Nearly a decade after it began, the Forrest Whitley experiment in Houston now appears over. Whitley, a first-round pick by the Astros in 2017 and the team's top prospect from 2018-21, was designated for assignment on Sunday. Houston will now either trade Whitley, place him on waivers, or release him outright.

The Houston Astros designated right-hander Forrest Whitley for assignment on Sunday, putting their tumultuous, nine-year partnership with the pitcher in peril. Once touted as the top starting pitching prospect in baseball,

Right-hander Forrest Whitley, once a top-10 prospect in baseball, was designated for assignment by the Houston Astros on Sunday. The Astros selected him with the No. 17 pick of the 2016 MLB Draft out of high school in San Antonio and gave him a $3.