Anthony Huezo joins elite 20-40 club in Astros farm breakout
DIRECT ANSWER: Anthony Huezo is the Houston Astros' No. 10 prospect whose 2026 breakout puts him beside Konnor Griffin and Joshua Báez as one of only five minor leaguers over two seasons to reach 20 home runs and 40 stolen bases. While Houston chases the AL West in a tight astros standings race, Huezo signals future upside from a system in transition.
Key Takeaways
- Huezo hit 22 homers and stole 43 bases across 104 games at two levels, posting a .859 OPS in his healthiest pro season.
- He is the only 20-40 finisher from the past two seasons not already on MLB rosters or Pipeline's Top 100.
- Houston drafted Huezo in the 12th round in 2023; he is still just 20 years old in his third full minor-league year.
- Owner Jim Crane says the Astros remain focused on winning the division despite a 3-6 homestand and GM Dana Brown's dismissal.
- Huezo carries swing-and-miss risk, but 55-grade power and 55-grade speed make him a name to track.
Who Is Anthony Huezo and Why Is His Season Turning Heads?
Huezo has flown under the radar since Houston selected him in the 12th round of the 2023 Draft. That changed in 2026, when the outfielder reached the 20-40 milestone last week and added two more homers, including one during a three-hit night Sunday for High-A Asheville.
His line across two levels: .262 average, .859 OPS, 22 home runs, 72 RBIs and 43 stolen bases in 104 games. At High-A, he posted a .865 OPS over a 33-game stretch, his longest run at that level.
How Does Huezo Compare to Konnor Griffin and Joshua Báez?
Griffin, Báez, Eric Hartman and Theo Gillen are the only other minor leaguers from the past two seasons to post a 20-homer, 40-stolen-base year, per MLB.com. The first four are either in the majors or on MLB Pipeline's Top 100 list.
Huezo stands alone as the under-the-radar name on that list. Scouts note swing-and-miss concerns, but his blend of above-average power and speed is hard to ignore when his name sits next to elite prospects.
Why Does Huezo Matter While the Astros Chase the Division?
Houston's big-league picture has been turbulent. Owner Jim Crane dismissed GM Dana Brown in August with two months left on his contract, telling reporters the club "just needed a change" and still expects to win the AL West. Crane said injuries and a slow start hurt the club but insisted the division remained within reach.
Brown, in his first interview since the firing, tied the move to a frustrating 3-6 homestand against sub-.500 AL West rivals, though Crane had said that stretch did not drive the decision. The Astros were tied atop the division at the time, in a year when no AL West team sat above .500.
What Comes Next for Huezo and Houston's Farm System?
Huezo's third homer in four games pushed him to 22 on the season, and his age gives Houston room to dream. Crane has said assistant GMs and adviser Jeff Bagwell will handle day-to-day baseball operations while the club searches for Brown's replacement, likely after the season.
For fans tracking the pennant race and the pipeline beneath it, Huezo is the prospect worth watching when the parent club needs reinforcements down the road.