Astros Open Forum: Is it Too Soon to Question Kyle Tucker’s Top Prospect Status?

In 2015, the year the Astros drafted Alex Bregman with the second pick overall in the amateur draft, they also drafted Kyle Tucker with the fifth overall pick at age 18 straight out of high school.

He has never disappointed in the minors, proceeding through the system with all the speed a top prospect should. Last year he had 24 home runs and a .989 OPS in 464 plate appearances in AAA at the age of 21. He was rated MLB’s 7th rated prospect this winter.

But there are questions. In 64 AB’s last year in his brief major league call-up, he only managed a .493 OPS with no home runs. He was extremely prone to the ground ball out into the shift.

So far in AAA he has a .103 BA in 31 PA’s in 2019.

Today’s question: Are Tucker’s current and recent problems just a phase in the development of an eventual successful major leaguer, or are there flaws in his hitting approach that doom him to the fate of the Brett Wallaces, Chris Carters, Jon Singletons, AJ Reeds of the Houston past?

Write a fanpost or express your opinion in the comments below.