The Houston Astros' farm system has been in a sorry state for a while. The years of contention have left the fields barren, while the sign-stealing penalties levied against the team accelerated its decline. That has put Houston in a bad way, with numerous holes on the big league roster, a tight budget to fix those deficiencies, and little talent waiting in the wings to replenish the pipeline.
With that said, Dana Brown has gone to work trying to fix the issues that plague Houston in the minor leagues. Fixes don't happen overnight, but a fast riser or two can make a world of difference.