Houston Astros Officially Part Ways With Long-Time Outfielder

The Houston Astros moved to clear space on their 40-man roster Monday by designating center fielder Jake Meyers for assignment.

The decision, first reported by Ari Alexander of 7News, comes as the 30-year-old is set to come off the 60-day injured list.

Meyers had been arbitration-eligible and was projected for a $3.6 million salary in 2027, according to MLB Trade Rumors.

For three seasons from 2023 through 2025, Meyers served as Houston’s primary center fielder. His glove was the clear strength of his profile.

Across more than 3,800 career innings in center, he posted strong defensive metrics, including 22 Defensive Runs Saved, 43 Outs Above Average, and 35 Fielding Run Value.

Offensively, the results were more modest. Over that three-year stretch he hit .243/.310/.370 with a 93 wRC+, a 22 percent strikeout rate, and a 7.4 percent walk rate.

A right-handed hitter, he has fared slightly better than average against left-handers in his career but has been about 15 percent below average versus right-handers.

Injuries have repeatedly interrupted his time in Houston. A torn labrum suffered during the 2021 postseason required surgery and limited him to 52 games the following year.

He stayed mostly healthy over the next three seasons aside from brief calf issues, but 2026 brought further setbacks.

A Grade 2 oblique strain kept him out for roughly seven weeks from early April into late May.

After returning, his bat failed to produce, and the Astros optioned him to Triple-A in early July. Even there he struggled, batting .212/.277/.315 as he tried to work his way back. He appeared in only five more major-league games before the season ended.

Meyers entered 2026 with 4.044 years of service time and fell just short of five years.

A team that claims him would therefore control him for two more seasons, though the projected arbitration salary gives him a realistic chance to clear waivers.

Houston has five days to trade him or place him on waivers; outright waivers would take 48 hours, so the outcome should be known within a week.

Even if another club claims him, he could still be non-tendered later.

Should he pass through unclaimed, he would become a free agent immediately and could draw interest as a glove-first, right-handed-hitting center-field option for teams seeking defensive help without a major financial commitment.