Brown's last six starts for Triple-A Sugar Land have seen him go 3-0 with a 1.82 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 35:9 K:BB through 29 innings.
The strikeouts are always there for the 23-year-old fireballer, but the improved control he's shown lately -- a 2.7 BB/9 over that six-start span -- is key to Brown's eventual ascension to the big leagues. High walk rates have inflated his ratios in the minor leagues, but there's never been a question as to the quality of his raw stuff. This stretch might be enough for a promotion to the majors if Brown was with a different organization, but the Astros have no room in their rotation for now. He could in theory make an impact in 2022 as a multi-inning bullpen arm, similar to how Houston brought Cristian Javier along, but the team hasn't signaled any intention in that regard.