Houston Astros
The Houston Astros selected Gusto in the 11th round,with the 346th overall selection,of the 2019 Major League Baseball draft. [2] Gusto spent his first professional season split between the rookie–level Gulf Coast League Astros and Low–A Tri-City ValleyCats. He did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. [3] Gusto also missed the 2021 campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery. [4]
Gusto returned to action in 2022 with the Single–A Fayetteville Woodpeckers and High–A Asheville Tourists. In 23 games (13 starts) for the two affiliates,he compiled a 6–5 record and 5.50 ERA with 96 strikeouts across 90 innings pitched. [5] Gusto made 26 appearances (14 starts) for Asheville and the Double–A Corpus Christi Hooks in 2023,registering a combined 7–4 record and 4.50 ERA with 115 strikeouts over 110 innings of work. [6]
In 2024,Gusto pitched for the Sugar Land Space Cowboys of the Triple–A Pacific Coast League (PCL). He was named the PCL's Pitcher of the Month for July 2024. [7] In 29 games (26 starts) for the Space Cowboys,he compiled an 8–6 record and 3.70 ERA with 141 strikeouts across 148+1⁄3 innings pitched. On September 29, 2024, the Astros selected Gusto to the 40-man roster and promoted him to the major leagues for the first time. [8] However, Gusto was unable to make his debut after Houston's season finale was canceled due to rain, and he became a phantom ballplayer. [9]
Gusto was initially optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land to begin the 2025 season. [10] However, on March 24, 2025, he was informed that he had secured the final bullpen spot on Houston's Opening Day roster. [11] On March 31, he made his major league debut versus the San Francisco Giants, entering in the seventh inning, and tossed two scoreless innings. Gusto retired Matt Chapman with a swinging strikeout for his first in the major leagues. [12] He secured his first major league win on April 8 with a scoreless effort in the 11th in a 2–1, 12-inning win over the Seattle Mariners. [13]
