Miguel Ullola of the Houston Astros wears a pink cowboy hat before his MLB debut against the Minnesota Twins at Daikin Park on June 29, 2026 in Houston, Texas.
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Miguel Ullola of the Houston Astros pitches in the eighth inning of his MLB debut against the Minnesota Twins at Daikin Park on June 29, 2026 in Houston, Texas.
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Miguel Ullola of the Houston Astros pitches in the eighth inning of his MLB debut against the Minnesota Twins at Daikin Park on June 29, 2026 in Houston, Texas.
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Victor Caratini (37) of the Minnesota Twins is congratulated by third base coach Ramon Borrego after a home run in the fourth inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on June 29, 2026 in Houston, Texas.
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Cam Smith of the Houston Astros is congratulated in the dugout after hitting a home run in the fifth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Daikin Park on June 29, 2026 in Houston, Texas.
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Royce Lewis of the Minnesota Twins reacts after a home run in the fourth inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on June 29, 2026 in Houston, Texas.
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Nick Allen of the Houston Astros forces Tristan Gray of the Minnesota Twins out at second and throws to first in the third inning at Daikin Park on June 29, 2026 in Houston, Texas.
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Peter Lambert of the Houston Astros pitches in the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Daikin Park on June 29, 2026 in Houston, Texas.
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Joey Loperfido of the Houston Astros makes a leaping catch at the left field wall in the sixth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Daikin Park on June 29, 2026 in Houston, Texas.
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Victor Caratini of the Houston Astros is congratulated by teammates after hitting a solo home run in the fifth inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on June 29, 2026 in Houston, Texas.
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Miguel Ullola of the Houston Astros wears a pink cowboy hat before his MLB debut against the Minnesota Twins at Daikin Park on June 29, 2026 in Houston, Texas.
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When Miguel Ullola strolled to the bullpen for his first big-league game at Daikin Park on Monday night, the Houston Astros rookie had a huge grin on his face, which almost has to be standard when you’re making the walk wearing a pink backpack with a matching pink cowboy hat on your head.
Hours after enduring his rookie hazing ritual, Ullola — pronounced oo-YOH-lah — had a similar wide smile, revealing the braces still on his teeth, but this grin came only after a triumphant yell.
The 24-year-old right-hander, who was called up from Triple-A Sugar Land on Sunday, made his Major League Baseball debut in spectacular fashion, throwing two scoreless innings and striking out four in the Astros’ 5-4 loss to the Minnesota Twins.
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Ullola announced his presence with authority striking out the very first batter he faced, getting Royce Lewis to swing at a 95.9 mph fastball that was elevated just above the zone.
“I was very proud of myself about getting the strikeout,” Ullola said through an interpreter. “I just trusted (catcher Christian) Vasquez and the fact that he’s a veteran, so I just trusted Vazquy to help me.”
He retired Victor Caratini on a weak ground out, then got Ryan Kriedler on a foul tip strikeout with a slider.
The second inning was a bit more adventurous with the Twins putting two on with a couple singles, including a blooper that had an exit velocity of just 67.7 mph. Still, Ullola didn’t get rattled with runners on the corners and just one out, striking out Brooks Lee and Kody Clemens to end the top of the ninth.
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“I actually like his second inning better than his first one because he got traffic, and he continued to pound the zone,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “He held the ball well, there were some baserunners, some traffic and he continued to attack. Threw the fastball, threw some really good sliders.”
Miguel Ullola of the Houston Astros reacts during the ninth inning of his MLB debut against the Minnesota Twins at Daikin Park on June 29, 2026 in Houston, Texas.
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That slider proved particularly nasty against Clemens for the final out of the ninth. Ullola threw the former Memorial High School and University of Texas star six straight fastballs, the last three of which Clemens fouled off, before he got him to whiff at the slider, prompting Ullola to hop off the mound and give a shout up to the ballpark’s closed roof.
“When he’s there and that ball takes the same tunnel as the fastball, it’s a really tough pitch to hit,” Espada said.
When he was signed from the Dominican Republic at 18 years old, Ullola was brought up through the minors as a starting pitcher and remained that way until the Astros moved him to the bullpen just last month. Of his 10 relief appearances for Sugar Land, only one lasted more than one inning, but Ullola said he had no concerns about throwing a second inning in his big-league debut.
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“I felt the same as always, normal,” Ullola said. “My mentality never changed, I was just out there trying to attack hitters.”
Ullola, who is ranked as the Astros’ No. 11 overall prospect by both Baseball America and MLB Pipeline, threw just two pitches — his fastball that creates the illusion or rising much like that of Cristian Javier and a nasty slider — but that could be all he needs in his new turn as a reliever.
“You saw the swings and misses on the fastballs and a ton of foul balls back where they were underneath it,” Espada said. “That’s a big weapon.”
The Astros’ clubhouse wasn’t as lively as it would have been after a comeback win, but Ullola, with his pink cowboy hat still hanging in his locker, couldn’t conceal the smile still plastered on his face.
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“I feel great,” he said.