Will This Astros Prospect Replace Alex Bregman?
The Houston Astros have allowed notable stars to walk in the past and haven't missed a beat. Most notably, the organization didn't bring Carlos Correa or George Springer back in recent seasons and ended up winning a World Series following their departures.
At some point, it's likely going to catch up to the Astros. The core that they've put together has depth, talent, and everything else needed to win a World Series, but they can't keep allowing them to walk and expect similar results.
Alex Bregman could be the next Houston star to leave in free agency as it looks unlikely that he'll remain with the team past 2024.
The 29-year-old Bregman has been a huge piece to their success and has been a staple in a lineup that's been the best in baseball for nearly a decade. He made his debut in the 2016 season and has done everything that Houston has asked him to do.
The 2018 and 2019 seasons saw Bregman at his best.
In 2019, he hit 41 home runs and walked 119 times. The .296/.423/.592 slash line was the best of his career. He was named an All-Star and finished second in American League MVP voting.
If Houston doesn't keep Bregman around, the question remains on who they'll replace him with.
According to Geoff Pontes of Baseball America, Zach Dezenzo is the "internal" option to replace Bregman.
The 23-year-old Dezenzo slashed .304/.383/.531 with 18 home runs during his 2023 season in High Single-A and Double-A. His numbers at the higher level were impressive, as he hit 14 of his 18 home runs there.
The third baseman was a 12th round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft after an impressive college career at Ohio State. He's currently the No. 5 ranked prospect in the Astros system, according to MLB Pipeline. and is projected to debut in 2025, when Bregman theoretically would be gone.
