Former Top Astros Prospect Returns Following Jesus Sanchez Trade

Former prospect Joey Loperfido is back with the Astros after being traded to the Blue Jays two seasons ago.

Houston Astros left fielder Joey Loperfido in the dugout | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

The Houston Astros aren't done pulling off under the radar moves. For nearly the entire offseason, trade rumors circled around outfielder Jesus Sanchez as Houston looked to move on from him after half a season.

Trade news: The Toronto Blue Jays acquired outfielder Jesus Sanchez from the Houston Astros for outfielder Joey Loperfido, whom they had traded to Toronto in the Yusei Kikuchi deal at the 2024 deadline.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 13, 2026

After Day No. 1 of spring training, it finally happened, but with a familiar twist. ESPN's Jeff Passan unveiled the news that the Astros traded Sanchez to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for none other than Joey Loperfido.

Sanchez Disappointing With Astros

Houston Astros Jesus Sanchez getting picked off at first base | William Liang-Imagn Images

Acquired from the Miami Marlins last season, Sanchez looked to be a solid platoon addition in the outfield mix. Unfortunately it was a lost cause. Prior to his arrival, Sanchez logged a .256 AVG with ten homers and a .740 OPS with a 104 OPS+ in 86 games, hitting four points better than league average.

His numbers plummeted with Houston, batting under the Mendoza line hitting .199 with a .611 OPS in 48 games and a dismal 69 OPS+. His poor production with Houston didn't seem like a good fit for a playoff push, implying a trade or release was on its way.

Loperfido Back With Houston

While Sanchez might be a blip in the Astros transaction history, Loperfido certainly isn't. The 26-year-old was an absolute fan favorite in his short stint with Houston in the majors. The Philadelphian native went through their farm system, drafted in the 7th round in the 2021 MLB draft.

He made his debut on April 30th, 2024, knocking in his first career RBI and over two weeks later hit his first career home run. A top five ranked prospect, the Astros used that leverage along with other prospects in Will Wagner and Jake Bloss to acquire Yusei Kikuchi at the 2024 trade deadline. Along with many Astros fans, Loperfido was publicly devastated to leave the team that drafted him.

Desperate to compete for an AL West title against division rival Seattle Mariners, acquiring lefty specialist Kikuchi on a likely rental was integral in maintaining division security. Kikuchi was fantastic with Houston, sporting a 2.70 ERA in 10 starts striking out 76 in 60 innings.

While the Astros did win another AL West crown, their playoff hopes were short-lived, getting swept quickly by the Detroit Tigers in the Wild Card round. Kikuchi, the third pitcher in the rotation didn't get the chance to pitch in the postseason, closing out his time with the Astros, as he became a free agent, and later signed with the Los Angeles Angels.

Gambling a rental in exchange for prospects is risky, leaving the opportunity for the Astros to get burned if the acquisition leaves in free agency. Fast-forward to 2026, and they get one of those prospects back in Loperfido.

His time with Toronto was spent in and out of the majors, with recent season numbers slashing .333/.379/.500/.879, including 4 homers in 41 games. During his 2024 debut in the majors, Loperfido struck out a total of 95 times in 243 at bats playing for both Toronto and Houston while mustering 52 hits. His horrid start with the Blue Jays continued to get worse.

Loperfido Showing Improvement

However, he improved in 2025, with a strikeout total through 96 at bats decreased to 27 while mashing 32 hits, drastically cutting down his strikeout percentage in just one season.

A possible sign of things to come, Loperfido is now back in Houston where it all started, and is under team control until 2030 with a chance to compete again for an outfield spot that is more crowded before he left it.

Not only is he older, but now he's got postseason experience, witnessing his former team make it to the World Series last season. Let's see if he can translate his Canadian experience back with the Astros.

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