Shane Reynolds played eleven years for Houston and was a solid starting pitcher for most of it.  Known for his control, Reynolds would lead the National League in BB/9 (1.4) in 1999 and would also win the SO/BB (5.32) title.  The following season, Reynolds would make his first and only All-Star Game appearance.  The hurler had a 103-86 record with 1,309 Strikeouts.

Bob Watson achieved greater heights as an executive with the New York Yankees, but he was still quite the player who played at his peak with the Houston Astros. 

A two-time All-Star, Watson would exceed 150 hits six years in a row and had four campaigns where he batted over .300.  Watson's defensive skills were not the best, which hurts him on this list, but in the 14 years he played in Houston, he would collect 1,448 Hits, with 139 Home Runs with a .297 Batting Average. The Astros inducted Watson into their Hall of Fame in 2020.

Far more than just Phil’s younger brother, Joe Niekro had the best seasons of his twenty-plus year career as a Houston Astro.  Niekro would post two consecutive 20 win seasons both of which saw him make the top five in NL Cy Young voting.  An All-Star in 1979, Niekro would have 144 wins and 1,178 strikeouts with the Astros.  The team would induct Niekro into their franchise Hall of Fame in 2019, the first year of its existence.

There was a time when the baseball world was transfixed on the flamethrowing ability of Astros hurler, J.R. Richard, and why not?  He threw faster than anybody else, he fanned piles of batters and he was a young black pitcher in a time when there were not that many.  Richard was only an All-Star once, but he is a two-time strikeouts champion, a two-time leader in FIP and finished in the top ten in Cy Young voting three times.