Astros future suddenly looks fragile after alarming MLB All-Under-25 list revealed

When you think of the Houston Astros, the vast majority of players who come to mind are guys over the age of 30 including Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, and Christian Walker, just to name a few. Even those who aren't yet entering their baseball golden years aren't far off, with the likes of Yordan Alvarez turning 29 this season.

With age comes decline, something we're seeing happen with the face of the franchise, Altuve, happening in real-time. In the past, the Astros were able to cycle young players through to replace aging vets. For example, Houston was comfortable letting Correa walk a few years back because it had Jeremy Peña waiting in the wings. The club let George Springer out the door because it had Kyle Tucker ready to take on a bigger role. The constant reinsertion of youth into the roster allowed them to stay on top for as long as they did.

But now, after missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016, the Astros don't have much in the way of young talent ready to keep the embers of their empire alive. The Athletic (subscription required) came out with its All-Under-25 Team, and Houston was conspicuously absent from the rankings, with the lone exception of Cam Smith earning an honorable mention in the outfield.

Astros' lack of quality young players is becoming a serious problem

In terms of impact players, few teams rely on more 30-plus veterans than the Astros. Even veteran-laden big-spending contenders like the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets had youngsters earning starting jobs in this hypothetical. This doesn't look to change any time soon. The farm system is barren without a top-100 prospect and ranked second-to-last in the league. Meanwhile, the roster is only getting older.

It doesn't help that the organization has actively made it harder for young players, even veterans who are just entering their prime, to carve out consistent playing time. For example, while the infield logjam is temporarily "solved" by Peña's injury, once he comes back, 27-year-old Isaac Paredes will once again be forced out of the starting lineup on most nights. That could also force top prospect Brice Matthews back down to Sugar Land if he is fortunate to make the Opening Day cut, further stunting the youth movement.

This is a situation of Houston's own making. The Astros once deemed Carlos Correa too old and injury-prone to pay, paving the way for Peña in the first place, yet a few years and a couple of injuries later, they decided to panic trade for him back when Paredes got hurt last July.

The ripple effects of that decision, and several others like it, are immense. Not only does it leave an ascending star like Paredes without a regular place to play, but the money for a guy like Correa will further tie up the books and making it where the Astros won't be able to afford Bryan Abreu or other stars in their primes like Peña once they hit free agency.

Old and getting older, Houston will eventually have a crash landing once these veterans' skills fully deteriorate and there is nothing in the way of young talent behind them. All in all, the Astros are no longer a prime title contender and are staring down the reality of a long and hopeless rebuild in the not-so-distant future.