Astros Have One Prospect in New Top 100 Rankings

After trading Kyle Tucker and letting Alex Bregman walk in free agency, it seemed like a decline was in store for the Houston Astros in 2025.

That has been far from the case, as they are seven games up in the American League West and have 51 wins following their victory on Tuesday night.

The Astros are getting great seasons from Jeremy Pena and Hunter Brown as their breakouts stars, but they have also seen an encouraging start to Cam Smith's career. The centerpiece of the Tucker trade, Smith has a 121 OPS+ and 2.3 bWAR so far in his rookie year.

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While Smith made an immediate impact after the trade, his graduation from prospect eligibility left Houston without a top 100 prospect.

In MLB Pipeline's newest update, one of the Astros' top prospects was able to make the leap into the top 100, with infielder Brice Matthews coming in at No. 98 overall.

Matthews, 23, is in the middle of his best season of pro ball since being drafted in 2023.

In 68 games, he is slashing .285/.404/.490 with 10 homers, 39 RBI and 23 stolen bases.

The Nebraska alumnus has a quick swing with "at least plus raw power that plays from the left-field line to right-center, giving him the potential for 25 or more homers per season," according to his scouting report.

While his power grade is at a 55, it is not the best tool in his arsenal.

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A former high school All-State quarterback, he is a terrific athlete with a 60 grade run tool. Matthews stole 32 bases in 2024 and is on the way to a career high in 2025.

He uses his speed in the field, with good range on defense at shortstop. However, it's unlikely he will stick at the position in the long run. For starters, Jeremy Pena is the long-term shortstop for the team. While he can play all over the field, second base might be the best option for Matthews.

With Altuve in the outfield, Matthews can use his athleticism to play a great second base and his bat can play at the position with some nice power.

Matthews reached Triple-A in 2024 and has spent the entire season there in 2025. His expected ETA in the bigs is this year, and the Astros could use help at second base.

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Brendan Rodgers was brought in this offseason, but has a .544 OPS with only six extra-base hits on the season. Mauricio Dubon has a higher OPS, but is still only hitting to an 86 OPS+.

The team's top prospect will likely see time in the Majors this season in order to bring some sort of offensive boost to the position.

Neither Rodgers or Dubon are a long-term option and have been placeholders, so now that Matthews has broken out, it could happen sooner rather than later.

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