Rhett Kouba
P | Bats/Throws: R/R | 6' 0" 180LBS | Age: 25
Draft: 2021 | Rd: 12, #358, Houston Astros | Dallas Baptist
MLB Pipeline Rank
ASTROS: No. 24 |
W L ERA G GS SV IP SO WHIP
2024 2 4 5.95 11 10 0 42.1 30 1.84
Career Minors 16 15 4.09 66 50 0 266 282 1.34
G W-L ERA IP SO WHIP
2024 11 2-4 5.95 42.1 30 1.84
Career Minors 66 16-15 4.09 266 282 1.34
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Standard Minor League Pitching Statistics

SeasonTmLGLWLERAGGSSVIPHRERHRBBSOWHIP
2021 2 Teams Minors 0 0 2.45 6 3 0 18.1 17 5 5 2 2 20 1.04
2021 FCL Astros FCL ROK 0 0 5.40 2 0 0 5.0 6 3 3 1 1 7 1.40
2021 Fayetteville Woodpeckers A E A 0 0 1.35 4 3 0 13.1 11 2 2 1 1 13 0.90
2022 2 Teams Minors 6 3 4.08 18 10 0 70.2 66 42 32 9 27 85 1.32
2022 Fayetteville Woodpeckers CAR A 1 0 2.40 4 3 0 15.0 11 4 4 1 5 20 1.07
2022 Asheville Tourists SAL A+ 5 3 4.53 14 7 0 55.2 55 38 28 8 22 65 1.38
2023 2 Teams Minors 8 7 3.45 28 24 0 128.0 116 62 49 14 37 136 1.20
2023 Corpus Christi Hooks TEX AA 7 5 3.27 23 21 0 110.0 95 48 40 12 23 118 1.07
2023 Sugar Land Space Cowboys PCL AAA 1 2 4.50 5 3 0 18.0 21 14 9 2 14 18 1.94
2024 2 Teams Minors 2 5 6.43 14 13 0 49.0 56 40 35 6 36 41 1.88
2024 FCL Astros FCL ROK 0 1 9.45 3 3 0 6.2 10 8 7 1 4 11 2.10
2024 Sugar Land Space Cowboys PCL AAA 2 4 5.95 11 10 0 42.1 46 32 28 5 32 30 1.84
FCL Astros FCL ROK 0 1 7.71 5 3 0 11.2 16 11 10 2 5 18 1.80
Sugar Land Space Cowboys PCL AAA 3 6 5.52 16 13 0 60.1 67 46 37 7 46 48 1.87
Corpus Christi Hooks TEX AA 7 5 3.27 23 21 0 110.0 95 48 40 12 23 118 1.07
Asheville Tourists SAL A+ 5 3 4.53 14 7 0 55.2 55 38 28 8 22 65 1.38
Fayetteville Woodpeckers CAR A 1 0 1.91 8 6 0 28.1 22 6 6 2 6 33 0.99

Scouting Report

2024

Scouting grades: Fastball: 45 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 55 | Overall: 40

Kouba spent his first two college seasons at North Central (Texas) CC and opened 2021 in Dallas Baptist's bullpen, pitched his way into the rotation by midseason, earned all-Missouri Valley Conference honors and became a 12th-round pick. He doesn't dazzle anyone with his stuff but compensates by being the best strike-thrower in the system. He was named Double-A Texas League pitcher of the year in 2023 and finished the season in Triple-A.

Kouba's fastball sits at 89-92 mph and tops out at 94 but doesn't get hit hard because he has all the traits the Astros target with pitchers: low release height, flat approach angle, significant extension in his delivery. It also plays up because he keeps batters off balance with his best pitch, a solid low-80s changeup with fade and sink. He has a pair of ordinary breaking balls, a sweeping low-80s slider he uses vs. righties and an upper-70s curveball he employs against lefties.

With his combination of deception and control, Kouba could be a No. 5 starter. His stuff works better than it grades because he mixes his pitches well, commands his fastball and throws his secondary offerings for strikes. He was in line to get an opportunity if Houston needed rotation help in 2024 before missing two months with an elbow injury that didn't require surgery.


2023

Scouting grades: Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 55 | Overall: 45

Kouba pitched two seasons at North Central Texas CC before transferring to Dallas Baptist and becoming a 12th-round pick in 2021. He has fairly ordinary stuff but compensates by being one of the best strike throwers in the Astros system. He's enjoying the best season of his pro career so far in Double-A in 2023. 

Though Kouba can't blow hitters away with a low-90s fastball that tops out at 94 mph, it plays better than its velocity because of his low release height, flat approach angle and command. It pairs well with his changeup, a low-80s offering with fade and sink that keeps left-handers in check. He gets right-handers to chase his low-80s slider out of the strike zone with regularity and also mixes in a mid-70s curveball, mostly against lefties. 

Kouba's arsenal works better than it grades and he rarely gets himself in trouble by making mistakes. His combination of deception and control gives him a chance to become a back-of-the-rotation starter. If he falls short of that ceiling, he could prove useful as a multi-inning reliever. 



Awards




Transactions

Team Date Transaction
09/30/2024 Sugar Land Space Cowboys activated RHP Rhett Kouba from the 7-day injured list.
08/27/2024 Sugar Land Space Cowboys placed RHP Rhett Kouba on the 7-day injured list.
07/23/2024 Sugar Land Space Cowboys activated RHP Rhett Kouba from the 7-day injured list.
07/05/2024 Sugar Land Space Cowboys sent RHP Rhett Kouba on a rehab assignment to FCL Astros.
07/05/2024 Sugar Land Space Cowboys sent RHP Rhett Kouba on a rehab assignment to FCL Astros.
05/11/2024 Sugar Land Space Cowboys placed RHP Rhett Kouba on the 7-day injured list.
03/07/2024 Houston Astros Prospects activated RHP Rhett Kouba.
01/19/2024 Houston Astros invited non-roster RHP Rhett Kouba to spring training.
09/27/2023 Sugar Land Space Cowboys activated RHP Rhett Kouba.
09/20/2023 Sugar Land Space Cowboys transferred RHP Rhett Kouba to the Development List.
08/26/2023 RHP Rhett Kouba assigned to Sugar Land Space Cowboys from Corpus Christi Hooks.
04/03/2023 RHP Rhett Kouba and assigned to Corpus Christi Hooks from Asheville Tourists.
04/03/2023 Corpus Christi Hooks activated RHP Rhett Kouba.
09/16/2022 Surprise Saguaros activated RHP Rhett Kouba.
09/16/2022 Surprise Saguaros activated RHP Rhett Kouba.
07/06/2022 Asheville Tourists activated RHP Rhett Kouba from the 7-day injured list.
07/02/2022 Asheville Tourists placed RHP Rhett Kouba on the 7-day injured list.
06/06/2022 RHP Rhett Kouba assigned to Asheville Tourists from Fayetteville Woodpeckers.
05/17/2022 RHP Rhett Kouba assigned to Fayetteville Woodpeckers from Asheville Tourists.
04/08/2022 RHP Rhett Kouba assigned to Asheville Tourists from Fayetteville Woodpeckers.
08/31/2021 RHP Rhett Kouba assigned to Fayetteville Woodpeckers from FCL Astros.
08/17/2021 RHP Rhett Kouba assigned to FCL Astros.
07/17/2021 Houston Astros signed RHP Rhett Kouba.