A two-time American League (AL) All-Star, Pressly was selected to the 2022 All-MLB Team in conjunction with winning his first World Series championship as a member of the Astros.

[3][4] As American Heritage considered ending its baseball program, Pressly transferred to Edward S. Marcus High School in Flower Mound, Texas, for his senior year.

[4][5] Pressly committed to attend Texas Tech University after receiving a scholarship to play college baseball for the Red Raiders team.

In his first season as a relief pitcher for the Portland Sea Dogs of the Class AA Eastern League, he compiled a 2.93 earned run average (ERA) with 21 strikeouts in 27+2⁄3 innings pitched (IP).

[citation needed] During the 2018 season, the Twins continued to maintain Pressly in the role of middle reliever and setup man.

[12] The Astros analytics department had noted that Pressly had elite spin rates on his curveball and slider, and recommended that he throw them more often.

[3] His 2018 totals between the Twins and Astros included an American League (AL)-leading 77 appearances, 11 games finished, two saves, 2–1 W–L record, and careers bests 2.54 ERA and 2.47 Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP).

He tossed 5 innings, faced 20 batters, and allowed one run on one hit, with three walks, .259 on-base plus slugging (OPS) against, and struck out 7.

[15] On May 17, Pressly broke Craig Kimbrel's major league record with his 39th consecutive scoreless appearance, dating back to August 10, 2018.

[18] In the 2019 postseason, Pressly made 10 total appearances, including two in the ALDS (Tampa Bay Rays), four in the ALCS (New York Yankees), and four more in the World Series (Washington Nationals), going 1–0 with 1 hold.

He struggled, allowing 7 earned in runs in 5+2⁄3 innings (11.12 ERA), .429/.484/.464/.948 OPS against, .546 batting average on balls in play (BABIP), and struck out 6 of 32 batters.

[22] On May 29, Pressly earned a save after inducing a ground ball hit by Luis Torrens for a game-ending, bases-loaded double play to preserve a 2–1 win versus the Seattle Mariners.

[23] On June 5, Pressly was ejected in the ninth inning after throwing inside to Michael A. Taylor of the Kansas City Royals.

[27] Starter Framber Valdez (first six innings), Neris (7th), and Rafael Montero (8th) all preceded Pressly, who, in the ninth, struck out the side.

[d][28] On July 17 versus the Oakland Athletics, Pressly again struck out the side in the ninth inning to tie the Astros' franchise record with 27 consecutive batters retired by a reliever, first achieved by Dave Giusti in 1965.

That day, he surrendered a solo home run in the ninth inning to Taylor Ward before closing a 4–3 win over the Angels for the save.

[f][34] Pressly was critical in the Astros’ victory in the 2022 World Series, closing out five of six games, as he allowed just two hits, one walk, and no earned runs in 5+2⁄3 innings.

He struck out Brandon Marsh on three pitches—all sliders—and induced a sharply-hit Kyle Schwarber groundout that first baseman Trey Mancini smothered.

Per Baseball-Reference.com, the Marsh strikeout rendered 9.2% championship win probability added (cWPA), the most on any single out over the prior six World Series.

[38] On July 21, Pressly pitched a clean ninth inning to close out a 6–4 win over Oakland for the 100th regular-season save of his career, and 99th as Astro.

[g][41] On October 20, Pressly's multi-inning effort in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series (ALCS) in a win over the Rangers resulted in his 14th career postseason save—and 14th straight converted.

[43] On June 16, Pressly entered the eighth inning inheriting a no-hit bid by starter Ronel Blanco; after getting two Detroit Tigers out, he allowed a single to Wenceel Pérez for the first hit of the game.

[44] He collected his 45th appearance of the season on August 2 to activate a vesting option for 2025, tossing one scoreless inning in a 3–2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.

[46] In the AL Wild Card Series (WCS) versus Detroit, he was 0–1 with 3 earned runs surrendered in 2⁄3 inning[13] and took the loss in Game 2 as the Astros were swept.

A wild pitch in the top of the 8th inning allowed Kerry Carpenter to score and tie the contest 2–2, accounting for Pressly's first career blown save in the postseason after having converted each of his first 14 opportunities.