3 Astros position battles to watch in Spring Training

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The Astros have more competition for roster spots this spring than in any season in the past decade. That¡¯s not surprising news considering they have played in more postseason games (99) than any other team since the start of the 2017 season and have been brimming with talent.

A look around the roster still reveals the presence of stars like Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez, Christian Walker, Framber Valdez and Josh Hader, but the Astros don¡¯t have the depth they¡¯ve had in recent years. That¡¯s great news for a handful of players looking to make Houston¡¯s Opening Day roster when the season starts in five weeks.

¡°There¡¯s bench opportunities that guys are competing for spots, along with some of our relievers,¡± manager Joe Espada said. ¡°I¡¯ll be watching closely. I¡¯m excited about our young players and they¡¯ll be playing a lot early.¡±

With Grapefruit League play set to begin Saturday with Houston¡¯s split-squad games against the Nationals (home) and Mets (road), here¡¯s a look a three key position battles:

The right stuff
In the wake of Kyle Tucker being traded to the Cubs in December, the Astros were quick to anoint Chas McCormick as the starter in right field to begin the season. Espada has said McCormick will have a shorter leash this year if he¡¯s struggling offensively like he did for most of last season, so the position is anything but set.

He¡¯ll be pushed by Taylor Trammell, who was acquired in a trade in November and is out of Minor League options, and Ben Gamel, who returned to Houston on a one-year deal. Both bat left-handed, which was a position of need for the Astros heading into the offseason. Cooper Hummel is in the mix, as well.

A wild card is Houston¡¯s No. 6 prospect Zach Dezenzo, who was a shortstop in college but has played mostly third base in the Minor Leagues and played left field in winter ball. His athleticism, versatility and offensive profile make him a candidate to break camp with the club, and he could get some exposure in right depending on how the roster shakes out.

Who¡¯s on second?
Altuve has been working out almost exclusively in left field so far this spring and appears to be on his way to starting the season as an outfielder. That would open up a spot at second base, a position which Altuve has held down since the 2011 season.

Mauricio Dub¨®n, who filled in at second when Altuve missed the first 44 games of the 2023 season, is likely to start this season at second -- though his best value remains as a versatile bench weapon. He started games at seven different positions last year and was the American League Gold Glove winner at the utility position in ¡®23.

The Astros signed veteran Brendan Rodgers to a Minor League deal with an invitation to Spring Training on Friday, giving them another layer of protection at the position. Two other non-roster players are in the mix -- Luis Guillorme and Zack Short, both of whom are out of options. Guillorme bats left-handed and could platoon with Dub¨®n. Short is probably the better defender, but he has a career .556 OPS in 219 career big league games.

Rodgers has spent his entire career with the Rockies and won the National League Gold Glove at second base in 2022, but has slipped defensively the last two seasons. Last year, he appeared in 135 games and slashed .267/.314/.407 with 13 homers and 54 RBIs for Colorado.

In the bullpen
Hader and Bryan Abreu return at the back end of the bullpen, with Tayler Scott, Bryan King, Forrest Whitley, Kaleb Ort and Shawn Dubin likely making the club, if healthy. Dubin isn¡¯t throwing because of shoulder discomfort, and Ort will be out for a while with an oblique injury.

There¡¯s no shortage of candidates elsewhere, including Miguel Castro, Rafael Montero, Steven Okert, Bennett Sousa, Nick Hernandez and Luis Contreras. Castro, Montero and Okert aren¡¯t on the 40-man roster, and Scott, Ort, Whitley and Dubin are out of options. Sousa, a lefty, missed all of last season following surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome, but has touched 95 mph in his spring bullpens.

Logan VanWey, a non-roster right-hander, is an intriguing option to make the club. He has averaged 12.3 strikeouts per nine innings since making his professional debut in ¡®22 and last year pitched in 72 ? innings across 60 games at Triple-A.

He was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2022 and had a solid 2024 in Triple-A.