1. Overview
Hunter Noah Brown, born on August 29, 1998, in Detroit, Michigan, is an American professional baseball pitcher who plays for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB). Brown's journey through baseball began in his early life playing both catcher and pitcher in high school, leading to a collegiate career at Wayne State University. He was selected by the Astros in the fifth round of the 2019 MLB draft and made his MLB debut in 2022. He has since become a key part of the Astros' pitching staff, contributing to their 2022 World Series championship.
2. Early Life and Amateur Career
Hunter Brown's early life and formative years in baseball laid the foundation for his professional career, progressing from high school and college to collegiate summer leagues.
2.1. Childhood and High School
Born in Detroit, Michigan, Hunter Brown grew up in St. Clair Shores, Michigan. He attended St. Isaac Jogues elementary school before moving on to Lakeview High School. During his time in high school, Brown played both as a catcher and a pitcher. As a child, he idolized Justin Verlander, who pitched for the Detroit Tigers, and frequently attended games at Comerica Park. In a notable turn of events late in the 2022 MLB season, Brown was called up to the major leagues by the Houston Astros when Verlander, then also pitching for the Astros, was placed on the injured list due to a right calf issue, making them teammates.
2.2. College Baseball
Brown played college baseball at NCAA Division II Wayne State University, which was located approximately 1 mile from Comerica Park and was the only institution to offer him a scholarship at any level. In 2018, he participated in two collegiate summer baseball leagues. He played for the Bethesda Big Train in the Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League, where he made 13 appearances and recorded an ERA of 1.26. Following his stint with the Big Train, Brown joined the Cotuit Kettleers of the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League. In his junior year at Wayne State, Brown achieved an impressive 9-0 win-loss record with a 2.21 ERA over 14 starts, striking out 114 batters in 85+1/3 innings pitched.
3. Professional Career
Hunter Brown's professional career began with his selection in the MLB draft, followed by a rapid ascension through the minor league system, culminating in his debut and contributions to the Houston Astros in Major League Baseball.
3.1. Minor League Career
Hunter Brown was selected in the fifth round of the 2019 Major League Baseball (MLB) draft by the Houston Astros, as the 166th overall pick. After signing with the team, he was assigned to the Tri-City ValleyCats in the Class A Short Season New York-Penn League. In 2019, he pitched in 12 games, making six starts, and compiled a 2-2 win-loss record with a 4.56 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 23+2/3 innings pitched.
The COVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation of the minor league season in 2020, preventing Brown from official competition. In 2021, he started the season with the Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks. During his time with the Hooks, he recorded a 1-4 record with a 4.20 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 49+1/3 innings pitched. In August 2021, he was promoted to the Triple-A Sugar Land Skeeters (now known as the Sugar Land Space Cowboys). Across both Double-A and Triple-A in 2021, he pitched in 24 games (19 starts), accumulating a combined 6-5 record, a 4.04 ERA, and 131 strikeouts.
In 2022, the Astros invited Brown to their Spring Training camp as a non-roster invitee. He began the 2022 season back in Sugar Land and was selected to participate in the All-Star Futures Game. On May 31, he was recognized as the Pacific Coast League (PCL) Pitcher of the Week after delivering a seven-inning scoreless outing with 10 strikeouts against the El Paso Chihuahuas. Brown concluded his Triple-A season as the PCL leader in ERA, posting a 2.55 ERA (among pitchers with a minimum of 60 innings pitched). He also maintained an impressive strikeout rate of 31.5% and a groundball rate of 54.2%. Over 23 total appearances for the season, he made 14 starts and pitched 106 innings. In August 2022, Brown's standing as a prospect rose significantly, as he was ranked the Astros' top prospect and climbed from #80 to #71 overall in MLB.com Pipeline's top prospects list. His curveball received a grade of 65, identified as the best among all top-100 prospects. Following the regular season, he was honored with the PCL Pitcher of the Year title and was also named the Houston Astros' Minor League Pitcher of the Year.
3.2. Major League Career
Hunter Brown's Major League Baseball career began with his debut in 2022, leading to significant contributions in subsequent seasons with the Houston Astros.
3.2.1. 2022 Season
The Astros promoted Hunter Brown to the major league roster for the first time on September 1, 2022. He made a sensational major league debut on September 5, starting and winning a 1-0 shutout against the Texas Rangers. In that game, he pitched six innings, allowing only three hits and one walk while striking out five batters, effectively outdueling Rangers' ace Martín Pérez. Brown retired the first eight batters he faced, including striking out Marcus Semien and Corey Seager for his first two career strikeouts. This victory also marked a significant franchise milestone, as it evened the Astros' all-time win-loss record to 4,812-4,812 for the first time since May 14, 2006.
In his second start, Brown made his road debut in Detroit, a homecoming for him, with friends and family in attendance. He led the Astros to a 6-3 victory over the Tigers, giving up two runs on five hits over six innings. On September 19, Brown made his relief debut, pitching three innings in a 4-0 shutout victory over the Tampa Bay Rays, which clinched the Astros' fifth American League West division title in six seasons. On October 4, Brown came in relief of Justin Verlander during a no-hitter in progress against the Philadelphia Phillies, delivering 2+1/3 hitless innings that the Houston pitching staff maintained until the ninth inning. For the 2022 regular season, Brown finished with a 2-0 record, an 0.89 ERA, 22 strikeouts, and pitched 20+1/3 innings in seven games, two of which were starts.
Brown made his postseason debut on October 11, 2022, in Game 1 of the American League Division Series. He pitched in relief in the eighth inning, allowing just one hit in the Astros' 8-7 walk-off win against the Seattle Mariners. He also threw two scoreless innings in the 12th and 13th frames of the Astros' marathon 18-inning victory over the Mariners in Game 3. Brown's final appearance of the postseason came in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees, where he pitched 2/3 of an inning to help secure a 5-0 win. The Astros subsequently advanced to the 2022 World Series and defeated the Phillies in six games, earning Brown his first career World Series title.
3.2.2. 2023 Season
During the 2023 MLB season, Hunter Brown played a significant role for the Houston Astros, primarily as a starter. He appeared in 31 games, making 29 starts, and recorded an 11-13 win-loss record. He pitched 155.2 IP with an 5.09 ERA, allowed 157 hits and 26 home runs, walked 55 batters, and struck out 178. His WHIP was 1.36. As a fielder, he had 2 putouts, 13 assists, 1 error, and a fielding percentage of .938 over 31 games.
3.2.3. 2024 Season
Hunter Brown's 2024 season started with challenges, as he recorded a 9.78 ERA and a 0-4 win-loss record in his first six starts in April. On April 11, facing Kansas City, he allowed 11 hits in less than one inning, resulting in nine runs over just 2/3 of an inning. However, Brown made a significant rebound. In June, he posted a remarkable 1.16 ERA with a 4-0 win-loss record, pitching 31 IP, striking out 36 batters, and issuing only 8 walks, which was the lowest ERA in Major League Baseball for that month. His performance continued to improve, with a 2.31 ERA from June 1 through the end of the season, ranking third best in MLB during that period. Brown concluded the 2024 regular season with an 11-9 win-loss record and a 3.49 ERA. He appeared in 31 games, making 30 starts, pitched 170.0 IP, allowed 156 hits and 18 home runs, walked 60 batters, and struck out 179. He ranked ninth in the American League (AL) in strikeouts per nine innings pitched (K/9) with 9.476 and had the tenth-most walks allowed in the AL. As a fielder, he had 19 putouts, 12 assists, 1 error, and a fielding percentage of .969 over 31 games.
4. Playing Style
Hunter Brown is recognized for his powerful pitching, characterized by a highly graded curveball and a tendency to induce groundballs and strikeouts. His curveball has been specifically graded as the best among top-100 prospects. In the minor leagues, he maintained a high strikeout rate of 31.5% and a groundball rate of 54.2%, indicative of his ability to miss bats and keep the ball on the ground. His strong performance in his MLB debut, where he outdueled an opposing ace, further highlighted his command and effectiveness on the mound.
5. Career Statistics
Hunter Brown's professional career statistics demonstrate his progression and performance in both Minor and Major League Baseball.
5.1. MLB Pitching Statistics
| Year | Team | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | W | L | HLD | ERA | WHIP | IP | H | HR | BB | HBP | SO | WP | BK | R | ER |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | HOU | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.89 | 1.08 | 20+1/3 IP | 15 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 2023 | HOU | 31 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 13 | 0 | 5.09 | 1.36 | 155+2/3 IP | 157 | 26 | 55 | 0 | 178 | 4 | 0 | 94 | 88 |
| 2024 | HOU | 31 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 9 | 0 | 3.49 | 1.27 | 170.0 IP | 156 | 18 | 60 | 0 | 179 | 4 | 1 | 71 | 66 |
| MLB Career: 3 Years | 69 | 61 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 22 | 0 | 4.06 | 1.30 | 346.0 IP | 328 | 44 | 122 | 0 | 379 | 8 | 1 | 167 | 156 | |
5.2. MLB Fielding Statistics
| Year | Team | G | PO | A | E | DP | FPct |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | HOU | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 2023 | HOU | 31 | 2 | 13 | 1 | 0 | .938 |
| 2024 | HOU | 31 | 19 | 12 | 1 | 0 | .969 |
| MLB Career | 69 | 22 | 27 | 2 | 0 | .961 | |
5.3. Minor League Statistics
Hunter Brown's minor league pitching statistics reflect his development before reaching MLB.
| Year | Team | Level | G | GS | W | L | ERA | SO | IP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Tri-City ValleyCats | Class A Short Season | 12 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4.56 | 33 | 23+2/3 |
| 2021 | Corpus Christi Hooks | Double-A | -- | -- | 1 | 4 | 4.20 | 76 | 49+1/3 |
| 2021 | Sugar Land Skeeters | Triple-A | -- | -- | 5 | 1 | 3.65 | 55 | 45+2/3 |
| 2022 | Sugar Land Space Cowboys | Triple-A | 23 | 14 | -- | -- | 2.55 | -- | 106 |
6. Awards and Honors
Throughout his career, Hunter Brown has received several notable awards and honors for his performance.
- All-Star Futures Game selection: 2022
- Pacific Coast League (PCL) Pitcher of the Week: May 31, 2022
- PCL Pitcher of the Year: 2022
- Houston Astros Minor League Pitcher of the Year: 2022
- 2022 World Series Champion
7. Jersey Number
Hunter Brown has worn jersey number 58 for the Houston Astros since his debut in 2022.