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.

Whitley (lat) was placed on the minor-league disabled list Tuesday, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

EDGE Analysis

Whitley was scratched from his scheduled start over the weekend due to the lat issue, and the Astros opted to send him to the disabled list after he showed little improvement. The move is retroactive to Aug. 25, so he'll be eligible to return Saturday if he proves ready. That said, the Astros figure to proceed cautiously with the top prospect seeing as he only recently returned from a month-long stay on the DL due to an oblique injury.

General manager Jeff Luhnow said that Whitley (lat) could've started Friday if the game was more meaningful, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

EDGE Analysis

Luhnow also stated the scratch was "very precautionary," so it's unlikely that he'll miss too much time as a result of this issue. The Astros intend to pitch Whitley somewhere during the fall, whether it be in an instructional league or perhaps even in the Arizona Fall League. Those plans haven't been disclosed at this point, however.

Whitley failed to make his scheduled start Friday at Double-A Corpus Christi due to right lat discomfort, Jake Kaplan of The Athletic Houston reports.

EDGE Analysis

Whitley returned from the disabled list Aug. 15 after missing time with a mild oblique strain, so he's dealt with his share of injuries in 2018. It's uncertain if he'll require another trip to the disabled list, but he'll be considered day-to-day moving forward.

Whitley (oblique) was activated from the 7-day DL and tossed two scoreless innings for Double-A Corpus Christi on Tuesday.

EDGE Analysis

As expected, Whitley started Tuesday's contest in his return from a mild oblique strain that he suffered in early July. He will continue to build his arm back up to speed across his next couple starts, so expect the Hooks to keep him on a strict pitch count.