The Houston Astros designated for assignment prospect Forrest Whitley (28).
Major League Baseball's official media outlet MLB.com reported on the 9th that "right-handed pitcher Forrest Whitley has been designated for assignment by the Houston Astros. This is a move to register left-handed pitcher Brandon Walter, called up from Triple-A Sugar Land, to the Major League roster. With this action, Whitley's time in Houston is likely coming to an end."
Whitley was a highly touted prospect who joined Houston as the 17th overall pick in the first round of the 2016 rookie draft. He entered the top 100 prospects rankings in Major League Baseball immediately after joining and climbed to 7th in MLB.com's rankings by 2019. However, his evaluation plummeted after he was tested positive for prohibited substances while playing in the minor leagues in 2018, resulting in a 50-game suspension.
Beginning to break down gradually, Whitley managed to record 17 wins and 20 losses with a 4.75 earned run average over 117 games (306⅔ innings) in the minor leagues during eight seasons. In 2021, he underwent Tommy John surgery (elbow ligament replacement surgery). Ultimately, Whitley, who did not develop as expected, switched from being a starting pitcher to a reliever last year, and only then did he get the chance to step onto the big league stage.
However, even after changing his position, Whitley struggled with injuries and ultimately did not get a proper opportunity to showcase his potential. He could barely make his major league debut on April 17 of last year against Atlanta. But shortly after, he was sent down to the minor leagues. He was called up again in September but only appeared in two games. Still, he had a good season in the minor leagues, recording 4 wins, 1 loss, and a 2.12 earned run average over 33 games (34 innings), raising expectations for the current season.
However, this year has also not started well due to injury setbacks. Whitley was likely to be part of the opening day roster, but he suffered a left knee contusion during spring training, which thwarted that plan. Although he returned to the team on April 20, he suffered another left knee sprain and was placed on the injured list from April 28 to May 22. His season performance recorded just 5 games (7⅓ innings) with an earned run average of 12.27.
And now, the possibility of Whitley parting ways with Houston looms large. MLB.com explained that "the Houston team that designated Whitley for assignment must trade, release, or place him on waivers within the next seven days." This year, Whitley also recorded 3 wins and an earned run average of 4.76 in six games (5⅔ innings) in the minor league Triple-A, making a transfer to another team unlikely.
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