Here are the Astros' 2022 Top 30 prospects

Since MLB Pipeline extended its biannual farm system rankings to cover all 30 teams in 2020, the Astros have placed 28th, 27th, 29th and 29th. They'll land in similar territory when our new ratings come out later this week. But that hasn't stopped them from extending their streak of consecutive American League Championship Series appearances to five.

Relatively unhyped as prospects, Cristian Javier and Luis Garcia received more AL Rookie of the Year votes than any other pitcher in 2020 or 2021. Outfielders Chas McCormick and Jake Meyers also didn't move the needle much in the Minors before playing key roles in Houston last season.

Though the Astros join the White Sox as the only teams without a single Top 100 Prospect on our latest list, they had three players who just missed in shortstop Jeremy Peña, catcher Korey Lee and right-hander Hunter Brown. Peña is primed to take over for departed superstar Carlos Correa at shortstop, while Lee and Brown could make their big league debuts later in the year.

Top 30s
NLE: ATL | MIA | NYM | PHI | WSH
ALE: BAL | BOS | NYY | TB | TOR
NLC: CIN | CHC | MIL | PIT | STL
ALC: CWS | CLE | DET | KC | MIN
NLW: ARI | COL | LAD | SD | SF
ALW: HOU | LAA | OAK | SEA | TEX

Here's a look at the Astros' top prospects:
1. Jeremy Peña, SS
2. Korey Lee, C
3. Hunter Brown, RHP
4. Pedro Leon, SS/OF
5. Forrest Whitley, RHP
Complete Top 30 list »

Biggest jump/fall
Here are the players whose ranks changed the most from the 2021 preseason list to the 2022 preseason list.

Jump: Joe Perez, 3B/1B (2021: 30 | 2022: 9) -- The 2017 second-rounder finally stayed healthy and made it to full-season ball, slugging 18 homers across three levels and grabbing a spot on the 40-man roster.

Fall: Freudis Nova, SS (2021: 7 | 2022: NR) -- The toolsy shortstop continued to undermine himself with an undisciplined approach before blowing out his left knee in September and requiring surgery.

Best tools
Players are graded on a 20-80 scouting scale for future tools -- 20-30 is well below average, 40 is below average, 50 is average, 60 is above average and 70-80 is well above average. Players in parentheses have the same grade.

Hit: 60 -- Yainer Diaz
Power: 55 -- Joe Perez (Korey Lee)
Run: 70 -- Jose Siri (Logan Cerny)
Arm: 80 -- Pedro Leon
Defense: 60 -- Jeremy Peña (Logan Cerny, Jose Siri)
Fastball: 65 -- Hunter Brown (Misael Tamarez)
Curveball: 65 -- Hunter Brown
Slider: 60 -- Shawn Dubin
Changeup: 60 -- Forrest Whitley (Jonathan Bermudez)
Control: 50 -- Jonathan Bermudez (Spencer Arrighetti, Tyler Ivey)

How they were built
Draft: 19 | International: 6 | NDFA: 1 | Trade: 3 | Free agent: 1

Breakdown by ETA
2022: 10 | 2023: 12 | 2024: 5 | 2025: 3

Breakdown by position
C: 3 | 3B: 1 | SS: 5 | OF: 9 | RHP: 11 | LHP: 1