Prospect Spotlight: Blair Henley

The University of Texas has sent many players on to professional careers over the years, and Blair Henley is a prominent member of that group. The right-handed pitcher from Ft. Worth, Texas was a 2019, Round 7 draft pick by the Houston Astros, and he’s getting a spring training look this year from the team.

Henley was one of the key players who helped the Longhorns win the 2018 Big 12 Championship, and then a run in the College World Series (UT beat Tennessee Tech in the Super Regional, then lost in the 1st round of the CWS to #5 Arkansas.) Henley was drafted in 2016 in the 22nd round by the New York Yankees, out of Arlington Heights High School (Ft. Worth), but he elected to head to the Forty Acres and the U of Texas. After three solid years in burnt orange, the Astros picked him.

His first pro stop was the Gulf Coast League Astros (Rookie), where he only stayed for 1 game and 3 innings pitched. The Astros saw enough to bump him up to the Tri-City ValleyCats of the Short-season A New York-Penn League, where he spent the rest of the summer. In 11 games, 33.2 innings pitched, Henley responded with a 1.60 ERA, 1.099 WHIP, 46 strikeouts and 8 walks. Interestingly, his college strikeout to walks ratio wasn’t all that memorable, but that changed big time in his first pro season. For his 3 seasons at Texas, it was 1.80 (173 Ks/96 walks) - not bad, but as a 1st year pro, the ratio jumped to an astounding 5.56 (50 Ks/9 walks.) 

Now, Henley is the Astros #27 top prospect, and will probably be on his way to North Carolina when the 2021 season begins - the Low-A Fayetteville Woodpeckers. He will surely continue to improve and climb his way up the organizational ladder. 

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