Article from Brett Chancey
With all the talk of Cam Smith, Logan VanWey, Brice Matthews, Colton Gordon, and many more there are a few arms that you might not know much about, so lets get to know. Ethan Pecko, Anderson Brito and Jackson Nezuh, these young arms have a promising future.
We all know health is the 1st test, then sustained success over a season of success. Then you hear all the talk about the Astros “weak” farm system. So why would I write about these 3 arms? I am glad you asked.
Ethan Pecko – Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 50 | Cutter: 50 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 50 | Overall: 45
Ethan Pecko dominated in yesterday’s #SpringBreakout game, tossing two scoreless frames and punching out 3 of 7 batters faced. Last season, Pecko posted a 3.47 ERA with 125 K in 96.0 IP, ending the year with Corpus Christi. He was named #Astros 2024 Minor League Pitcher of the Year.
I will start with Ethan Pecko who I had the opportunity to interview before his start when he was with the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (A game where he struck out 7 and got the W.) This kid was impressive on the mic and the more I have gotten to know about him, I’m even more impressed with who he is on the mound. In 2024 he was the Astros minor league pitcher of the year.
Most recently he showed out in the Spring Breakout Game where he struck out 3 in on inning. “Since turning pro, Pecko has added 2 mph to his best pitch, a 92-94 mph fastball that touches 96 and misses bats thanks to its flat approach angle and carry. He has replaced a sweeping slider with a tighter low-80s version that he also can turn into an upper-80s cutter, both of which are average offerings with the potential to get better. His 78-82 mph curveball and mid-80s changeup offer more depth, but both grade as fringy.”
He is said to have the stuff to be a No. 4 start in a major league rotation. If all goes well with Pecko you can bet that his spin rate as it improves and his improved weaponry on the mound will help him move up to AAA Sugar land. Then it would be a matter of time before driving 26 miles to make a first career start at Daikin Park.
Jackson Nezuh – Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 40 | Slider: 40 | Changeup: 65 | Control: 50 | Overall: 45
Nezuh, 23, split last year between High-A Asheville, Single-A Fayetteville, going 8-6 with a 3.89 ERA in 120 1/3 combined innings. He struck out 151 batters and walked 48 in 2024 and will be an arm to watch in 2025.
When a pitcher is strong and athletic like Nezuh you always ask yourself are his mechanics repeatable? Does he control the zone? Can he improve his command to move through the system? I am glad you asked because he has checked all these boxed thus far. This 14th rounder out of Louisiana-Lafayette where current Astros No. 3 starter Spencer Arrighetti got his feet wet in D1 baseball. He comes in as someone that would normally fight for a starting position. He will more than likely profile as a relief pitcher.
I was higher on him then, most, I have seen some really good breaking pitches…and if he could bring his slider and curve up to a 50 – Oh man he’d be dangerous. According to Mark White In his 121 innings of pro ball, he has recorded 151 K’s, with a WHIP of 1.19 and only 48 walks. With an 11.29 K/9 Nezuh seems to have a bright future, and will be one of these “under the radar” editions, that could help sustain winning in Houston.
Ander Brito – Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 50 | Overall: 45
Brito is only 20 years old. Pitchers that profile as athletic combined with a simple repeatable delivery are positioned for success in the BIGS. He does need to prove that he can maintain success over a long period of time. With his 5’10” frame some scouts say he “lacks physicality”.
Despite that he is a Top 10 prospect. While that doesn’t always determine outcome it at least lets you know what the scouts think about him. Astros player development has time and again produced pitchers with somewhat lower ceilings to raise that ceiling and achieve Big League success. He boasts 82K’s in 53.2 IP. Along with a 1.51 ERA, .152 BAA, and a 0.91 WHIP.
The athletic Brito repeats his simple delivery with ease and threw consistent strikes before tiring toward the end of his pro debut. Only slightly bigger than his listed 5-foot-10 and 155 pounds, he lacks physicality and will have to prove he can hold up and maintain his stuff over a full season’s workload of starts.
Brito gained about 5 mph of fastball velocity in his first year as a pro, working in the mid-90s and touching 99 mph with good carry up in the zone. His low-80s slider has huge horizontal action and projects as a second plus offering, and he also can spin an upper-70s curveball with promising depth. He has some feel for an upper-80s changeup with some depth that still needs a lot of refinement.
As long as they continue to grow, and stay healthy the path to the BIGS may not be a difficult one. I look forward to seeing what these 2 young guns do going forward.
Brett Chancey is the host of the Locked on Astros Podcast and Back to the Bullpen.
