Four right-handed pitchers are being sent to the minor leagues in the Astros' first round of roster cuts at spring training.
Riley Ferrell and Alex Santos have been reassigned and Forrest Whitley and Nivaldo Rodriguez have been optioned to the minors.
All players are expected to continue workouts at the Astros' spring training facility in West Palm Beach, Florida, according to a team statement.
Whitley will undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery after being diagnosed with a UCL sprain.
Rodriguez made his Major League debut last July against the Dodgers and pitched 8.2 innings in five appearances.
Ferrell, a College Station native, is in his second minor league stint with the Astros. He was a third-round draft pick by the team in 2015. He pitched the Astros' system for three years before the Marlins selected him the 2018 Rule 5 draft. He returned to the Astros in 2019 after clearing waivers.
Santos was drafted out of high school last year in the second round.