Houston Astros Outfield Prospect Moves In Top 100 Rankings

The progress of this young Houston Astros outfield prospect is worth watching as Baseball America adjusted its rankings for May.

Mar 1, 2023; West Palm Beach, Florida, USA; Houston Astros outfielder Jacob Melton. / Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports

The Houston Astros have just one Top 100 prospect in Baseball America’s most recent prospect update, which takes into account action for the first month of the season.

Jacob Melton, who is considered Houston’s No. 1 prospect by every major MLB scouting outlet, also moved up in the current rankings.

Melton moved to No. 73 overall, which is 14 spots higher than his ranking of No. 87 on April 5.

The left-handed hitting outfielder from Medford, Ore., is currently with the Corpus Christi Hooks, which is the Astros’ Double-A affiliate. In his first 19 games Melton is slashing .250/.313/.472/.785 with three doubles, two triples, three home runs and 15 RBI. He has struck out 18 times and walked six times.

Corpus is as high as the 23-year-old has ascended in Houston’s minor league system. He emerged as the organization’s No. 1 prospect late last season in the midst of a 2023 in which MLB.com named him an organizational all-star. The Astros also traded two outfielders in front of him in the rankings — Drew Gilbert and Ryan Clifford — to get back pitcher Justin Verlander.

Melton batted .245 with a .334 on-base percentage and a .467 slugging percentage in 99 games last season. He also belted 23 home runs, drove in 55 runs and stole 46 bases.

It was his first full minor-league season after he was taken in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of Oregon.

He does not appear to be on a track to reach the Majors this year. The Astros have already called up one highly-touted minor leaguer that can play outfield, Joey Loperfido. He may also be a long-term answer at first base.