Like all MLB teams, the Houston Astros must answer some questions regarding the construction of their roster before the start of the season.
Coming off their second World Series championship in five years, the Houston Astros certainly arrived to camp in high spirits. Last September, the Astros completed a dominant postseason run in which they swept the Seattle Mariners and the New York Yankees before winning the Fall Classic in six games over the Philadelphia Phillies.
While the nucleus of the team remains largely intact (with Justin Verlander’s departure as the lone exception), there is plenty of reason for optimism for the upcoming season. However, like all teams, there are plenty of storylines to watch and questions to answer as teams begin their Spring Training.
Diving into the 3 major roster questions for the Houston Astros heading into spring training games
Who will be the backup catcher?
It’s quite clear that the Houston Astros have a strong appreciation for Martin Maldonaldo and his ability to work with their staff. Last trade deadline, a deal was in place to send starting pitcher Jose Urquidy to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for All-Star catcher, Wilson Contreras. The deal fell through when Astros owner, Jim Crane, sided with Dusty Baker. Baker believedContreras would not have enough time to learn the pitching staff, and preferred Maldonado’s established rapport with the Houston pitchers.
All this is to say that it seems the Astros have a lot of confidence in Maldonado heading into the 2023 season. A bigger question revolves around who will be supporting Maldonado through a 162-game season. Even with a remarkably healthy Maldonado, as has been the case the last couple of years, a backup catcher will likely still receive 40-ish starts throughout the season.
There seem to be two contenders heading into Spring Training for the backup catcher position: Yainer Diaz and Korey Lee. Diaz made himself known to the more average Astros fan last season as he partook in the MLB Futures game over All-Star game weekend. According to MLB.com, Diaz is the #3 prospect in the Astros’ system. Diaz mashed in both Double-A and Triple-A last year. In 48 Triple-A games, Diaz slashed .294/.343/.587. While Diaz sports a prolific bat, Diaz isn’t the strongest defensive catcher in the world. The Astros have even tried him at first base and have experimented with him in left field.
Alternatively, Korey Lee is a surer defender, at least when it comes down to limiting the stolen base. MLB.com graded Lee’s arm a “70” (which is regarded as significantly above average) in their most recent Astros prospect rankings. He was a first round pick of the Astros back in 2019. While Lee hasn’t flashed the same potential with the bat in comparison to Diaz, Lee has an impressive amount of power, especially for a catcher. Across 104 Triple-A games Lee launched 25 home runs.
If these two were battling for a starting position, I think the Astros would side with Lee, the stronger defensive catcher. However, in a backup role, I believe the Astros will be more willing to gamble on offensive upside. Diaz also has some experience at first base, which can be valuable given the departures of both Yuli Gurriel and Aledmys Diaz on the infield.
My prediction: Diaz