The Astros’ starting pitching issues took another hit on Wednesday when top prospect Corbin Martin underwent Tommy John surgery. Martin will miss the remainder of this season and a chunk of next season as well, setting back the timetable for his emergence as a quality MLB pitcher.
Martin is ranked as the team’s fourth-best prospect by MLB.com, noting he has the arsenal and the delivery to be effective deep into ballgames. He made his major league debut on May 12 by fanning nine Rangers hitters, but struggled in four subsequent starts.
Martin becomes the latest young Astros hurler to go under the knife for the infamous operation to replace a torn ulnar collateral ligament in the elbow.