Astros baseball: we've got uniforms and everything.
According to Francys Romero, the Houston Astros have reached an agreement with international prospect Jack Valbrune, adding another promising young talent to their farm system. The 17-year-old Cuban outfielder, who trains at the Javier Rodriguez Academy, was officially declared a free agent by Major League Baseball yesterday and is expected to sign for a bonus […]
about 2 months ago | 5 reads
The final review of the 2025 season will be looking at each position in the Astros farm system. Next up is the outfield position. BEST OF THE BUNCH Zach Cole Cole was drafted by the Astros back in 2022. He got off to a slow start with some injuries but once he got hot he […]
about 2 months ago | 5 reads
Earlier today, it was announced that the Arizona Diamondbacks had traded for Cardinals’ third baseman Nolan Arenado. The Cardinals are eating $31M of the $42M left on the remaining two years of Arenado’s deal. The Cardinals have been trying to unload Arenado for two offseasons. He famously rejected a deal to the Astros last year […]
about 2 months ago | 12 reads
Often, the biggest problem with complex statistics is that there is not a good enough frame of reference. I always try to include league average references for the new metrics that we come up with, but league average is not the only frame of reference available. For many Astros fans, they want to know why […]
about 2 months ago | 7 reads
While the Astros and Yainer Diaz find themselves in an arbitration standoff, the 27-year old remains firmly entrenched as the club’s primary catcher in 2026, but as the start of spring training nears, the question of who will back him up remains unanswered. Victor Caratini is the incumbent, but appears to be headed elsewhere in […]
about 2 months ago | 5 reads
By any measure, the Houston Astros are running out of easy ways to improve their roster. With the signing of Tatsuya Imai and the team operating near the Competitive Balance Tax, ownership has made it clear that more significant free-agent spending is off the table. That leaves one realistic path forward: trades. The problem? Moving […]
about 2 months ago | 6 reads
For weeks, baseball insiders have been saying that the free agent market has been slow moving. However it only takes one big move to potentially jump start things, and we may have gotten that in the Chicago Cubs signing free agent 3B Alex Bregman to a 5 year, $175M deal. Where does that take us? […]
about 2 months ago | 6 reads
One of the things we want to do in the lab is to find as many different ways to explain what we are seeing as possible. The Houston Astros were 21st in the league in runs scored. They were 11th in team batting average. Therefore, something is going on that would limit their offensive production. […]
about 2 months ago | 5 reads
In the movie “Moneyball”, one of the scouts told younger Billy Beane that all of us are told one day that we can no longer play a children’s game. Some of us are told when we are children and some of us are told much later on, but we are all told. Father Time is […]
2 months ago | 9 reads
The Houston Astros will host the 14th annual Houston Winter Invitational at Daikin Park at the end of the month, from Jan. 30-Feb. 1. The tournament will feature six NCAA Division II universities, squaring off in nine games across the three days. Tickets for the tournament are now available for purchase at Astros.com/WinterInvitational. The tournament field features […]
2 months ago | 4 reads
The final review of the 2025 season will be looking at each position in the Astros farm system. Next up is the shortstop position. BEST OF THE BUNCH Caden Powell Powell was a 6th round pick back in 2024 out of junior college after posting some video game like numbers. He got off to a […]
2 months ago | 8 reads
it is a new year and with new years come all kinds of possibilities. One of the fun parts when the calendar switches to 2026 is seeing what different projection systems have in store for your favorite team. I am a big believer in data. That is what the lab is all about. Few things […]
2 months ago | 8 reads
Legitimate prospects out of Latin America sign for at least six-figure signing bonuses, and they do so when they are 16 years old. Anyone who signs for less or signs when they are older tends to be an afterthought. Framber Valdez signed with the Astros for $10,000 as a 21-year-old on March 18, 2015. He […]
2 months ago | 5 reads
There are certainly projections for all of the Astros pitchers and some sources have provided them for Tatsuya Imai as well, but providing projections for big league pitchers is challenging enough. Providing them for foreign born players is that much harder. How good is the Japanese major leagues in comparison with the big leagues? There […]
2 months ago | 2 reads
All the news and rumors for the Astros and from around MLB – it’s in here! The second offseason Crawfish Boil of 2026! Here’s what’s happening: Translated from Japanese Tatsuya Imai, Astros’ New Jersey Number “45” Decided; 23 Pitchers Including Ace Cole and NPB Veterans Have Worn It in the Past; To Be Unveiled at […]
2 months ago | 8 reads
Welcome to the first offseason Crawfish Boil of 2026! Just like a real crawfish boil – everything is in here! There’s a lot to unpack today: MLB.com’s David Adler has more on Okamoto: https://www.mlb.com/news/kazuma-okamoto-blue-jays-deal It’s a 4-year, $60M deal with no opt outs per Jon Heyman. That $15M AAV doesn’t preclude the Jays from continuing […]
2 months ago | 3 reads
Obviously, things have changed considerably in the last 24 hours. The signing of Tatsuya Imai changes the pitching landscape considerably. So, one name that was included with the starters will now move to the bullpen. However, before we get there we need to take a step back and look at bases per out in some […]
2 months ago | 3 reads
Happy New Year Astros fans! The Astros offseason has now officially started. It was close to 11 a.m. CT when Jeff Passan reported that the Houston Astros were signing Japanese star pitcher Tatsuya Imai. An offseason of bargain shopping and working margins in trades had just been set ablaze by Dana Brown (likely with Jim […]
2 months ago | 7 reads
Dedicated Astros fans have been waiting all offseason for a big move and it looks like they get one as a New Year’s gift. It has been reported in multiple outlets that the Astros are in agreement with Japanese phenom Tatsuya Imai on a three year contract with opt outs after the first and second […]
2 months ago | 7 reads
All the news and rumors for the Houston Astros and from all around MLB – it’s in here! The final offseason Crawfish Boil of 2025! The deal is 1 year for $5M. A former Houston Cougar who also attended Alvin CC and Dulles HS in Sugar Land, Hernandez owns a career 7.06 ERA across 21.2 […]
2 months ago | 3 reads
The final review of the 2025 season will be looking at each position in the Astros farm system. Next up is the third base position. BEST OF THE BUNCH Shay Whitcomb Whitcomb has been a constant producer in the Astros system for the last few years and 2025 was no different. He played in 107 […]
2 months ago | 4 reads
Look around the Astros fansphere and you will see no other topic of conversation that has resonated as much as the conversation over the starting rotation. I pointed out earlier in a separate commentary that the Astros seem to be more focused on pitching than hitting as an organization. That is their default setting. It […]
2 months ago | 3 reads
All the news and rumors around the Houston Astros and from around MLB – it’s in here! A late night offseason Crawfish Boil for the holidays – December 29, 2025 Cliff’s notes version: Ruiz led the AL with 67 SB in 2023, but has only 76 AB the last 2 seasons combined between the A’s […]
2 months ago | 2 reads
We finish our trip through the diamond in right field. Ironically, the combined output by the two primary right fielders is one of the more disappointing parts of the 2025 season, but these two players might be a biggest part of the hope for growth. Ultimately, where this team goes depends greatly on where these […]
2 months ago | 3 reads
All the news and rumors for the Houston Astros and from around all of MLB – it’s in here! Today’s offseason Crawfish Boil for December 27, 2025: Other important notes from this include: The Marlins are now considered unlikely to deal Sandy Alcantara; The Mets, Giants and Orioles are among the teams that reportedly met […]
2 months ago | 11 reads