Insider States Cam Smith Has 'Good Chance' of Making Astros Opening Day Roster

Will a great spring result in the Houston Astros calling up their top prospect early?

Mar 16, 2025; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; Houston Astros outfielder Cam Smith rounds third base after his two run home run during the second inning against the New York Mets at Clover Park. | Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images

As the Houston Astros head into the new campaign with a lot of uncertainty, they will be hoping that their offseason decisions won’t have a negative impact on 2025. 

There were few teams in baseball that were more active than the Astros this winter.

Due to some looming financial constraints, Houston always felt like they were going to have to make some tough decisions this offseason. However, deciding to trade away a star in Kyle Tucker with a year left on his contract was still a shocking move.

Even though the franchise had their record streak of making it to the American League Championship Series snapped after seven years in 2024, this was still a team that was built to win. 

Now, they will be heading into 2025 with a different-looking roster, since, most notably, Tucker and Alex Bregman are no longer on the team.

However, that also creates opportunities for other players to make a name for themselves, something one of their newest additions, Cam Smith, has been doing this spring which might force him onto the Opening Day roster.

Brian McTaggart of MLB.com recently spoke about the star prospect making the most significant impression so far in spring training. 

“He made such an impression on the Astros that they are trying him out in right field as they look for ways to perhaps carry him on the Opening Day roster.”

While trading a player the caliber of Tucker was a tough pill to swallow, getting Smith back as part of the package and seeing the start he's had with the franchise makes the deal feel a lot better than it did earlier in the offseason.

This spring, Smith has slashed 423/.516/.846 with three home runs and nine RBI at the time of writing.

Could Houston actually put their top-ranked prospect onto their roster for the season opener after he's played just 32 games of professional baseball following being taken in the first round of the 2024 draft?

It's starting to sound like a possibility.

Per Will Kunkel of Fox 26 Houston, Smith has a "good" chance of making the Opening Day roster.

That would be a meteoric rise for the 22-year-old after he put together a great debut showing during the minors last season with a .313/.396/.609 slash line, seven home runs and 24 RBI.

Where he would get at-bats is the biggest question. 

But Kunkel says that if the Astros do decide to roll with Smith, then "the at-bats will be there for him" and "he will be in the big leagues to play."

This is a major storyline to keep an eye on.

If the young star can handle playing the outfield well enough defensively for the rest of spring training, it appears like Houston is ready to call him up to The Show immediately.