Welcome to the Astros Future Mailbag! Yesterday, I reached out on social media and asked for your questions, and you delivered. Below are some of the best ones along with my answers.
Q: Is there a reality where we see any of the better prospects in our farm get dealt in a blockbuster this year?
A: I think it depends on what someone considers “better prospects.” I don’t see the Astros trading either of their Top 100 prospects, Xavier Neyens or Kevin Alvarez, but if they’re buyers, I do think they’ll move some quality prospects. Personally, I don’t think that’s the best approach given where the current team is, but I can understand why Dana Brown, who is essentially managing for his job beyond this season, would want to push some chips in and make another run at the playoffs. That said, I think the most likely scenario is the Astros make a few smaller moves involving organizational depth, similar to what we’ve seen at the last couple of trade deadlines.
Q: Does Lucas Spence get moved in a deal with strong initial showing this weekend?
A: I definitely think teams will be interested in Spence, especially clubs looking for MLB-ready talent. He does a lot of things well. He plays solid defense in the outfield, has a plus arm, offers some power and can impact the game on the bases. With the Astros’ struggles in the outfield this season, the hope is that Spence takes advantage of this opportunity and runs with it.
Q: In your opinion, what’s the Astros roster strategy from now until the trade deadline?
A: My strategy would probably be different from what the Astros ultimately do. I think they’re going to keep trying to win and capitalize on the final years of this golden era. While I don’t expect Dana Brown to make any blockbuster moves, I do think they’ll look to add talent at the deadline. Starting pitching and the outfield are the biggest needs, though getting a few pitchers back from injury could help address some of those concerns internally.
Q: Who are the most underrated Astros prospects?
A: Underrated is always a tough question because a player I think is underrated might not be to someone else. But if I had to pick one, I’d go with Anthony Huezo. Even though he was drafted back in 2023, he’s still only 20 years old and continues to produce. There are some swing-and-miss concerns, but the power is legitimate. He leads the system in doubles and triples while adding 15 home runs and 30 stolen bases. The ceiling is incredibly high, and I don’t think he gets talked about nearly as much as some of the other top prospects in the system.
Q: What prospects from the second day of the draft are you most excited to see?
A: The second day of the draft went rounds 5-20. To make this a little more interesting, I will focus on rounds 11-20. The Astros selected Peyton Fiene in the 11th round and he struck out 107 over 77.2 innings for Odessa Junior College in 2026. Super intrigued by him. One other is 13th rounder Jack Beck. Beck is a well built high school shortstop who wput on a show at the MLB Combine. The 18-year-old, who stands 6-3, hit 21 balls harder than 100 mph (with a max of 113 mph) and had the longest home run of the combine at 466 feet. At this point, we just have to see if the Astros can sign them.
Q: Who are guys in the FCL/DSL (outside of Fermin) we should be looking out for in the second half and into the start of next season?
A: I think the big one is Luis De Leon. De Leon is a 19-year-old catcher in the Florida Complex League right now. Through 35 games in the FCL, De Leon is hitting .400 with 8 doubles, 4 home runs, 22 runs batted in and 19 walks to 15 strikeouts. I also think another catcher, August Cuneo, who was signed as an undrafted free agent last year following the draft, is off to a nice start either a .996 OPS and more walks than strikeouts through 16 games in the FCL.
Also be sure to follow on X, @AstrosFuture, follow me on Instagram, @AstrosFuture and like my Facebook page, facebook.com/AstrosFuture.
