Astros' plans for this prime trade candidate may be huge clue to Cam Smith’s future

After starting with so much promise, Cam Smith's immediate future with the Houston Astros feels very up in the air right now. No one denies that Smith is immensely talented, and he could turn into the star the Astros thought he could be when they surprisingly put him on the Opening Day roster. However, there is no denying that Smith struggled mightily as the season went on and that understandably raised questions as to whether he needed more time in the minor leagues.

At this point, it is on Smith to prove that he belongs in the big leagues. Smith is probably hoping that he will be given a chance to work through his struggles in the majors with the Astros. However, that decision may actually come down to what happens with Jesus Sanchez if Astros insider Brian McTaggart is right.

Whether or not Cam Smith starts 2026 in the minors may come down to whether the Astros successfully trade Jesus Sanchez

While opinions differ as to what exactly to do with Smith, everyone agrees that he will need regular plate appearances at whatever level he is playing next season. Given what Houston gave up to get him from the Cubs, the Astros are committed to putting their best effort into turning Smith into a key part of their roster, and that isn't going to happen if he is only playing two or three games a week.

Everyone knows at this point that the Astros have explored trading Sanchez. Despite receiving trade interest in Sanchez, even with his struggles in Houston, they still tendered him a contract. That could have just been to get cost-certainty on Sanchez in trade talks, but the more likely explanation is that Houston sees a world where they keep him around. That world, unfortunately, is one that probably involves Smith in the minors.

Whether that is a wise move is kind of irrelevant. In the event of a Sanchez trade (especially with so much smoke around Jake Meyers getting traded as well), the odds that Astros fans see Smith in right field in 2026 are high. However, if Sanchez sticks around and the Astros are looking for a platoon situation, we could see the young Astros star in Triple-A at the start of next season.