Pedro León is on the brink of being called up after a fast start in Triple-A with the Sugarland Space Cowboys, a farm team in the Houston Astros organization. The outfielder is hitting .313 with 4 longballs and 28 RBIs in 24 games this season. This includes a titanic 505 foot homerun in two nights ago versus the El Paso Chihuahuas.
León was a heralded signing by the team when he was inked for four million dollars in the 2021 international free agency signing period. León came to Houston with high expectations, but inconsistencies have marked his tenure on the farms with the Texas squad. Armed with a cannon for an arm and, gazelle-like speed and immense power to all fields, León was the team’s centerfielder of the future.
In 339 games in the minors the outfielder has gone yard 51 times and stolen 86 bases, but he has also fanned an eye popping 426 times. At times he has shown flashes of his raw talent on the field, but the holes in his swing have overshadowed his other tools and had him on the brink off being labeled a bust.
Pedro León 2 run HR for Sugar Land! His 4th HR of the season! #Astros
113.5 MPH off the bat for a projected distance of 505 feet!! WOW!
pic.twitter.com/PIdtNdkvTv— Astros Future (@AstrosFuture) May 1, 2024
Dana Brown said this to our Javier González earlier about León,” We are going to give León a very long look, particularly in Spring Training and all throughout the year of course. He was a highly touted prospect, a prospect that was touted even before a got here. I like the talented, I like the tools, but the consistency going to have to get better and if he can consistently produce he is going to get opportunities.”
León saw action once again this winter in Puerto Rico’s Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente and in five games in the circuit hit a paltry .111 with one longball and three runs batted with the league champion Criollos de Caguas. The year before in Puerto Rico he hit a lowly .204 with Santurce.
In a put-up or shut-up year León has elevated every aspect of his game. The Cuban who will be eligible for the Rule 5 draft come this offseason has risen to the occasion in a make-or-break year. If the slugger continues to hit at this pace expect the prospect to make his debut on the grand stage.