Houston Astros: Ranking the Top 4 lefties to make the Opening Day roster

4th place: Kent Emanuel

Kent Emanuel, 27, was drafted by the Astros in the 3rd round in 2013 out of North Carolina. Most recently, he played his last two seasons in Triple-A, where last season he exhibited versatility by logging seven starts and more than 20 relief appearances.

In 2018—the year that the Astros lost in the American League Championship Series to Boston—Emanuel posted a forgettable 5.59 ERA in the minors. However, in 2019 for the Round Rock Express, the lefty finished with a respectable 3.90 ERA, going 8-2 with a 1.19 WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched). Opponents hit just .254 off of Emanuel, who averaged slightly more than seven strikeouts per nine innings. Perhaps most impressively of all—Emanuel faced 413 batters, allowing just 23 walks and 3 stolen bases in 101.2 innings of work.

Emanuel has been a slow and steady climber in the Astros’ farm system. To his credit, the 6-foot-4, 212-pound hurler has followed up poorer years with significantly better stat lines in subsequent seasons. Most notably, his 2019 season in Triple-A was arguably his best year in professional baseball.

Nonetheless, to play in the majors, Emanuel will have to build on last season’s momentum, and prove to the Astros he can replicate his recent success. If he does, Emanuel could receive a spot start or have a cup of coffee in the Astros’ bullpen perhaps before September call-ups.