their way out only add to the sense that a reset is coming, one way or another. Jim Crane has a decision to make about how aggressively he wants to address the decline, because this is no longer just about one bad stretch or one disappointing series. The Astros have reached the point where changes at the top could be the cleanest way to signal a new direction, even if the most important part of that answer is still waiting to be revealed. [Read more 🡒]
Astros Keep Wasting Winnable Games At The Worst Possible Time
Another winnable series slipped away for Houston in Atlanta, where the Astros were swept over three games and left with the same frustrating questions that have followed them through too many tight nights this season. The starting pitching never gave the bullpen much relief, with each starter failing to get through six innings, and that left a taxed relief corps trying to protect leads without much margin for error.
The missed chances at the plate were just as costly, especially with runners on and the game hanging in the balance. Atlanta came through with the bigger swings when it mattered, and Houston could not match that clutch power at the end of an uneven series that felt especially damaging given the timing. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Just Sent The Astros Into A Late-Season Spiral
A sweep at the hands of the Braves left the Astros in an unfamiliar spot at the worst possible time, dropping them out of first place in the AL West and tightening the margin for error with just six games left. Houston had been in control of its division race not long ago, but the recent skid has made every remaining night feel heavier, especially with the Rangers now sitting one game ahead.
Yordan Alvarez addressed his teammates after the losses and stressed the need to stay focused on winning out, a message that fits the urgency around the clubhouse. The Astros are also three games back in the AL wild-card chase, so the path forward is no longer just about chasing one club in the division, but about finding enough urgency to keep the season alive. [Read more 🡒]