What could the Astros' Opening Day roster look like?

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- One month after our initial Opening Day roster projection for the Astros, things have changed a bit. Jose Altuve moving to left field is a reality, a pair of injuries in the bullpen has opened up some opportunities for other arms and a couple of players have since signed.

Then there’s top prospect Cam Smith, who’s been the talk of camp by going 9-for-17 (.529) with two homers, five walks and three strikeouts in 22 plate appearances through March 10. Smith has put himself in position to perhaps break camp with the club, and Houston may give him some Grapefruit League at-bats in right field to see if he’s an option there.

Here’s the latest Opening Day roster projection a little more than two weeks away from the March 27 season opener against the Mets:

Catchers (2): Yainer Diaz, Victor Caratini
Diaz will be the starting catcher, with Caratini backing him up for the second year in a row. The pair combined to start all but seven of the Astros’ 161 games last year.

First baseman (1): Christian Walker
Walker, who signed a three-year deal worth $60 million on Dec. 23, suffered a left oblique injury last week and flew to Houston for an MRI, which showed that he didn't have a strain. Walker is being eased back into baseball drills and should be ready for Opening Day.

Second baseman (1): Mauricio Dubón
We had Altuve in this spot a month ago, but it’s clear Dubon will start at second to begin the year. That being said, Brendan Rodgers, Luis Guillorme and Zack Short are competing to get at-bats here.

Shortstop (1): Jeremy Peña
Pe?a posted a 100 OPS+ last year while playing in a career-high 157 games.

Third baseman (1): Isaac Paredes
Acquired from the Cubs in the Kyle Tucker trade, Paredes is the starter at third base, though he can also play second and first base.

Outfielders (4): Jose Altuve, Chas McCormick, Jake Meyers, Ben Gamel
Altuve is listed as an outfielder for the first time in his career and will open the season as the starter in left, with Meyers in center and McCormick in right. The wild card is Smith, who may force his way onto the roster. Gamel provides a lefty bat off the bench and has the fourth outfield spot for now.

DH (1): Yordan Alvarez
The slugger started 53 games in left field last year (and 94 at DH), but the team wants to keep him at DH for the most part this year to keep him healthy.

Bench/Utility (2): Jon Singleton, Luis Guillorme
The last bench spot will come down to either Zach Dezenzo or one of the middle infielders -- Rodgers, Guillorme or Short. The club is high on Dezenzo, who has made a few starts in right field, but Houston needs a middle infielder who can play second when Dubon is moving around the diamond. We’ll give the upper hand to Guillorme, a veteran left-handed bat who can play third, short and second base.

Starting pitchers (5): Framber Valdez, Hunter Brown, Ronel Blanco, Spencer Arrighetti, Hayden Wesneski
Valdez, Brown, Blanco and Arrighetti -- each of whom made at least 28 starts last year -- will anchor the rotation. Wesneski, acquired from the Cubs in the Tucker trade, is penciled in as the No. 5 starter, but the Astros used 12 starting pitchers last year, leaving plenty of room for somebody else to emerge.

Relief pitchers (8): Josh Hader, Bryan Abreu, Tayler Scott, Bryan King, Forrest Whitley, Luis Contreras, Jalen Beeks, Rafael Montero
Injuries to Kaleb Ort (left oblique) and Dubin (right shoulder inflammation) have kept them out of games this spring and put their status for Opening Day in doubt. The five locks are Hader, Abreu, Scott, Whitley and King, a lefty. The final three spots will be decided in the final two weeks of camp.

Nick Hernandez and Contreras are on the 40-man roster and have options, which would make it easy for the club to carry one of them, but probably not both. Other than King and Hader, there are five lefty arms competing for a spot -- Beeks, Bennet Sousa, Steven Okert, Brandon Walter and Blake Weiman. We’ll give the nod to Beeks, who was signed on Saturday.

The last spot goes to Montero, who’s not on the roster, but is already counted against the 2025 payroll over fellow non-roster veteran Miguel Castro. Keep an eye on rookie Logan VanWey, who has allowed one run in seven innings this spring.