Forrest Whitley

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Houston Astros #28 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 45/Extreme
  
  Track Record: At one point, Whitley ranked among the game’s best prospects and was the best pitching prospect in the sport heading into the 2019 season. Since then, Whitley has dealt with a rash of injuries and been limited to just 129.2 innings in four years. Whitley dealt with lat and oblique issues in 2018, followed by shoulder fatigue in 2019 and then had Tommy John surgery in 2021. Whitley looked rejuvenated in spring training, showing mid-to-high-90s velocity and a mid-80s curveball, but after eight appearances Whitley was placed on the injured list with a lat strain and did not return for the remainder of the season.
  
  Scouting Report: Whitley has transformed from physical prep prospect to elite pitching prospect to injury-riddled cautionary tale. When healthy, Whitley’s four-pitch mix flashes power and movement. His four-seam fastball sits 95-96 mph and touches 97-98 at peak with four-seam and two-seam shapes. Whitley’s upper-80s cutter and mid-80s two-plane curveball offer both power and movement. Of the two, the cutter is thrown the most frequently. Whitley throws a firm upper-80s changeup as well but struggles to command it. Strike-throwing has become a major thorn in Whitley’s side over his last few injury-plagued seasons.
  
  The Future: With premium stuff, a murky track record of health and a 40-man roster spot in jeopardy, Whitley will likely be moved to the bullpen. He could flourish as a reliever if he can throw enough strikes.
  
  Scouting Grades Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 40
• 
  Ranked Houston Astros #28 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/Extreme
  
  Track Record: In the not too distant past Whitley ranked among the top pitching prospects in the game, with many believing the tall righthander was a potential ace in the making. After a breakout 2017 season when he reached Double-A as a 19-year-old, Whitley has dealt with suspensions, injuries and ineffectiveness. With just one option remaining, Whitley's time on the 40-man roster is a running clock.
  
  Scouting Report: It's difficult to discern as to whether or not Whitley's best stuff will ever return. His once hop-heavy fastball has lost its bite. The current version sits between 94-95 mph and touches 99 mph with dead zone shape. Whitley missed a below-average amount of bats with the pitch in 2022. He throws a trio of secondaries in a mid-to-high-80s slider, an upper-70s curveball with depth and two-plane break and a mid-to-upper-80s changeup. In his 2022 sample, Whitley showed limited command of his arsenal.
  
  The Future: The hopes of Whitley returning to his previous form are gone. He should begin his season with Triple-A Sugar Land, where he could be fast tracked with a full-time move to the bullpen.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50. Curveball: 50. Slider: 50. Changeup: 50. Control: 40.
• 
  Ranked Houston Astros #13 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Whitley’s fall from baseball’s top pitching prospect continued in 2021 when he had Tommy John surgery after a few spring training bullpen sessions. He’s thrown just 59.2 innings in affiliated ball since 2018—and had a 7.99 ERA. He finished the 2019 season at Triple-A with a 12.21 ERA but Houston still put him on its 40-man roster. Whitley flashed promise at the team’s alternate training site in 2020 and in some summer camp simulated games at Minute Maid Park
  
  Scouting Report: Whitley hasn’t pitched to his potential since 2017. A series of changes always seem to follow him, be it with his delivery, training regimen or weight, and none have stuck. His arsenal remains one of the organization’s best: a plus four-seam fastball at 92-97 mph complemented by two high-spin breaking balls and a plus changeup. His collection of five pitches that are all above average or plus remains unmatched, but commanding that arsenal is another issue entirely. His fastball tends to sail over the top of the strike zone and his cutter was often a ball out of his hand before surgery. He also struggled to keep his composure when things weren’t going well.
  
  The Future: Whitley still possesses front-of-the-rotation type stuff. He could return to game action in summer 2022 and will try to actualize his tantalizing promise.
  
• 
  Ranked Houston Astros #5 prospect in 2021
  Fastball: 60. Slider: 55. Changeup: 60. Curveball: 55. Cutter: 55. Control: 40.
  
  TRACK RECORD: It’s hard to know what to make of Whitley at this point. Drafted 17th overall out of high school in 2016. Whitley ranked as the No. 10 prospect in baseball entering the 2018 season, coming off a year in which he reached Double-A as a 19-year-old. In 2018, Whitley missed the start of the season with a 50-game suspension due to a positive test for a performance-enhancing drug. He then threw just 26 innings in the regular season because he missed time with oblique and lat muscle injuries before returning for an impressive Arizona Fall League stint. His 2019 was ugly, with a double-digit ERA in Triple-A and command and shoulder issues, though he did throw well again in the AFL. Whitley opened 2020 at spring training, where his velocity was a bit down. Once he got ramped up at the alternate training site, he was regularly in the mid 90s. He was dominating in his last outing before he left with elbow pain and was shut down the rest of the year. In spring training in 2021, Whitley felt elbow discomfort again, then had Tommy John surgery that will keep him out until 2022.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT:When Whitley returns to games in 2022, it will be four full seasons since Whitley pitched like a future ace back in 2017. He has flashed upside in the interim, but the red flags are whipping harder than ever. At his best, Whitley has pitched at 92-97 mph and hit 99. He mixes in a low-90s cutter, a hard slider with power and depth, a curveball with good rotation and a changeup that’s plus at times with good sink and fade. It’s a deep arsenal, but Whitley’s command, delivery issues and health problems have added significantly more risk to his profile the last few years. Whitley showed remarkable body control for a young 6-foot-7 pitcher earlier in his career, but a variety of mechanical alterations over the years have thrown him out of whack, though optimistic scouts think he could follow other tall pitchers and sync it up later in his career. Since Whitley only pitched at the alternate site and didn’t go to instructional league, where opposing scouts could have seen him, that makes him even more challenging for other teams to evaluate.
  
  THE FUTURE: Whitley’s future has a wide range of outcomes. For as much as he already feels like a reclamation project, he is still just 23, when healthy, and has the most well-rounded arsenal of plus or potentially plus pitches across the board in the Astros’ farm system. Still, Whitley’s lost 2021 season adds even more risk to his future
• 
  Ranked Houston Astros #1 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Whitley was supposed to be a part of the Astros' rotation by now. He reached Double-A in 2017 and seemed poised to help Houston's playoff run in 2018. Instead, his season was derailed by a 50-game drug suspension. Whitley's 2019 season proved to be even rockier. He struggled with command in eight outings with Triple-A Round Rock and was eventually shut down with shoulder fatigue, though the break was a mental respite as much as anything. Sent to the Gulf Coast and Carolina leagues to rehab, he continued to struggle with big innings upon his assignment to Double-A Corpus Christi. He pitched well in the Arizona Fall League.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Whitley's command backed up by a grade or even two in 2019. He missed badly high and low throughout the season. He would often struggle to finish his delivery, leaving his fastball up far out of the zone, and then he would bounce the next pitch trying to adjust. When Whitley was in the zone, he often caught too much of it. He allowed too many no-doubt home runs. After Whitley's early-season struggles, the Astros junked his windup and had him pitch exclusively from the stretch. He also moved from the third base side of the rubber to the first base side. The Astros had already worked to reduce Whitley's shoulder tilt in his delivery, which lowered his release point. If the alteration works, it will help Whitley stay behind the ball more and get more ride at the top of the zone—though in 2019 it did not work. When he is on, Whitley still shows five plus pitches. His 92-97 mph fastball touched 99. His low-90s cutter darts away from opponents' barrels. His 85-87 mph slider has power and depth and his 12-to-6 curveball does too, though it tends to get loopy and slow. His plus changeup wasn't as dominating in 2019 as it was in previous years, but it still had late drop at times. Whitley's fastball, changeup and slider all could get to plus-plus, but it will require he significantly improve his below-average control and command.
  
  THE FUTURE: Whitley's 2019 season can only be described as disastrous. His stuff is still that of a front-of-the-rotation ace, but he will need to find at least fringe control to reach his upside.
• 
  Ranked Houston Astros #1 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: After being one of the fastest-moving prep pitchers in recent history in his first full pro season in 2017, Whitley's climb to the majors slowed to a crawl in 2018. A 50-game suspension for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug held him out until June. Upon returning to Double-A Corpus Christi, he was pulled from an early July start with an oblique injury that forced him to miss the Futures Game. He missed more than a month and then was shut down again in late August with a lat muscle injury. He made an impressive return in the Arizona Fall League (in one outing, he struck out eight of the first nine batters he faced) but his injuries meant he threw fewer than 60 innings all year.
  
  Scouting Report: It's hard to remember that Whitley once raised concerns from scouts because of his poor conditioning. He slimmed down as a high school senior and continues to be long, lean, athletic and limber. Whitley gets plenty of angle on his fastball thanks to his height and an over-the-top release point. His delivery is relatively clean, but his arm is so fast that his delivery has recoil even though he has a long deceleration into his finish. Whitley's stuff is as good or better than any other minor league pitcher because he has so many quality offerings. He has a chance to be the ultimate rarity--a pitcher with five plus-or-better offerings. It all begins with a 93-97 mph fastball he can run and cut. It has touched 100 mph in shorter outings, but the movement he gets on it makes it a plus-plus pitch. He also throws a plus, 90-92 mph cutter that is a distinctly separate pitch, with enough late movement to shatter bats and sometimes miss them. Whitley uses both a high-spin curveball and high-spin slider, both of which are plus pitches with power and depth, but his best secondary pitch is a plus-plus, 83-85 mph changeup with separation and outstanding late drop. He can throw it either for strikes or as a chase pitch and should be equally effective against righties and lefties.
  
  The Future: Like any young pitcher, Whitley has to stay healthy, but if he does, he has No. 1 starter potential. He's the best pitching prospect in the minors and some scouts say he is the most promising pitching prospect they have seen.
• 
  Ranked Houston Astros #1 prospect in 2018
  As a thick-bodied tall righthander, Whitley was considered one of the better prep prospects in the 2016 draft class. But during his senior season, he wowed scouts after he melted away 20-to-30 pounds, turning himself into a more athletic righthander with still excellent stuff. By the end of his senior year, he was touching 97 and breaking off 90 mph sliders. In his first full pro season, Whitley dominated three levels in 2017 and became only the fifth high school first round pick to pitch in Double-A in his first full season this century. The previous four were Chad Billingsley, Zack Greinke, Clayton Kershaw and Dylan Bundy. There are few young pitchers as advanced as Whitley and few who can match the quality of his stuff. Whitley came into 2017 with four quality pitches and left it with five. All his pitches are at least average and a trio are already plus. Pitching from an over-the-top arm slot that emphasizes the downhill plane on his fastball, Whitley can blow hitters away with a 92-97 mph fastball. But he actually is even more comfortable toying with batters with his varied assortment of other pitches as he commands his breaking balls better than his fastball at this point in his career. His 84-87 mph plus slider has modest depth, but good tilt as it dances away from the bat-head as it nears the plate. His 78-82 mph curveball is also plus with a big 12-to-6 break. At times his changeup will also show otherworldly movement, as it dives down and away from lefthanders bats. And in 2017 he refined a 90-92 mph cutter that some scouts throw a plus grade on. With so many pitches, Whitley can stick one or two in his back pocket early in the game, then break them out the second time through the order. One of the few complaints raised is that he's a slow worker. Scouts are understandably reticent to project almost anyone as a future No. 1 starter. But Whitley has a chance to be an ace with dominant stuff and advanced feel and control. It would surprise no one to see Whitley make his MLB debut later this season. Whitley doesn't require much projection. He's yet to throw even 100 innings in a season yet, so the Astros will likely be conservative in how much he's allowed to throw in 2018.
• 
  Ranked Houston Astros #6 prospect in 2017
  Like many top high school pitching prospects, Whitley went from nothing to something after a growth spurt. A sub-six-feet freshman, he gained six inches and 15 mph before his sophomore year, but it wasn't until he shed baby fat that he emerged as a potential first-rounder. Whitley went to the Astros 17th overall in the 2016 draft. Whitley has the plus-plus fastball you expect from a first-round prep pitching prospect. He sits 92-94 mph and touches 97, and his fastball generates swings and misses due to its excellent life. But unlike many young power pitches, Whitley has three secondary pitches that he has confidence in. His curveball is a plus downer and was the pitch he focused on in his pro debut, but some scouts believe his high-80s power slider could end up being even better. He threw it only once or twice a game as a pro, but it was his go-to weapon in high school. It lacks massive depth, but Whitley makes up for it with velocity and late movement. His changeup is advanced for a power pitcher his age. The path from the draft to the big leagues for high school righthanders is rarely a straight road, but Whitley's plus stuff and advanced control give him the building blocks to be a front-of-the-rotation starter. He should pitch at low Class A Quad Cities in 2017.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #18 prospect in 2016 draft
  Whitley impressed last summer on the showcase circuit and with Team USA's 18U team but scouts were a little less enamored with his body. Whitley had a great 6-foot-7 frame, but at 250 pounds he was a little soft with too much weight in his butt and belly. To his credit, Whitley has worked hard to lose 20-30 pounds for his senior season, while keeping his arm strength. He did break the thumb on his non-throwing hand during workouts, forcing him to miss a little time, but he's shown no ill effects since returning to the mound. Whitley sits in the low-90s and has touched 96-97 mph and mixes in a tight high 80s slider that sacrifices depth for power. He also throws a curveball and changeup that need further refinement. Whitley is a Florida State signee, but he projects to go well enough in the draft to keep him from college.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Arizona Fall League #2 prospect in 2018
  Whitley came into the Arizona Fall League as baseball’s top pitching prospect, and the 21-year-old righthander didn’t disappoint. Whitley was making up for lost time from the regular season, when he made only eight starts at the Double-A level due to a 50-game suspension for violating minor league baseball’s drug policy and then a strained right oblique injury. Starting his AFL season with a bang, Whitley struck out eight of the first nine batters he faced in his Opening Night start. He finished the six-week season with a 2.42 ERA, a .189 opponent average and a 36-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 26 innings. Typically sitting 94-97 mph with his fastball, Whitley touched 100 mph in the annual Fall Stars Game. According to Whitley, it was the first time he’d hit triple digits with his fastball since high school, and he mixed in the rest of his five-pitch repertoire during his six AFL games.
• 
  Ranked Midwest League #5 prospect in 2017
  Whitley joined Zack Greinke as Clayton Kershaw as high school pitchers who reached Double-A in their first full seasons. He didn't qualify for prospect lists in his other two leagues en route to 143 strikeouts in 92.1 overall innings. Whitley's stuff has few detractors. At 6-foot-7, he gets tremendous angle on his low-90s fastball, which has late life to his arm side. At 19, he shows precocious feel for his four pitches, showing a curveball with 12-to-6 shape and depth, a changeup with fade and a slider that is improving. His command is present average and at times was below that in the MWL but improved as he climbed the ladder. As usual with long-limbed pitchers, Whitley can lose his release point and is still working through a head whack that causes his command to waver. Also, scouts pointed to an effortful delivery. He worked almost exclusively from the stretch at one point as the Astros tried to get him to repeat his delivery. He profiles as a No. 2 or 3 starter if his command reaches average.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #80 prospect in 2021
• Ranked Baseball America's #25 prospect in 2020
• Ranked Baseball America's #5 prospect in 2019
• Ranked Baseball America's #10 prospect in 2018

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/Extreme
  
  Track Record: In the not too distant past Whitley ranked among the top pitching prospects in the game, with many believing the tall righthander was a potential ace in the making. After a breakout 2017 season when he reached Double-A as a 19-year-old, Whitley has dealt with suspensions, injuries and ineffectiveness. With just one option remaining, Whitley's time on the 40-man roster is a running clock.
  
  Scouting Report: It's difficult to discern as to whether or not Whitley's best stuff will ever return. His once hop-heavy fastball has lost its bite. The current version sits between 94-95 mph and touches 99 mph with dead zone shape. Whitley missed a below-average amount of bats with the pitch in 2022. He throws a trio of secondaries in a mid-to-high-80s slider, an upper-70s curveball with depth and two-plane break and a mid-to-upper-80s changeup. In his 2022 sample, Whitley showed limited command of his arsenal.
  
  The Future: The hopes of Whitley returning to his previous form are gone. He should begin his season with Triple-A Sugar Land, where he could be fast tracked with a full-time move to the bullpen.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50. Curveball: 50. Slider: 50. Changeup: 50. Control: 40.
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/Extreme
  
  Track Record: In the not too distant past Whitley ranked among the top pitching prospects in the game, with many believing the tall righthander was a potential ace in the making. After a breakout 2017 season when he reached Double-A as a 19-year-old, Whitley has dealt with suspensions, injuries and ineffectiveness. With just one option remaining, Whitley's time on the 40-man roster is a running clock.
  
  Scouting Report: It's difficult to discern as to whether or not Whitley's best stuff will ever return. His once hop-heavy fastball has lost its bite. The current version sits between 94-95 mph and touches 99 mph with dead zone shape. Whitley missed a below-average amount of bats with the pitch in 2022. He throws a trio of secondaries in a mid-to-high-80s slider, an upper-70s curveball with depth and two-plane break and a mid-to-upper-80s changeup. In his 2022 sample, Whitley showed limited command of his arsenal.
  
  The Future: The hopes of Whitley returning to his previous form are gone. He should begin his season with Triple-A Sugar Land, where he could be fast tracked with a full-time move to the bullpen.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50. Curveball: 50. Slider: 50. Changeup: 50. Control: 40.
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 50/Extreme
  
  Track Record:: Whitley&#39s fall from baseball&#39s top pitching prospect continued in 2021 when he had Tommy John surgery after a few spring training bullpen sessions. He&#39s thrown just 59.2 innings in affiliated ball since 2018—and had a 7.99 ERA. He finished the 2019 season at Triple-A with a 12.21 ERA but Houston still put him on its 40-man roster. Whitley flashed promise at the team&#39s alternate training site in 2020 and in some summer camp simulated games at Minute Maid Park
  
  Scouting Report: Whitley hasn&#39t pitched to his potential since 2017. A series of changes always seem to follow him, be it with his delivery, training regimen or weight, and none have stuck. His arsenal remains one of the organization&#39s best: a plus four-seam fastball at 92-97 mph complemented by two high-spin breaking balls and a plus changeup. His collection of five pitches that are all above average or plus remains unmatched, but commanding that arsenal is another issue entirely. His fastball tends to sail over the top of the strike zone and his cutter was often a ball out of his hand before surgery. He also struggled to keep his composure when things weren&#39t going well.
  
  The Future: Whitley still possesses front-of-the-rotation type stuff. He could return to game action in summer 2022 and will try to actualize his tantalizing promise.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Whitley’s fall from baseball’s top pitching prospect continued in 2021 when he had Tommy John surgery after a few spring training bullpen sessions. He’s thrown just 59.2 innings in affiliated ball since 2018—and had a 7.99 ERA. He finished the 2019 season at Triple-A with a 12.21 ERA but Houston still put him on its 40-man roster. Whitley flashed promise at the team’s alternate training site in 2020 and in some summer camp simulated games at Minute Maid Park
  
  Scouting Report: Whitley hasn’t pitched to his potential since 2017. A series of changes always seem to follow him, be it with his delivery, training regimen or weight, and none have stuck. His arsenal remains one of the organization’s best: a plus four-seam fastball at 92-97 mph complemented by two high-spin breaking balls and a plus changeup. His collection of five pitches that are all above average or plus remains unmatched, but commanding that arsenal is another issue entirely. His fastball tends to sail over the top of the strike zone and his cutter was often a ball out of his hand before surgery. He also struggled to keep his composure when things weren’t going well.
  
  The Future: Whitley still possesses front-of-the-rotation type stuff. He could return to game action in summer 2022 and will try to actualize his tantalizing promise.
  
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  This is a lost season for Whitley as he's rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. But the surgery can also potentially serve as a reset for the righthander. Whitley's last string of extended success was back in 2018. Since then, he's struggled with control issues, ineffectiveness and injuries. If his arm strength and velocity return to his pre-injury levels, he still has to refine the control that was giving him issues in order to regain the form that once made him one of the game's best pitching prospects.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  Fastball: 60. Slider: 55. Changeup: 60. Curveball: 55. Cutter: 55. Control: 40.
  
  TRACK RECORD: It’s hard to know what to make of Whitley at this point. Drafted 17th overall out of high school in 2016, he ranks as the Astros’ No. 1 prospect for the fourth straight season and has not yet made his major league debut. Whitley ranked as the No. 10 prospect in baseball entering the 2018 season, coming off a year in which he reached Double-A as a 19-year-old. In 2018, Whitley missed the start of the season with a 50-game suspension due to a positive test for a performance-enhancing drug. He then threw just 26 innings in the regular season because he missed time with oblique and lat muscle injuries before returning for an impressive Arizona Fall League stint. His 2019 was ugly, with a double-digit ERA in Triple-A and command and shoulder issues, though he did throw well again in the AFL. Whitley opened 2020 at spring training, where his velocity was a bit down. Once he got ramped up at the alternate training site, he was regularly in the mid 90s. He was dominating in his last outing before he left with elbow pain and was shut down the rest of the year.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Heading into 2021, it has now been three full seasons since Whitley pitched like a future ace back in 2017. He has flashed upside in the interim, but the red flags are whipping harder than ever. At his best, Whitley has pitched at 92-97 mph and hit 99. He mixes in a low-90s cutter, a hard slider with power and depth, a curveball with good rotation and a changeup that’s plus at times with good sink and fade. It’s a deep arsenal, but Whitley’s command, delivery issues and health problems have added significantly more risk to his profile the last few years. Whitley showed remarkable body control for a young 6-foot-7 pitcher earlier in his career, but a variety of mechanical alterations over the years have thrown him out of whack, though optimistic scouts think he could follow other tall pitchers and sync it up later in his career. Since Whitley only pitched at the alternate site and didn’t go to instructional league, where opposing scouts could have seen him, that makes him even more challenging for other teams to evaluate.
  
  THE FUTURE: Whitley’s future has a wide range of outcomes. For as much as he already feels like a reclamation project, he is still just 23 and has the most well-rounded arsenal of plus or potentially plus pitches across the board in the Astros’ farm system.
  
  With the way he finished 2020, Whitley likely starts 2021 in Triple-A, but barring another setback should make his major league debut at some point during the season.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  Fastball: 60. Slider: 55. Changeup: 60. Curveball: 55. Cutter: 55. Control: 40.
  
  TRACK RECORD: It’s hard to know what to make of Whitley at this point. Drafted 17th overall out of high school in 2016. Whitley ranked as the No. 10 prospect in baseball entering the 2018 season, coming off a year in which he reached Double-A as a 19-year-old. In 2018, Whitley missed the start of the season with a 50-game suspension due to a positive test for a performance-enhancing drug. He then threw just 26 innings in the regular season because he missed time with oblique and lat muscle injuries before returning for an impressive Arizona Fall League stint. His 2019 was ugly, with a double-digit ERA in Triple-A and command and shoulder issues, though he did throw well again in the AFL. Whitley opened 2020 at spring training, where his velocity was a bit down. Once he got ramped up at the alternate training site, he was regularly in the mid 90s. He was dominating in his last outing before he left with elbow pain and was shut down the rest of the year. In spring training in 2021, Whitley felt elbow discomfort again, then had Tommy John surgery that will keep him out until 2022.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT:When Whitley returns to games in 2022, it will be four full seasons since Whitley pitched like a future ace back in 2017. He has flashed upside in the interim, but the red flags are whipping harder than ever. At his best, Whitley has pitched at 92-97 mph and hit 99. He mixes in a low-90s cutter, a hard slider with power and depth, a curveball with good rotation and a changeup that’s plus at times with good sink and fade. It’s a deep arsenal, but Whitley’s command, delivery issues and health problems have added significantly more risk to his profile the last few years. Whitley showed remarkable body control for a young 6-foot-7 pitcher earlier in his career, but a variety of mechanical alterations over the years have thrown him out of whack, though optimistic scouts think he could follow other tall pitchers and sync it up later in his career. Since Whitley only pitched at the alternate site and didn’t go to instructional league, where opposing scouts could have seen him, that makes him even more challenging for other teams to evaluate.
  
  THE FUTURE: Whitley’s future has a wide range of outcomes. For as much as he already feels like a reclamation project, he is still just 23, when healthy, and has the most well-rounded arsenal of plus or potentially plus pitches across the board in the Astros’ farm system. Still, Whitley’s lost 2021 season adds even more risk to his future
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Whitley was supposed to be a part of the Astros’ rotation by now. He reached Double-A in 2017 and seemed poised to help Houston’s playoff run in 2018. Instead, his season was derailed by a 50-game drug suspension. Whitley’s 2019 season proved to be even rockier. He struggled with command in eight outings with Triple-A Round Rock and was eventually shut down with shoulder fatigue, though the break was a mental respite as much as anything. Sent to the Gulf Coast and Carolina leagues to rehab, he continued to struggle with big innings upon his assignment to Double-A Corpus Christi. He pitched well in the Arizona Fall League.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Whitley’s command backed up by a grade or even two in 2019. He missed badly high and low throughout the season. He would often struggle to finish his delivery, leaving his fastball up far out of the zone, and then he would bounce the next pitch trying to adjust. When Whitley was in the zone, he often caught too much of it. He allowed too many no-doubt home runs. After Whitley’s early-season struggles, the Astros junked his windup and had him pitch exclusively from the stretch. He also moved from the third base side of the rubber to the first base side. The Astros had already worked to reduce Whitley’s shoulder tilt in his delivery, which lowered his release point. If the alteration works, it will help Whitley stay behind the ball more and get more ride at the top of the zone—though in 2019 it did not work. When he is on, Whitley still shows five plus pitches. His 92-97 mph fastball touched 99. His low-90s cutter darts away from opponents’ barrels. His 85-87 mph slider has power and depth and his 12-to-6 curveball does too, though it tends to get loopy and slow. His plus changeup wasn’t as dominating in 2019 as it was in previous years, but it still had late drop at times. Whitley’s fastball, changeup and slider all could get to plus-plus, but it will require he significantly improve his below-average control and command.
  
  THE FUTURE: Whitley’s 2019 season can only be described as disastrous. His stuff is still that of a front-of-the-rotation ace, but he will need to find at least fringe control to reach his upside. SCOUTING GRADES Fastball: 60. CB: 60. SL: 60. CHG: 60. Cut: 60. Control: 40. BA GRADE 65 Risk: Very High
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Whitley was supposed to be a part of the Astros' rotation by now. He reached Double-A in 2017 and seemed poised to help Houston's playoff run in 2018. Instead, his season was derailed by a 50-game drug suspension. Whitley's 2019 season proved to be even rockier. He struggled with command in eight outings with Triple-A Round Rock and was eventually shut down with shoulder fatigue, though the break was a mental respite as much as anything. Sent to the Gulf Coast and Carolina leagues to rehab, he continued to struggle with big innings upon his assignment to Double-A Corpus Christi. He pitched well in the Arizona Fall League.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Whitley's command backed up by a grade or even two in 2019. He missed badly high and low throughout the season. He would often struggle to finish his delivery, leaving his fastball up far out of the zone, and then he would bounce the next pitch trying to adjust. When Whitley was in the zone, he often caught too much of it. He allowed too many no-doubt home runs. After Whitley's early-season struggles, the Astros junked his windup and had him pitch exclusively from the stretch. He also moved from the third base side of the rubber to the first base side. The Astros had already worked to reduce Whitley's shoulder tilt in his delivery, which lowered his release point. If the alteration works, it will help Whitley stay behind the ball more and get more ride at the top of the zone—though in 2019 it did not work. When he is on, Whitley still shows five plus pitches. His 92-97 mph fastball touched 99. His low-90s cutter darts away from opponents' barrels. His 85-87 mph slider has power and depth and his 12-to-6 curveball does too, though it tends to get loopy and slow. His plus changeup wasn't as dominating in 2019 as it was in previous years, but it still had late drop at times. Whitley's fastball, changeup and slider all could get to plus-plus, but it will require he significantly improve his below-average control and command.
  
  THE FUTURE: Whitley's 2019 season can only be described as disastrous. His stuff is still that of a front-of-the-rotation ace, but he will need to find at least fringe control to reach his upside.
• August, 2018 Scouting Report
  Whitley came into the Arizona Fall League as baseball’s top pitching prospect, and the 21-year-old righthander didn’t disappoint. Whitley was making up for lost time from the regular season, when he made only eight starts at the Double-A level due to a 50-game suspension for violating minor league baseball’s drug policy and then a strained right oblique injury. Starting his AFL season with a bang, Whitley struck out eight of the first nine batters he faced in his Opening Night start. He finished the six-week season with a 2.42 ERA, a .189 opponent average and a 36-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 26 innings. Typically sitting 94-97 mph with his fastball, Whitley touched 100 mph in the annual Fall Stars Game. According to Whitley, it was the first time he’d hit triple digits with his fastball since high school, and he mixed in the rest of his five-pitch repertoire during his six AFL games.
• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  Whitley’s 2018 season has been notable more for all the time he’s missed than for the six brief appearances he’s made. He was suspended 50 games for a positive drug test (MLB never specified the drug) at the beginning of the season. Then, when his suspension ended, Whitley missed further time with a lat injury. He finally made his 2018 debut on June 6 and was named to the Futures Game, but he left his July 6 start with an oblique injury that will cost him further time. He’s been just as dominant when he’s been on the mound as he was in years past, but the suspensions and injuries make it less likely he can help the big league club in any way this year, something that seemed a possibility coming out of the 2017 season.
• December, 2017 Scouting Report
  Track Record: As a tall, thick-bodied righthander, Whitley was considered one of the better prep prospects in the 2016 draft class. But during his senior season, he wowed scouts after he melted away 20-30 pounds, turning himself into a more athletic pitcher with still-excellent stuff. By the end of his senior year, he was touching 97 mph and breaking off 90 mph sliders. In his first full pro season in 2017, Whitley dominated three levels and became just the fifth high school first-round pick to pitch at Double-A in his first full season this century. The previous four were Chad Billingsley, Zack Greinke, Clayton Kershaw and Dylan Bundy. Scouting Report: Few young pitchers are as advanced as Whitley, and few can match the quality of his stuff. He entered 2017 with four quality pitches and left it with five. All his pitches are at least average and a trio are already plus. Pitching with an over-the-top arm slot emphasizes the downhill plane on his fastball, and Whitley can blow hitters away at 92-97 mph. He actually is even more comfortable toying with batters with his varied assortment of offspeed pitches, and he commands his breaking balls better than his fastball at this point in his career. His plus 84-87 mph slider has modest depth but strong tilt as it dances away from his opponent's bat head as it nears the plate. His 78-82 mph curveball is also plus with a big 12-to-6 break. At times his changeup will also show otherworldly movement, when it dives down and away from the barrel of lefthanded batters. And in 2017 he refined a 90-92 mph cutter that some scouts throw a plus grade on. With so many pitches, Whitley can stick one or two in his back pocket early in the game, then break them out the second time through the order. One of the few criticisms raised is that he's a slow worker. The Future: Scouts are understandably reticent to project almost any pitcher as a future No. 1 starter. But Whitley has a chance to be an ace with dominant stuff and advanced feel and control. It would surprise no one to see a 20-year-old Whitley make his major league debut later in 2018. He doesn't require much projection. He has not yet thrown even 100 innings in a season, so the Astros will likely be conservative with his workload in 2018.
• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: Like many top high school pitching prospects, Whitley went from nothing to something after a growth spurt. A sub-six-feet freshman, he gained six inches and 15 mph before his sophomore year, but it wasn't until he shed baby fat that he emerged as a potential first-rounder. Whitley went to the Astros 17th overall in the draft. Scouting Report: Whitley has the plus-plus fastball you expect from a first-round high school pitching prospect. He sits 92-94 mph and touches 97, and his fastball generates swings and misses due to its excellent life. But unlike many young power pitches, Whitley has three secondary pitches that he has confidence in. His curveball is a plus downer and was the pitch Whitley focused on in his pro debut, but some scouts believe his high-80s power slider could end up being even better. He threw it only once or twice a game as a pro, but it was his go-to weapon in high school. It lacks massive depth, but Whitley makes up for it with velocity and late movement. His changeup is advanced for a power pitcher his age.
  
  The Future: The path from the draft to the big leagues for high school righthanders is rarely a straight road, but Whitley's plus stuff and advanced control give him the building blocks to be a front-of-the-rotation starter. He should pitch at low Class A Quad Cities in 2017.