It’s been a tough first couple of days for many MLB teams and Houston is no exception. After losing staff ace Framber Valdez to an elbow issue, the Astros will reportedly call up top pitching prospect Spencer Arrighetti for his MLB debut. Here’s a look at what to expect from Arrighetti.
A Look at Arrighetti
The Astros selected right-hander Spencer Arrighetti out of a strong Louisiana-Lafayette program in 2021, where he struck out 91 batters over 83.2 IP as a starter in his draft season. That came after an uneven 2019 out of the TCU bullpen.
Since then, Arrighetti’s been one of the better stories in the Astros’ farm system. The 24-year-old struck out 152 batters in his first full pro season, then struck out 141 more in 2023 and held opposing batters to a .217 average. Arrighetti finished 2023 and began 2024 in Triple-A.
Arrighetti’s fastball doesn’t have a ton of carry (around 16.0” based on MiLB whiff data). However, what he does have is a lower release point which gives that fastball, which usually sits in the mid-90s, some rising effect.
The 24-year-old also gets swings and misses with his other pitches, including a high-80s cutter, sweeper, changeup, and curveball.
Walks and command are a concern for Arrighetti, as he’s traditionally been a pitcher who’s hovered around 4.5 BB/9. However, the stuff makes Arrighetti a prime pitching prospect, one who could be at least a mid-rotation arm given his stuff.
Per The Athletic, Spencer Arrighetti will make his MLB debut on April 10 against the Royals. As of this writing, Hunter Brown is scheduled to start that game.
Analysis
It was likely that Arrighetti, who struck out 10 over 8.1 IP to begin 2024, would get a shot at the Majors at some point given how close he is to the Majors. However, Houston needs a little bit of help given the lack of pitching depth.
The Astros have several pitchers out of action at the moment. Luis Garcia, Lance McCullers Jr., Jose Urquidy, and Justin Verlander are all on the IL, although Verlander is rehabbing and getting ready for his 2024 MLB debut. But recently, the Astros lost ace Framber Valdez to elbow soreness, exacerbating their current depth even further.
It’ll be interesting to see how well Arrighetti — who The Athletic stated is presumed to be taking Valdez’s spot in the rotation — functions as an MLB starter. But if it doesn’t work, he’s got the potential to be at worst an effective reliever.
Fantasy Outlook
Arrighetti’s been on our fantasy radar, dating back to August of last season.
It’s too early to figure out how Arrighetti fits in the fantasy scene, simply because we don’t know how long the ‘Stros will use him as a starter. Nonetheless, he’s worth keeping an eye given his gaudy strikeout numbers as a Minor Leaguer.