Astros Make Curious Decision on Former No. 3 Pick

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Michael DeRosa | Last updated Mar 26, 2025 10:19 AM ET

The Houston Astros kick off their regular season on Thursday against the New York Mets. After losing in the AL Wild Card Series last fall to the Detroit Tigers, their goal is to bounce back in 2025 from here.

With the regular season rapidly approaching, the Astros have been putting the final touches on their Opening Day roster. While doing so, they made a very intriguing decision for their final roster spot.

While speaking to reporters, including the Houston Chronicle's Matt Kawahara , Astros manager Joe Espada confirmed that infielder Brendan Rodgers has secured the final roster spot for the AL West club.

Rodgers, 28, signed a minor league deal with the Astros last month, with the goal of making their major league roster. Now, he has done just that and will look to make an impact with the Astros from here.

The Astros' decision to select Rodgers to their major league roster comes after the six-year veteran had a bit of a quiet Spring Training. In 44 plate appearances, the Winter Park, Florida native posted a .233 batting average.

Rodgers spent this past season with the Colorado Rockies. In 135 games with the NL West club, the third overall pick of the 2015 MLB draft had 13 home runs, 54 RBIs, and a .267 batting average.

In six MLB seasons, Rodgers has 45 home runs, 197 RBIs, 449 hits, and a .266 batting average in 452 games. He also won a Gold Glove Award during the 2022 season. It will now be intriguing to see how much of an impact he makes with the Astros.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: