As they attempt to rebuild their farm system, the Houston Astros are reportedly shopping one of their star outfielders, possibly sending him to the Philadelphia Phillies.
The likelihood that the Houston Astros will be among the least impressive teams this winter is increasing. What general manager Dana Brown can accomplish in his first full offseason as manager is restricted by a self-imposed salary cap set by owner Jim Crane.
Their only real chance to make an impact is in the trade market, but they don’t have many highly sought-after prospects to pull off blockbuster deals due to having one of the worst farm systems in the MLB.
Brown is aware of this, and his tenure with the Atlanta Braves has taught him the importance of owning a top-tier pipeline.
He has previously stated that in order to give the veteran players a break throughout the year and give the younger players more experience, they would like to include more of them on their MLB roster this season.
Star outfielder Jake Meyers appears to be one player they are shopping, even though few changes are anticipated.
After being demoted to a backup role late in the season, Meyers is now seen as an expendable piece within their organization due to the rise of Chas McCormick and Mauricio Dubon, who both won Gold Gloves as utility players.
According to reports, the Philadelphia Phillies are looking for additional outfield assistance, and Houston may have what they need.
Meyers is a superb defensive back. Baseball Savant estimates that in 2023, he was three points above expectations in catch percentage and worth nine outs above average.
After slashing, it was his bat that got him into trouble with the Astros.With 33 RBI and 10 home runs last year, he was 227/.296/.382.
But with the Phillies, he would probably only be used in platoon roles as a right-handed pinch hitter or in matchups against lefties.
This would enable Houston to reclaim some prospects from Philadelphia, who, following one of the worst pipelines in baseball a few years ago, have quietly begun to build a strong one.
The Astros need to rebuild their farm system and a trade like this would be the first step in doing that.