Welcome to Volume Nine of PARScards for 2026!
Next up, we have Marek Houston of the Twins. Let’s dig in!
Background
Houston was the Twins’ 2025 first-round pick (16th overall) out of Wake Forest. With the Demon Deacons, he was named a Third-Team All-American as both a sophomore and a junior. Going into the draft, he profiled as a high-floor prospect with a plus hit tool, above-average speed and solid defense. The warts were in the power department, which led to some comparisons with other recent middle infield draft picks by Minnesota (Luke Keaschall, Kaelen Culpepper, Brooks Lee). The defense was touted as good enough that his floor would be that of a super-utility guy. A safe pick, with some ceiling to shoot for.
Oh, so smooth.
How’d We Get Here?
Post-draft, Houston debuted at Single-A, breezing through the level with a 150 wRC+ and earning a promotion after just 12 games. He closed out 2025 with a rough 12 games at High-A where he never got into a groove. Marek finished with a .152/.220/.239 line with the Cedar Rapids Kernels.
So far in 2026, Houston has had no problem getting going. Back with the Kernels to open the year, he played in 56 games before his promotion to Double-A Wichita. Houston’s line was right along the lines of what was expected post-draft: .325/.406/.461, with five home runs and 24 steals (in 26 tries). Upon promotion to the Wind Surge, there’s been a new development—signs of life in the power department:
| A+ | AA | |
|---|---|---|
| AB/HR | 45.6 | 26.2 |
| SLG | .461 | .524 |
| ISO | .136 | .190 |
Houston’s second Double-A HR
The Good
- Plus hit tool
- Excellent defense
- Developing power
July 26th ‘All-Texas’ HR: Houston off Dallas.
The Bad
- Question marks regarding power
- Potential utility profile
The Verdict
Houston’s breaking out, but is still just 16% owned on Fantrax. While the light-tower power guys like Andrew Fischer (46% owned) tend to get much more recognition, I prefer to bet on guys with a plus hit tool and good defense, as teams will find ways to keep them in the lineup. This has already happened for Houston—as a freshman with Wake Forest, he hit just .220, but started 59 games anyway because the glove was just that good. Now, Houston is showing real gains in the power department, much like previously mentioned Culpepper and Lee. Adding power to Houston’s profile would classify him as the always coveted five-category fantasy contributor. His role model as a kid was Dansby Swanson, and that is a proper comp. He’s a surefire top-100 prospect at this point, and you should be finding a way to fit him on your team.
Thanks for reading!
- Rick ✌🏼