Orioles have claimed outfielder Pedro Leon Francys Romero of BeisbolFR reports that the Astros have waived off waivers. It was reported earlier this week that Houston has waived several players, including Leon, as they look to clear some roster space. The O’s need to make room on their 40-man roster before the move can be officially announced.
Baltimore is getting hyped up on the prospect. Leon was a high-profile signing from Cuba a few years ago. In January 2021, the Astros gave him a signing bonus of $4MM. He ranks as one of the top prospects in the system for the next few years. He’s 27 now and turns 28 in May, but has yet to live up to his hype. He has appeared in just seven major league games so far. He struck out 10 in 21 games, producing a .100/.143/.100 line.
This is obviously a small sample of work, but his minor league record isn’t great either. From 2021 to 2023, he hit .233/.350/.419 on the farm. That offense translated to a 104 wRC+, indicating he was above average, but just barely above average. During that time, he hit the plate in 29% of his plate appearances.
In 2024, he had a monster .299/.372/.514 line in Triple-A play. He’s still hitting at a pretty high 27% rate, but even in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, this offense is good enough for a 130 wRC+. In 2025, he played in only 22 3A games due to a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee. He hit .241/.312/.422 in those games with a wRC+ of 89.
Clearly, the Astros wanted more when they signed him. The Orioles are hoping for a late-blooming breakthrough for their organization. Leon remains optional, so they can keep him in the minors. He showed plenty of potential in 2024 before an injury-plagued 2025. Ideally, the O’s will get a healthy and productive season from Leon in 2026. If that comes true, he could work his way into their outfield lineup as the season goes on. Currently, this group includes Colton Cowser, Tyler O’Neal, Dylan Beavers, Jeremiah Jackson, Lady Taveras and others.
Photos by Thomas Shea, Imagn Images
