SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The Astros have made eight consecutive playoff appearances, winning two World Series, four pennants and seven American League West titles during that span. Their international department has helped fuel that success by producing quality big league arms at bargain prices.

Bryan Abreu ($40,000), Ronel Blanco ($5,000), Luis Garcia ($20,000), Cristian Javier ($10,000), and Framber Valez ($10,000) all have far exceeded expectations since turning pro with Houston. Jose Fleury could be the next pitcher in that line.

Fleury, Houston's No. 10 prospect, was the last and least expensive player in the Astros' 2021 international class, signing for $10,000 out of the Dominican Republic that December. He made a spectacular pro debut with a 1.42 ERA and 60/4 K/BB ratio in 38 innings in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League, then encored in 2023 with a strikeout rate (12.7 per nine innings) and opponent average (.181) that would have led the Single-A Carolina League if he hadn't fallen just shy of qualifying.

Fleury skipped a level and made the jump to Double-A this year at age 22, posting a 3.82 ERA with a .216 opponent average and a 74/26 K/BB ratio in 68 1/3 Double-A innings despite a thigh injury that cost him two months. Now he's making up for lost time in the Arizona Fall League with the two-time defending champion Surprise Saguaros.

The key to Fleury's success is his low-80s changeup, which features significant fade and helps his low-90s fastball play up. He said he began throwing his cambio when he was 12 years old.

"In the beginning, that was my worst pitch," Fleury said via AFL translator Analis Castro. "I remember one time in a game, I threw the changeup and they hit a home run off of me and I said, 'Well, I'm not going to throw it any more.' But my uncle helped me with it, and I gained confidence in it. At first, I didn't believe in it, but it's my best pitch today."

Fleury notched two strikeouts and five swinging strikes in two innings with his changeup in his Fall League debut last Friday, but he also hung an 83-mph slider that defending AFL home run champion Kala'i Rosario (Twins) blasted 424 feet over the center-field fence. He throws both a slider and curveball, and they lag behind his changeup and fastball in terms of effectiveness. The slider is a point of emphasis for him this fall, and he threw it more than his changeup in that first outing.

At 6 feet and 185 pounds, Fleury isn't particularly physical. But he's athletic and repeats his delivery well, allowing him to provide consistent strikes. If he can continue to build on the progress he already has made, he could join Houston's rotation in the near future.

"The Astros have helped me tremendously with my pitching," Fleury said. "When I came to America, only my changeup was good. They helped me with it and taught me to execute everything else."

Astros hitters in the Fall League

Austin Deming, 3B/2B/1B: Deming slashed .418/.484/.915 with 19 homers in 41 games as a fifth-year senior at Brigham Young in 2023, prompting the Astros to draft him in the 10th round and sign him for $7,500. His right-handed power is his best attribute, and he batted .262/.348/.464 with 19 homers and 13 steals in 113 games between High-A and Double-A.

Quincy Hamilton, OF: Hamilton has a left-handed swing geared for line drives, a sound approach and the ability to play all three outfield spots. The 2021 fifth-rounder from Wright State hit .229/.344/.424 with 16 homers and 11 steals in 117 games between Double-A and Triple-A.

Collin Price, C/1B: Bigger than most catchers at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, Price offers solid raw power but his defense behind the plate is still a work in progress. A sixth-rounder out of Mercer in 2022, he batted .227/.327/.391 with 13 homers in 100 games between High-A and Double-A.

Astros pitchers in the Fall League

Joey Mancini, RHP: A 15th-round pick from Boston College in 2022, Mancini reached Double-A this season and ranked sixth in ERA (2.12) and 11th in opponent average (.191) among Minor Leaguers with 100 or more innings. His best pitch is his low-80s slider, which he sets up with a low-90s fastball.

Alex Santos, RHP: Houston's top choice (supplemental second round) in the 2020 Draft as a New York City high schooler, Santos is inconsistent but can touch 96 mph with his fastball and flash a plus curveball at his best. He compiled a 7.83 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 23 Double-A innings before missing the final four months of the season with an elbow strain.

Nic Swanson, RHP: Selected in the 16th round out of NCAA Division II Northeastern State (Okla.), Swanson relies on his upper-80s cutter and upper-70s curveball as much as his low-90s fastball. He logged a 4.88 ERA with 115 strikeouts in 107 High-A innings before making a season-ending cameo in Double-A.

Alejandro Torres, RHP: Torres operates primarily with a low-90s fastball and an upper-80s cutters. Signed for $100,000 as a nondrafted free agent from Miami in 2023, he posted a 2.91 ERA, .168 opponent average and 61 strikeouts in 52 2/3 innings between High-A and Double-A.