5 Astros spring training NRIs who could steal Opening Day roster spots

One of the best parts about spring training is monitoring any competition for spots on the Opening Day roster. While the Houston Astros are pretty loaded throughout their roster heading into the 2024 season, there does appear to be some uncertainty at a few positions which could lead to a very interesting camp.

The back end of the rotation is very unsettled and there could be even more opportunity there if Justin Verlander and/or JP France are not ready to start the season. Houston may be talking a big game about the current state of their outfield, but finding another player that can provide more value at the plate seems like a good idea. There are also a couple of spots in the bullpen up for grabs even with Forrest Whitley being a favorite to get one of them.

Adding some intrigue, the Astros are bringing in a lot of competition this spring from their group of non-roster invitees. In addition to the usual vets signed on minor league deals trying to prove themselves in camp, Houston has a lot of well-seasoned prospects down at spring training that could force their way into some of these competitions.

With that in mind, here is a look at some of the non-roster invitees that could make a real push for an Opening Day roster spot. For the uninitiated, no players who are currently on the Astros' 40-man roster are eligible, so you can save your angry emails when you see that guys like Whitley and Kenedy Corona are not represented.

Spencer Arrighetti

Topping the list when it comes to both opportunity as well as talent is Spencer Arrighetti, who has all the ingredients of a guy that could impress down at spring training. He has plenty of experience pitching in the higher levels of the minors, multiple pitches in his fastball and slider that miss bats, and the prospect pedigree to start off being on Houston's radar from the jump. Not too shabby for a sixth-round pick at all.

At the moment, Arrighetti is probably THE starting pitching prospect that has the best chance of making the Opening Day roster. He has come into camp motivated, and those who cover the Astros are already predicting he could force the Astros' hand with a strong camp. If Houston loses faith in Jose Urquidy/Hunter Brown or if Verlander and/or France start the season on the IL, Arrighetti's name is one to circle assuming he shows progress with his command.

Jacob Melton

The Astros' outfield situation is decidedly weird at the moment. Kyle Tucker isn't going anywhere and Chas McCormick's spot also appears safe given he's coming off a strong 2023 season. However, there have been a lot of mixed signals about Jake Meyers. One day, the team will talk about how much they value playing him reguarly. The next day, there are rumors that the team is looking for an outfield upgrade.

The easiest solution may be the correct one in this case. Meyers is not an impact hitter and the Astros have their top prospect, Jacob Melton, right there in camp waiting for an opportunity. He can hit, run, hit for power, and should be able to stick in center field as a quality defender if the Astros do decide to move on from Meyers. The only question is whether or not Houston wants to get him some more time in the upper levels of the minors before running him out there against big-league competition.

Colton Gordon

While Arrighetti is getting the bulk of the attention among the Astros' starting pitcher NRIs, people should not sleep on Colton Gordon this spring. While he had some issues with the long ball in 2023, Gordon struck out 151 batters in 128.1 innings between Double-A and Triple-A last season thanks to a quality four-pitch mix despite the fact that he doesn't throw overly hard. He does have a Tommy John surgery on his record from a couple years ago, but he has shown little sign of any long-term issues since recovering.

Gordon has a pretty strong case for consideration for the Astros' Opening Day roster if he pitches well this spring. For one, he's a lefty, and the only lefty starter Houston has on their 40-man is Framber Valdez. Given that his breaking stuff is uniquely strong against opposing lefty hitters, having him in the rotation could provide a lot of value. He also has a nice mix of pitches which should serve him well in spring training as hitters will struggle to time him up. He's probably behind Arrighetti in the rotation pecking order for now, but that could easily change.