Brendan Rodgers' signing provides added insurance for rising Astros prospect

The Houston Astros continued to beef up their infield earlier this week after agreeing to a minor-league deal with longtime Colorado Rockies second baseman Brendan Rodgers. Both Rodgers and Luis Guillorme will be battling it out over the next few weeks, with one of the two non-roster invitees likely to break camp with the big league club before Opening Day.

The addition of Rodgers and Guillorme only increases the likelihood that Jose Altuve's move to the outfield isn't just some pie-in-the-sky spring training shenanigans, but instead something that could become a reality this season.

While both Rodgers and Guillorme are capable big leaguers, there's a reason they were signed to minor league deals. Rodgers has endured back-to-back trying seasons and Guillorme played for three different organization last season. Neither player should be considered a long-term solution, but they could be keeping the seat warm for one of the Astros' top prospects.

Brendan Rodgers and Luis Guillorme provide insurance for rising Astros prospect Brice Matthews

Like both Rodgers and Guillorme, Brice Matthews received a non-roster invite to West Palm Beach, Florida this spring. The former first-round pick is getting plenty of reps on the infield dirt during spring training, and many scouts expect the 22-year-old to make his major league debut this season.

Matthews soared up through the Astros' farm system in 2024, making three separate stops along the way. A brief stop at Asheville saw Matthews post a 1.003 OPS, and after just 21 games, Houston bumped their top infield prospect to Double-A Corpus Christi.

Matthews handled himself well for the Hooks and then finished his 2024 campaign with a 12-game stint at Triple-A Sugar Land. In all, Matthews finished his 2024 season with a .265/.384/.481 slash line, 15 doubles, 15 home runs, and 44 RBI.

Houston's oft-criticized farm system is not completely devoid of talent, and there's every reason to believe that Matthews can live up to the first-round hype. Matthews' arm has been a point of contention since the Astros drafted him, a clear signal that he'll probably find a defensive home at second base. Some more seasoning in the minor leagues at the start of the 2025 season should be in order.

The additions of Rodgers and Guillorme take the pressure off, and will allow Houston to bring Matthews along slowly this season. Even if he surprises and turns the Grapefruit League into his own personal playground this spring, it's hard to see the Astros adding Matthews to the Opening Day roster with two proficient veterans on the roster.

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