Pecko (thoracic outlet syndrome) struck out four over two scoreless innings Saturday in a rehab start for Single-A Fayetteville.
Pecko was missing in action during spring training, and now we know why, per Jim Callis of MLB Pipeline. It's encouraging to see Pecko dominate in his first rehab start -- he allowed two hits and zero walks -- and if he can eventually get back up to speed at Triple-A, he could still be a big-league rotation option later this summer.
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Astros' Ethan Pecko: Looks like 2026 rotation depth
Rotowire
Pecko has a 1.88 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 31:8 K:BB in 24 innings over his last five starts for Triple-A Sugar Land.
A 6-foot-2 righty whom the Astros selected in the sixth round of the 2023 First-Year Player Draft out of a small college, Pecko's stock has steadily increased in pro ball. He has impressively navigated the harsh conditions of the Pacific Coast League after a couple rough outings following his Aug. 5 promotion from Double-A Corpus Christi. Pecko has been particularly sharp of late, striking out 17 batters in 11 innings over his last two starts for the Space Cowboys. He averages 94 mph on his sinker (touches 96 mph), but it plays above its velocity due to excellent late movement. His 83-mph slider and 89-mph cutter are his top two secondary offerings. Pecko has a chance to spend a good chunk of next season in the big-league rotation if he picks up where he's leaving off in 2025.
