Astros Acquire Minor League Veteran From Rays in Cash Deal

The Houston Astros just brought in one minor league journeyman who has a real shot at making his MLB debut sometime in 2026 via a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays.

Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown speaks at a press conference. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Houston Astros have not been shy about making trades in 2026, having done so in the offseason to acquire Mike Burrows from the Pittsburgh Pirates, and most recently, striking a deal with the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays.

As Houston looks to keep its head afloat in the AL West and the AL Wild Card standings, general manager Dana Brown went out to acquire minor league journeyman Ray Delgado from the Rays in exchange for cash, per MLB.com's Brian McTaggart's X (formerly Twitter) account.

This move makes a ton of sense for the Astros, given the injuries they've faced in the infield this season. Delgado, now formerly a part of the Rays, Cleveland Guardians, and Milwaukee Brewers organizations, has a real chance at making his MLB debut in the future with the Astros.

Get to Know Delgado

Houston Astros mascot Orbit waves a flag in center field after the final out. | Erik Williams-Imagn Images

The former sixth-round draft pick of the then-Cleveland Indians in the 2018 MLB Draft has spent his entire career in the minor leagues. As McTaggart reported, Delgado will report to Triple-A Sugar Land for the Astros, but did state it's likely he will get called up to Houston sometime down the line.

Through four seasons of Triple-A ball, Delgado has a .267 AVG with 24 home runs, 163 RBIs, and an OPS of .735. His ability to play shortstop, third, and second base only helps Manager Joe Espada find places to use him in the MLB lineup, should he get a call-up in the future.

Thus far in Triple-A, before being traded by Tampa Bay, Delgado has hit .250 at the dish with three long balls and 33 RBIs, along with 24 stolen bases. He has some swing and miss in his bat, having struck out 48 times in 2026 through 224 at-bats.

Defensively throughout his Triple-A career (four seasons), Delgado has held his own, posting a .973 fielding percentage when playing second base and a .939 fielding percentage at shortstop. So, things could be better for Delgado defensively, but he has the chops to get things done wherever in the field.

The best part of the trade for Houston was that they didn't have to give up a player to acquire Delgado. That shows Delgado what the Rays thought of him, which could fuel the new Astro to turn up his game and find success at the Major League level, something no one has given him a chance to achieve yet.