Well, as predicted here, the Stros (26-37) have come back down to earth after their recent winning streak with losses on Monday and Tuesday to the Orioles (38-26).
However, Baseball America gives Stros fans a reason for some optimism during this dreary season as it lists three Stros minor leaguers (including the top 2) in its current Top 20 Prospect Hot Sheet (paid subscription required):

1. Troy Patton, lhp, Astros (Low Class A Lexington)

It’s now been over a month since Patton gave up a run, spanning 32 innings over five starts. During that span, he’s limited opponents to 10 hits and six walks, while striking out 35. In 12 starts on the season, he’s allowed zero earned runs seven times, one earned run three times, and two earned runs twice.

2. Hunter Pence, of, Astros (Low Class A Lexington)

Pence went on the DL last night with a strained quadriceps, and that’s the only thing that will slow down the minor league home run leader with 23, who has slugged 16 home runs in his last 32 games.

17. Jimmy Barthmaier, rhp, Astros (Low Class A Lexington)

As if Patton and Pence (The Killer Ps –we’re copyrighting that and printing t-shirts as you read this) aren’t enough, Barthmaier gives the Legends three Hot Sheet designations by tossing 19 scoreless innings in his last three starts and lowering his season ERA to 1.77.

Patton — the Tomball, Texas High School star who the Stros plucked in last year’s draft from the clutches of the University of Texas baseball squad — had his scoreless streak ended last night at 32 innings as he lost his first game of the season.
Nevertheless, with studs such as this in the lower minors, and several solid pitching prospects at AA Corpus Christi and AAA Round Rock, it sure would be nice if the hitting-deprived Stros would try to cobble together a trade for this potentially very good hitter, who is currently on the outs with his pitching-deprived club. Looks as if the Stros might be able to negotiate a real bargain.