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HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 01: Jon Singleton #28 of the Houston Astros flies out against the Detroit Tigers in the seventh inning during Game One of the Wild Card Series at Minute Maid Park on October 01, 2024 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

There was a time in relatively recent history where Jon Singleton was deemed to be the future of the Houston Astros’ line-up along with George Springer. As it is, perhaps he will have to settle for being the best slugger in Mexico.

Singleton finds himself back in the country for a second visit in the 2026 season after his third stint with the Astros came to an end last November. Now 34 years old, and without ever achieving much at that level, his Major League window could very well have ended. Nevertheless, Singleton currently leads the Mexican League in home runs, and is absolutely raking in a way that is reminiscent of a young Jon Singleton in his prime.

According to the statistics available on the official website for the Liga Mexicano de Beisbol, Singleton – currently a member of the Diablos Rojos del Mexico – has hit a league-leading 14 home runs in 140 at-bats across 37 games, for an exact rate of one in every ten at-bats. He also has 33 walks in that time compared to only 23 strikeouts, which, when combined with his 10 doubles and one triple, mean he has more extra-base hits than Ks.

For a player such as Singleton for whom contact rate was always the issue, this is a huge return. And he will be hoping for one more return to the majors will follow in turn.

Jon Singleton, Future Of The Astros

Singleton’s professional career began when was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the eighth round of the 2009 MLB Draft out of high school, and spent two years with the Phillies franchise before being traded to the Astros in July 2011 as a part of the trade that sent Hunter Pence to Philadelphia. From there, he quickly became one of baseball’s top prospects.

Across his minor league career, Singleton won many accolades, including a Futures Game appearance and recognition as a Baseball America Minor League All-Star. Because of this status as a prestige project, Singleton signed a five-year major league contract with Houston before even making his debut in the majors – a very rare occurrence that reflected how highly he was thought of at the time.

During his rookie season in 2014, Singleton appeared in 95 games for the Astros, but struggled to live up to all the expectation. He hit only .168 with 13 home runs, 44 RBI and a .572 OPS, leading the American League’s qualified rookies with 134 strikeouts. He returned to the Astros in 2015 and played another 19 major league games, hitting .191 with one home run and five RBIs, but was mostly in the minors, trying to get the sparkle back.

It did not work. Following the 2015 season, Singleton did not appear in the major leagues for seven years.

Career Decline And Second Chance

Singleton’s career was interrupted by repeated violations of Major League Baseball’s drug prevention program. He spent much of 2016 and 2017 in the Astros’ minor league system before receiving a 100-game suspension in January 2018, following a 50-game suspension for the same offense five years previously. With his production not improving and the suspension hanging over him, Houston released him in May 2018 during it, ending his nine-year association with the team. He subsequently did not appear professionally anywhere at all in 2019.

Singleton also did not play professionally in 2020, though it was not a lack of trying. He had signed in April 2020 with the same Diablos team he is currently with now, but the cancellation of the Mexican League season due to the pandemic prevented him from playing that year. Singleton nevertheless returned to action in Mexico during 2021, batting .321 with 15 home runs in 46 games. This time, it was enough to get him back into the majors.

Singleton signed a minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers in December 2021, and after producing 24 home runs and 87 RBI for Triple-A Nashville in 2022, he was added to Milwaukee’s major league roster in November 2022. He appeared in 11 games for the Brewers during the first half of the 2023 season, and although he was cut in June after hitting only 3-29, Singleton was quickly picked back up by the Astros, with whom he would finish the season. Singleton would play 119 games for Houston in 2024, having by far his best season as a Major Leaguer and setting career highs in games, runs, hits, and OPS while batting .234 with 13 home runs and 42 RBI.

It was still not enough for job security, however. Singleton was again released by the Astros during 2025 spring training, signed briefly with the New York Mets, and later returned to Houston on a minor league contract for a few more additional major league appearances during the 2025 season, to little fanfare. It was all work, but it was spotty employment.

Through the end of the 2025 season, Singleton has appeared in 280 major league games and compiled a career batting line of .197 with 29 home runs, 104 RBI and a .644 OPS. It is something, to be sure. But journeyman status is not what was expected when the 2014 extension was signed. At least so far in 2026, that journey is back on the upswing.