Houston Astros Star Free Agent Slugger Seen as Undervalued in Fantasy Baseball

This new Houston Astros slugger, signed to shore up a key position in the offseason, is seen by some as being overlooked heading into the regular season.

Feb 20, 2025; West Palm Beach, FL, USA; Houston Astros first base Christian Walker (8) poses for a photo at the Houston Astros media day. | Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images

The Houston Astros know that there will be some challenges this year on the offensive side of the ball given the amount of talent that was lost in the offseason.

Right fielder Kyle Tucker being traded to the Chicago Cubs and third baseman Alex Bregman signing a free agent deal with the Boston Red Sox created some major voids in their lineup that will be difficult to replace.

With such a weak outfield group, unless Jose Altuve moves out to left field on a semi-permanent basis, other players are going to have to step up.

While not an outfielder, one of the players the Astros have high hopes for is Christian Walker.

The former Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman was the team’s big splash in free agency this winter.

They are hoping he can help settle things down at a corner infield spot that has been underwhelming for the last few years.

It is understandable why some Houston fans would be wary of the addition after the disaster that they just went through with Jose Abreu, another older free agent addition who saw his production crater upon arriving with the team.

However, there is reason for optimism when it comes to Walker, as he at the least will provide an impact with his defensive work. He has won the Gold Glove Award at first base in the National League three years running.

Alas, defense doesn’t help fantasy baseball managers. Todd Zola of ESPN has highlighted the new Astros slugger as someone being undervalued in that world, but his addition seems to be flying under the radar in general.

He is a legitimate impact bat who has been incredibly consistent over the last three years. He has hit at least 26 home runs, 25 doubles and 84 RBI in all three campaigns, with an OPS north of .800.

There is a chance that even more prodigious power numbers are produced in 2025 and beyond, as Houston’s home field, Daikin Park, is one of the most right-handed friendly venues in the game.

With the short porch Crawford Boxes in left field, the home run potential is a lot higher for Walker now than it was when playing with the Diamondbacks.

He isn’t a dead pull hitter like the team’s new third baseman Isaac Paredes, but he is still going to benefit from the change of scenery.

If he can stay healthy, which has not been a major issue during his recent stretch of excellent production, it would not be shocking to see him push for a new career high for home runs.