Astros rookie ace Brown on pro debut: 'Overall, I was definitely nervous'

Rookie pitcher Hunter Brown proved that, as a quick study, he has what it takes to join one of the best rotations in Major League Baseball (MLB) on Monday.

The 24-year-old Brown didn’t disappoint in his professional debut, keeping the visiting Texas Rangers scoreless through six innings of work as part of Houston’s 1-0 victory over its intrastate and American League (AL) West rival. 

“What can Brown do for you?” the Astros posted on Twitter following the game.

The team’s top prospect, Brown won his first start by virtue of his five strikeouts aside from his half-dozen scoreless innings.

According to a report on the Astros’ website, the right-hander introduced himself to the Labor Day crowd of approximately 35,000 with a strikeout for 97 miles per hour (mph) and was settled in after delivering another.

“I was definitely nervous,” he said in the report. “As the outing went on, [the nerves] subsided. Overall, I was definitely nervous.”

Martin Maldonado, who caught for Brown, called the rookie’s effort on the hill impressive, saying it reminded him of a certain teammate who’s in the running for this year’s AL Cy Young Award.

“He reminded me of [Justin Verlander] back in the day – a young J.V. – when J.V. was still doing his thing,” Maldonado said, per the report. “But Hunter – big curveball, power slider, power fastball. He located the fastball better than I thought he was going to. He was impressive, even from the bullpen.”

Maldonado’s single to score left fielder Trey Mancini in the second inning was the lone run of the contest.

Born in Detroit, Brown was elevated to the Astros on Thursday from Triple-A Sugar Land, for whom he crafted a 9-4 mark in 13 starts and a 2.55 earned run average (ERA), Houston ABC affiliate KTRK reported.

According to the station, the addition of Brown came just as veteran starter Justin Verlander, who happens to be an idol of Brown’s since the former grew up a Detroit Tigers fan, is on the 15-day injury (IL) list for a calf injury.

The Astros’ victory over Texas brings the team to an even 4,812-4,812 record in 60 years of play.