Anthony Huezo’s breakout season didn’t just put him on the Astros’ radar - it pushed him into the organization’s spotlight as one of its most intriguing young hitters and runners.
Before Houston’s regular-season home finale Sunday, the club recognized its No. 10 prospect as Minor League Baserunner of the Year after he stole 47 bases, third-most in the organization this season, while moving through three levels. The same season also brought a serious jump at the plate. In 112 games, Huezo hit .242/.340/.485 with 22 doubles, 31 homers and 73 RBIs, and he finished as one of only five Minor Leaguers in 2026 with at least 20 home runs and 40 stolen bases.
That production is a long way from the player Houston first started tracking in Southern California. In the summer of 2022 at the Area Code Baseball tryouts in Santa Barbara, Astros area scouting supervisor for Southern California and Las Vegas Elijah Tupuola began hearing about Huezo because of his arm strength, athleticism, bat speed, body type and power. Houston kept following him at additional showcases that summer, and the fit got serious enough that, in the 2023 Draft, the decision came down to the Astros and Dodgers.
"It came down to us and the Dodgers," said Elijah Tupuola, the Astros' area scouting supervisor for Southern California and Las Vegas. "He really saw a path.
If he does what he needs to do, he can move through our system quickly. … I think he made the right decision obviously."
Huezo’s path to this point has had its share of bumps. Before he reached Double-A, he spent time as a fill-in player for the organization and made a brief, memorable stop with Corpus Christi on Aug. 11, 2024, when the Hooks announced the 18-year-old as the youngest player to ever appear in a game for them. He went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts, then was sent back to the Rookie-level Florida Complex League two days later.
At the time, Houston saw the raw ingredients. The left-handed hitter had power and tools, but Tupuola also saw a swing that needed work, especially a stance change that kept Huezo from using his lower half properly. The result was too many whiffs, a two-part move that lacked balance and rhythm, and a hit tool that was graded at 40.
Huezo’s early development was also interrupted by injuries, including a broken hamate bone in his hand and a hamstring issue. But those setbacks helped sharpen his approach to preparation and health. Former FCL Astros hitting coach Brandon Van Horn, who called him "107 Huezo" because of his consistently loud exit velocities, said the growth went beyond the physical tools.
"This is so much more about him," said former FCL Astros hitting coach Brandon Van Horn, who nicknamed the prospect "107 Huezo" for his consistently high exit velocities. "Just as big as the tools, his mindset is incredible.
His work ethic is incredible. The professionalism is incredible. ...
I don't know if I'll ever coach another Anthony Huezo, but that kid, I think he just needed a couple bumpers to be able to fly down the line."
The swing improvements started showing up in game action. Huezo began attacking early in counts and handling "get-me-over" curveballs, one of the better pitches he sees regularly, by shooting them back up the middle instead of letting them go by. He also became less fastball-dependent, no longer waiting only for pitches in the upper part of the zone.
"There's a lot of these conversations about approach, pitches, certain counts," Tupuola said. "Even though he's still young, he understands the game. ... He really took the bull by the horns and wanted to get better."
That progress helped fuel a season that went beyond the bat. Huezo’s arm, fielding and running all took a step forward, and he showed he could handle all three outfield spots. Tupuola said the lesson from Huezo’s first few years was clear: the talent was always there, but the maturation mattered just as much.
"Going back and learning from the failures and for him to be mentally strong and to battle through and to do what he did, you're starting to see the type of player he can be," Tupuola said.
"He's always going to be a swing-and-miss guy. The strikeouts are going to be there, but to see him cut him down to around 30 percent now compared to what it was 45-50 those first couple years, it's a commitment to the kid and his hard work."
The Astros have watched that work stack up across a long year that began in November 2025 in the Australian Baseball League and rolled straight into Houston’s Minor League camp in Florida when that season ended in January. By the time the organization honored him Sunday, the breakout was no longer just potential.
"Anthony, he's had a special year," said Sam Niedorf, the Astros' director of player development. "We've said it to all of our players: 'We're going to challenge you if you earn it.'
It's a meritocracy. … We think the ceiling is absolutely not the limit for him.
He's going to punch through that and continue to put his name on the map out of the prospects in his class."
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