Nine Astros named on John Sickels’ 2017 top 200 prospects

Minor League Ball’s John Sickels has bumped up his top prospects rankings from 175 prospects to 200 in 2017. The Astros didn’t need the final 25 slots to net nine players on “Minor League Ball Top 200 MLB prospects for 2017”.

RHP Francis Martes is the Astros only prospect in the Top 30 at No. 29. OF Kyle Tucker (No. 36) and RHP David Paulino (No. 38) follow shortly behind.

Yulieski Gurriel, 32, isn’t a normal prospect in only his second major league season. But Gurriel checks in at No. 81. RHP Franklin Perez and RHP Forrest Whitley are behind at No. 93 and No. 96 respectively.

Three outfielders round out the Astros rankings: Ramon Laureano (No. 161), Derek Fisher (No. 165) and Teoscar Hernandez (No. 172).

The rest of Sickels’ top 20 Astros prospects was rounded out by OF Daz Cameron, C Garrett Stubbs, 1B A.J. Reed, RHP Jandel Gustave, SS Anibal Sierra, OF Jason Martin, OF Stephen Wrenn, LHP Cionel Perez, 3B J.D. Davis, 3B Colin Moran, and SS Miguelangel Sierra.

Alex Bregman, Joe Musgrove, Michael Feliz, and Tyler White graduated from the Sickels’ 2016 list. While Reed, Cameron, and Moran drop off the list while still remaining in prospect status.