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5 prospects the Astros need to consider using as trade bait this offseason
The Houston Astros are in the middle of a postseason run, but it is never too early to start thinking about their offseason plans.
While Houston Astros fans eagerly await who the Astros will play in the ALDS, it is fair to wonder what the team's plans are going to be this offseason. This is going to be the first full offseason for general manager Dana Brown since he was hired late last offseason and most of the free agent market had been sorted out by the time he was on the job.
Much of the talk surrounding Houston's long-term plans have centered rightly around whether or not they will be able to work out extensions for key players like Kyle Tucker, Framber Valdez, Alex Bregman, and Jose Altuve. Those are important considerations, but Brown has also already shown a willing to trade for big talent after his move to acquire Justin Verlander at the trade deadline. This could mean that the front office could try to make moves on the trade market to improve the Astros' roster while crunching the numbers on contract extensions in the background.
Here are 5 prospects the Astros need to consider using as trade bait this offseason
The Astros' farm system isn't particularly deep these days especially after the Verlander trade, so Houston is going to have to pick their spots carefully with how they use their existing prospect capital. One shouldn't expect all of these guys to be traded this offseason, but they at least should be on the table in talks. There is some real talent on this list, so it isn't the worst outcome if Houston ends up hanging on to these guys as all have a chance of contributing in the big leagues.
Let's take a look at the prospects the Astros need to float in trade talks this offseason.
Spencer Arrighetti
Given some of the questions that the Astros have with their own rotation right now, it may seem counterintuitive to trade arguably their best pitching prospect in Spencer Arrighetti. However, there are some real reasons to make Spencer available in trade talks this offseason.
The Astros are firmly in their competitive window, but there is a chance that window could start closing soon if more players leave in free agency. That means Houston will need to make moves for impact talent and that likely means having to part ways with near big league ready talent like Arrighetti. Moreover, Spencer is far from a sure thing as he racks up the walks in addition to strikeouts. Those command issues could prove problematic for his short-term projection which may not make him the best fit for Houston anymore.
Joey Loperfido
Joey Loperfido has been a success story for the Astros' scouts and player development as he has turned from a 7th round pick in the 2021 draft that signed for just $72,500 into a legitimate hitting prospect that could be a very valuable trade piece this coming offseason.
Loperfido mashed his way all the way to Triple-A this season with an .880 OPS across three levels and has a tantalizing blend of speed and power at his disposal. However, with all of the outfield talent in the Astros' farm system including Jacob Melton, Colin Barber, and Luiz Baez, Houston can afford to part with him.
Justin Dirden
With all of the aforementioned outfield talent that Houston still has in the minor leagues, guys with questionable hit tools should be treated as expendable especially if they have a tool that stands out and could garner trade interest. Justin Dirden fits that profile almost perfectly and should be a candidate to be moved.
Dirden possesses impressive raw power and it showed in 2022 when he hit 24 homers and posted his second straight .900+ OPS season. However, the 2023 season was not nearly as kind to him, so if a team is interested in him and the return is right, Dirden should be used to fill out a trade package even if he isn't the headliner.
Michael Knorr
When it comes to pitching prospects moved in trades, they generally fall into one of two camps. Either they are in the high levels of the minor leagues and can contribute in the big leagues quickly even if they don't have high ceilings OR they are guys that are further away that have higher ceilings, but come with some risk. For teams looking for the lottery ticket type, Michael Knorr could be very appealing.
In 58.1 innings this season, Knorr struck out 78 batters thanks to a significant jump in his fastball velocity as a pro paired with a plus changeup. However, he got hurt in July and depending on how his recovery is going, he now comes with some added risk in addition to being a guy that hasn't pitched above high-A. If Houston finds a team that believes in the strikeout numbers and thinks they can continue to develop his breaking stuff, they should jump at the chance to turn him into major league level help.
Kenedy Corona
With there being a renewed emphasis on guys that have the ability to run and take extra bases, players like Kenedy Corona have more value than they did a year or so ago. However, Corona's value isn't only in his legs and he could be a really valuable trade asset for the Astros this offseason.
While Corona's hit tool and swing and miss concerns leave something to be desired, he has some real pop with 41 homers total the last two seasons in addition to being able to really run. A strong outfield defender as well, Corona could really appeal to an analytics-forward team that could play matchups and move him around the outfield.
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