How the Christian Vázquez Signing Can Help the Astros

Christian Vázquez’s Time with the Astros

Vázquez chipped in during the 2022 postseason with four hits and three RBI. He only played 41 games total, including the playoffs, for the Astros, but they were meaningful. He had an RBI in Game 6 of the World Series and caught the combined no-hitter on the road in Game 4. The Astros allowed one run in the 33 innings Vázquez caught in the 2022 postseason.

Vázquez was the starting catcher for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic and just reported to Astros camp this week. He will be an interesting figure to keep an eye on. Vázquez hit .250 with a .586 OPS in the regular season. The two-time World Series champion (won in 2018 as the Boston Red Sox starting catcher) signed a three-year, $30 million deal with the Minnesota Twins in December 2022 after his first stint with the Astros ended. 

His Recent Play

While his offensive production has consistently gone down for the past three seasons with the Twins, Vázquez can still be valuable for the Astros in a role as backup catcher behind Diaz. His contract is currently for the minor leagues, but with a good spring, the 35-year-old could make the big league team. Vázquez has played in two games so far in spring training and has gotten one hit, one RBI, and two walks in five at-bats. 

His only competition is likely to be Cesar Salazar, who has no more minor league options. 

Astros Catcher Competition 

While Walker Janek has shown some flashes so far this spring as a young minor league catcher, he still isn’t a true option for the big league team like Carlos Perez, who is also in camp on a minor league deal. Salazar has 36 games of major league experience, but only a .232 average and .586 OPS in that time. 

Vázquez hit just .215 with a .577 OPS in three seasons with the Twins and was the primary starting catcher the first two years. He moved into a backup catcher role in 2025 for his defense. Vázquez is obviously not the same hitter he was during his days with the Red Sox as one of their key players. 

Vázquez’s best season was back in 2019 when he hit 23 home runs and 72 RBI in 138 games. He had a .276 average and .797 OPS. 

Vázquez’s veteran presence and experience are something that the Astros desperately need behind the plate and among the catcher group in Houston. Diaz really benefitted from Maldonado in 2023, and this signing could do the same in 2026. 

The Astros had both of the Puerto Rican catchers in 2022, and bringing back Christian Vázquez can honestly only do good for Houston.