"Jason is making a good first impression here in camp," assistant GM Ricky Bennett said. "His maturity and knowledge of the game really stand out. The experience will be good for him as he heads into his first full professional season. It's highly unlikely the he'll see major league time this year, but we see him reaching the major leagues in the near future."

Bennett wasn't afraid to say which young players may surprise this season.

"Drew Sutton, Chris Johnson, Bud Norris and Brian Bogusevic have all made good first impressions in camp," Bennett said. "We hope that at least one of them steps up."

Johnson and Norris, a right-hander who may be a reliever or a starter this season, are the closest to the majors.

"I would say Chris Johnson is really playing well so far this spring," Bennett said. "I think the experience of being in major league camp for the first time is giving him a lot of confidence. And if he continues to play at this rate, maybe at some point he could become our regular third baseman."

Norris is the Astros' top pitching prospect, and there's no doubt the Astros need all the pitching help they can get.

"He's done a nice job so far," Bennett said of Norris. "He's handled his emotions very well, and he's starting to mature on the mound, which is something that we're looking for this spring. As he continues to understand that he doesn't have to do more at this level, I think we will see Bud become much more consistent, and he will be in a position to help us this year."