Whitley is opening the year with Triple-A Round Rock, Jim Callis of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

He will be pitching in games right away this season, which is noteworthy, as the Astros could have opted to hold him back in extended spring training in an effort to make sure he still had plenty in the tank for a postseason run. They can still manage his innings and make that happen going this route, of course, and he should quickly show that he has little left to prove against minor-league hitters. He could be promoted to the majors at any moment this season.

Whitley walked two and struck out four over four hitless innings Friday against the Cardinals.

EDGE Analysis

Whitley was sent to minor-league camp earlier this week but did not let that disappointment impact Friday's start. With just 10 starts at the Double-A level, Whitley will head back to the minors this season to build up innings.

Whitley was reassigned to minor-league camp Tuesday, Jake Kaplan of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Whitley has allowed just two runs in eight innings of work this spring, recording an 11:2 K:BB, though he was never considered likely to break camp with the team. He has just 10 starts at the Double-A level under his belt, but his talent level is high enough that he's expected to debut at some point this season.

Whitley allowed one run on two hits and one walk while striking out six in Friday's game against the Cardinals.

EDGE Analysis

Whitley got to face some serious major-league talent and gave up a first-pitch home run to Matt Carpenter before settling in. He fanned Paul Goldschmidt twice and Paul DeJong. "There were definitely some positives I could take from it, along with some negative," he told Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. "I seem to dwelling on those a little bit more than I should be, but I was pretty happy with last night. I was able to execute two-strike pitches pretty well and get a decent amount of strikeouts. That was pretty big, something I hadn't been doing a lot the last two outings. That's a positive I could take away." He's performed well overall this spring, but Whitley is not expected to be part of Houston's staff to start 2019.

Whitley made his spring debut Monday, striking out three over two perfect innings against the Mets.

EDGE Analysis

Watching Whitley follow Justin Verlander's two perfect innings was a reminder of the talent and depth to this Houston team. "Whitley had a lot of poise, and he used all his pitches," Astros manager AJ Hinch told Alyson Footer of MLB.com. "His stuff is real, you can see that from the very beginning. He's got good stuff and pretty good mound presence, and he makes hitters uncomfortable. I can certainly see first-hand why everybody's impressed with him." Whitley, the Astros' top pitching prospect and considered the best in the minors, is unlikely to break camp with Houston. He threw just 26.1 innings last season and will need to build up that count in the minors, either at Triple-A Round Rock or Double-A Corpus Christi.

Whitley is scheduled to make his Grapefruit League debut Monday against the Mets, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

EDGE Analysis

Ace Justin Verlander will start for the Astros and likely cover around two innings before giving way to Whitley, who is one of several pitchers competing for a back-end rotation spot in spring training. Though Whitley is the Astros' top prospect and arguably the top pitching prospect in all of baseball, Houston's wealth of intriguing rotation candidates makes it likely that the 21-year-old opens 2019 at Triple-A Round Rock or Double-A Corpus Christi. He finished the 2018 campaign with the latter affiliate, with whom he supplied a 3.76 ERA and 1.00 WHIP while striking out 34 in 26.1 innings.

Whitley has been extended an invitation to major-league spring training, Jake Kaplan of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Whitley was suspended for the first 50 games of 2018 for violating the minor-league drug program and was limited to eight starts for Double-A Corpus Christi as he battled oblique and lat injuries. The 21-year-old has only 31 career innings at the Double-A level and is unlikely to start the season in the majors given his inexperience. Whitley -- regarded as the organization's top prospect by numerous outlets -- could again begin the season at Double-A but seems poised for a promotion to Triple-A at some point in 2019.

Whitley allowed one run on two hits and a walk while striking out six over 2.2 innings for Double-A Corpus Christi on Friday.

EDGE Analysis

Whitley returned the mound Friday after a second stint on the disabled list, this one because of right lat discomfort. Corpus Christi and San Antonio were tied, 8-8, in the 11th inning when the game was suspended due to weather and will resume Saturday. The right-handed Whitley appears to have been on a pitch count, getting pulled after just 48 pitches and having retired the final seven batters faced, six via the strikeout. If the Hooks, who are up 2-0 in the semi-final series, advance to the finals, Whitley can get at least one more start before his offseason activity.

Whitley (lat) was activated from the minor-league disabled list Wednesday, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

EDGE Analysis

Whitley's lat discomfort wasn't expected to be a serious issue, and he'll wind up missing less than two weeks. He'll return in time to pitch for Double-A Corpus Christi in the playoffs and will then head to the Arizona Fall League. The highly-rated 20-year-old needs all the innings he can get, as he's thrown just 26.1 so far this year while battling two injuries and a suspension.

Whitley (lat) will be heading to the Arizona Fall League, Hunter Atkins of the Houston Chronicle reports.

EDGE Analysis

That the Astros are planning on Whitley playing this fall is a sign that his right lat injury is not a major concern. The right-hander has missed a lot of development time in 2018 due a suspension and two stints on the disabled list, so he should make up for some that in the AFL.