The Astros are recalling former high prospect Forrest Whitley for his first MLB promotion, reviews Michael Schwab of the Juice Field Journal (X link). He’s already on the 40-man roster, in order that they’ll solely must make a corresponding lively roster transaction.
Whitley, now 26, took a circuitous path to the majors. He was a first-round choose in 2016 out of a San Antonio highschool. The 6’7″ righty dominated for his first yr and a half, pitching his solution to Double-A as an adolescent. By 2018, he regarded the a part of a possible ace and the highest pitching prospect within the sport.
Issues haven’t performed out the best way Whitley or the Astros envisioned from that time. He was hit with a 50-game suspension for violating the minor league drug coverage going into the ’18 season. Whitley battled shoulder points the next yr and misplaced his really feel for the strike zone. The canceled 2020 marketing campaign price him one other yr of reps, though Houston however made the straightforward name to pick out him onto the 40-man roster to maintain him out of the Rule 5 draft.
Whitley has held that spot ever since, though it didn’t at all times appear as if that had been a assure. He underwent Tommy John surgical procedure in March 2021 and posted subpar outcomes when he returned. His management points resurfaced as he pitched to a 6.53 ERA within the higher minors in 2022. He bought off to a different tough begin final season earlier than sustaining a lat pressure that ended his yr in Could. The Astros had been granted a fourth minor league choice on account of Whitley’s damage historical past.
The entrance workplace determined to maintain him on the 40-man roster all through final offseason. They moved him to the bullpen this yr upon optioning him to Triple-A Sugar Land. Whitley hasn’t gotten off to an ideal begin, permitting 4 runs on a trio of homers in three innings, however he’s a contemporary arm for a bullpen that has been tasked with 71 innings via the season’s first three weeks. Solely the Dodgers and Padres — who leaned closely on their reduction teams throughout their abbreviated sequence in Seoul per week earlier than each different group’s Opening Day — have used their bullpens extra closely than Houston has.
Whereas Whitley’s promotion isn’t going to be met with the identical stage of fanfare as it could have a number of years in the past, it’s certainly rewarding for the righty all the identical. It’s the fruits of a virtually eight-year climb via the minors that has been plagued by damage setbacks. It might show to be a reasonably transient name — Houston could must proceed biking via center relievers till their rotation finds any type of groove — however he might get the possibility to make his debut.
