Hunter Brown's injury could create an opportunity for Astros' No. 7 prospect

Hunter Brown's injury could create an opportunity for Astros' No. 7 prospect originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .

Ethan Pecko's path to professional baseball has been a wild one. He wasn't able to pitch during his senior year in 2020 due to the pandemic, and he also didn't pitch his first year of college after undergoing Tommy John surgery, and then La Salle dropping their baseball program. This left him with few options, but he was able to transfer to Towson and was able to catch the attention of a few big-league clubs.

While he likely could have been drafted higher if not for two lost seasons, he was drafted by the Houston Astros during the 2023 MLB Draft in the sixth round and immediately showed his value in the minors. MORE: Astros' biggest offseason regret is clear amid Hunter Brown and Cristian Javier's injuries Hunter Brown's injury could create an opportunity for Astros' No. 7 prospect During his first year in the minors, Pecko won the Astros' Minor League Pitcher of the Year Award.

However, a strained forearm would cost him two months of the 2025 season, delaying some of his development. But he started the season healthy and has been able to miss barrels in his limited innings in High-A while he gets stretched out. With the recent injury to Hunter Brown, who is dealing with a Grade 2 right shoulder strain and has been shut down from throwing, MLB Pipeline believes this could create an opportunity for Pecko.