For the Houston Astros moving forward, the harsh reality is that their farm system is one of the weakest in baseball.
If the Astros want to make a blockbuster move or truly improve long-term flexibility, it will likely require creativity, unless they’re willing to move their top prospect, Bryce Matthews.
Matthews is viewed as a top-100 prospect across baseball and is widely considered the best prospect in the Houston system.
When predicting what that might mean for his future, Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report believes there’s a real chance he could be traded.
“Matthews sent his draft stock soaring when he hit .359/.481/.723 with 20 home runs and 20 steals during his junior season at the University of Nebraska, and he has provided a similar mix of power and speed since going No. 28 overall in the 2023 draft.
“Why He Could Be Traded: The Astros have to figure out how all the pieces fit together this spring with Carlos Correa, Isaac Paredes and Jose Altuve all in the mix for playing time at second base and third base, while Jeremy Pena is locked in at shortstop,” he wrote.
Given Matthews’ age and proximity to the majors, a decision on his long-term role is coming sooner than later. It’s tough to move on from one of the only good prospects in the system, but if the goal is to win now, it might have to happen.
