Houston Astros Starting Right Fielder Could Get Replaced by Star Prospects

The Houston Astros current starting right fielder is going to need to step up his game if he wants to avoid losing his job to one of the up-and-coming prospects.

Sep 8, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros center fielder Chas McCormick (20) runs to first base on a single during the fifth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Minute Maid Park. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Houston Astros starting right fielder entered spring training on the hot seat, and he has not done much to douse the flames while a couple of prospects are making making noise.

Just two years ago, Chas McCormick was playing at an All-Star level and was an incredible player to have in the bottom part of a lineup.

McCormick then struggled in 2024, a trend that has followed in spring training thus far.

Coming off a campaign where he posted a .211/.271/.306 slash line and 66 OPS+, he needed to have a good showing this spring. But through 16 plate appearances at the time of writing, he has just two hits and both were singles.

The only thing really going for him is six walks to three strikeouts.

He is seeing the ball well, but his timing seems off and he can not get it to fall when it gets into play.

If he doesn't start to turn things around soon, there is a real chance he could lose his starting spot to one of the young prospects making a push so far.

The most realistic replacement, at this time, seems to be Zach Dezenzo.

He is currently Houston's fifth-ranked prospect and has been tearing it up in the minors.

Dezenzo has mostly been a corner infielder for much of his career, but has started to get work in the outfield with how much of a need it has been for the Major League team.

So far in spring, he is second on the team in at-bats and has done very well with a .333/.333/.519 slash line.

The biggest worry about him has always been a low walk to high strikeout rate.

While that has remained throughout the early part of 2025, he is hitting the ball well enough to earn an Opening Day roster spot in some capacity.

Outside of him, the Astros are also looking to get Cam Smith some playing time in right field in an effort to potentially get the red-hot youngster on the Opening Day roster.

Smith has been incredible so far with a .529/.636/1.000 slash line, hitting two home runs and having five walks to three strikeouts.

He was taken back in last year's draft, but he might be too good to keep out of The Show for long.

If he does well in right field, expect to see him on the MLB roster soon.