Houston Astros’ top pitching prospect, Spencer Arrighetti, made his highly anticipated major league debut on Wednesday night against the Kansas City Royals. The 24-year-old right-hander was called up from Triple-A Sugar Land, where he had been dominating opponents.
Arrighetti’s promotion to the majors is a testament to his impressive performance in the minors. In 2023, he was named the Astros’ minor league pitcher of the year after posting a 9-7 record with a 4.40 ERA in 28 appearances. He struck out 10.2 batters per nine innings and maintained a 2.39 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
This season, Arrighetti continued to impress in Triple-A, striking out 10 batters in 8 1/3 innings over two starts. Despite allowing seven hits and seven walks, he showed flashes of his potential.
Astros manager Joe Espada is confident in Arrighetti’s abilities and believes he has the potential to be a successful major league pitcher. “He’s got a big fastball, a good slider, and a developing curveball,” Espada said. “He’s a strike-thrower, and he’s got a good feel for pitching.”
Arrighetti’s fastball averages in the mid-90s, and he complements it with a sweeper-slider in the low-80s and a curveball in the mid-70s. He is expected to be on a pitch count of 80-85 pitches in his debut.
The Astros are excited to see what Arrighetti can bring to the team. He is a talented young pitcher with a bright future, and his debut is a significant milestone in his career.
