The always-excellent Hardball Times has their list of the Astros' Top 10 Prospects (with a note):
1. Jordan Lyles - He is a legit ace prospect but still has much to prove.
2. Jiovanni Mier - The first things that jump out are his defense and overall confidence.
3. Jason Castro - He is close to the big leagues and has proved himself in my eyes.
4. Sammy Gervacio - He is Houston's closer in training, and if he improves his command he will reach that level.
5. Tanner Bushue - His short Gulf Coast League stint was impressive, and it will be fascinating to see how he adjusts to being a full-time pitcher.
6. Ross Seaton - Seaton's fastball hasn't been as good as advertised, but he has shown strong consistency with his control.
7. Jonathan Gaston - He has immense power due to his all-or-nothing swing, which has resulted in cringe-worthy strikeout numbers, but his saving grace could be his patience at the plate.
8. Brad Dydalewicz - With better control and an uptick in his strikeout rate, he could have a middle-of-the-rotation future.
9. Chia-Jen Lo - His command is lacking, and if he is going to live up to his potential one of his secondary offerings needs to become a dependable weapon.
10. Jay Austin - His swing and speed make me think the top of the order could be in his future, and he has a good amount of time to get there, but he has a long, long way to go.
Read the whole article for further notes.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
