DETROIT – Former Wayne State University pitcher Hunter Brown is reportedly set to make his MLB debut with the Houston Astros.
The 24-year-old right-handed pitcher has been dominant in Triple-A this season, striking out 134 batters in 106 innings with a 2.55 ERA and 1.085 WHIP.
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He’s currently ranked the No. 40 overall prospect by Baseball America and the No. 71 prospect by MLB Pipeline.
Chandler Rome, of the Houston Chronicle, reported Brown will join the Astros on Thursday (Sept. 1), when MLB rosters expand from 26 to 28 players.
Brown pitched for Wayne State from 2017-2019, posting a 3.33 ERA and 1.322 WHIP in 159.2 innings. He struck out 178 batters, but walked 72.
The Astros drafted him with the 166th overall pick (fifth round) of the 2019 draft, and he’s put together some strong numbers since minor leaguers returned to action following the 2020 COVID season.
Overall, Brown has struck out 298 batters in 230 minor-league innings, with a 3.40 ERA and 1.252 WHIP.
Scouts love Brown’s triple-digit fastball and deadly curveball, but he still needs to work on his control. Walks have been a major issue for him throughout his young career.
It’s unclear if he’ll be inserted into Houston’s starting rotation or join the bullpen. He’s appeared as both a starter and a reliever in the minors this season.