There's a growing possibility that the Houston Astros will be one of the most underwhelming teams this winter. A self-imposed salary cap by owner Jim Crane limits what general manager Dana Brown will be able to do in his first full offseason in charge.
The only way they truly can make a splash is on the trade market, but with one of the worst farm systems in the MLB, they don't have many coveted prospects to get blockbuster deals done.
Brown knows this and also knows the value of having a high-end pipeline after his time with the Atlanta Braves.
He already mentioned that they'd like to use more young players on their MLB roster this season to get them more experience and give the veteran players rest throughout the year.
Without many changes expected to take place, one player they seemingly are shopping is star outfielder Jake Meyers.
With the emergence of Chas McCormick and Mauricio Dubon winning a Gold Glove as a utility player, Meyers is viewed as an expendable piece within their organization after being relegated to a backup role late in the season.
The Philadelphia Phillies are reportedly interested in more outfield help and Houston might have the piece they're looking for.
Meyers is an elite defender. According to Baseball Savant, he was worth nine Outs Above Average in 2023 and had a catch percentage of three points higher than expected.
His bat is what got him into trouble with the Astros after slashing .227/.296/.382 with 10 home runs and 33 RBI last year.
However, he would likely only be used in a platoon role with the Phillies as a right-handed option in matchups against lefties and in pinch-hitting situations.
For Houston, this would allow them to get back some prospects from Philadelphia who have quietly started building a strong pipeline after having one of the worst in baseball a few years ago.
The Astros need to rebuild their farm system and a trade like this would be the first step in doing that.
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