Teams Inquired About These Astros Prospects During Trade Deadline Discussions

No one was quite expecting the Houston Astros to do what they did during the trade deadline.

Not only are they straddling the fence when it comes to their financial comfort zone, but they also don't have a well-regarded farm system that would normally allow them to be a headline-inducing team when it comes to pulling off notable deals.

However, the Astros continued to do what they do best: acquire established talent in deadline deals that helps them win now and in the future.

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Carlos Correa and Jesus Sanchez upgrade two key areas on their roster that needed help; an injury-plagued infield and an outfield unit that lost their superstar in Kyle Tucker.

How Houston was able to pull those deals off was remarkable, especially considering they didn't give up their two best prospects: Brice Matthews and Jacob Melton.

It wasn't for a lack of other teams trying, either.

"They are the two best prospects in an otherwise barren farm system and were asked about throughout the Astros' trade deadline discussions," reported Chandler Rome of The Athletic (subscription required).

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Houston should be commended for having the deadline they did without using Matthews and Melton as pieces to acquire the players they did, but it's also interesting to see both of them get optioned back to Triple-A Sugar Land.

How they play into the future is unclear.

With Cam Smith looking like a future star and Sanchez taking over as a starter at the other corner outfield spot, Melton at 25 years old doesn't have a clear path to playing time.

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Same with Matthews, who had some bright moments during his first stint in The Show, but also had real growing pains against that level of pitching and now is being blocked by Correa's return, Jeremy Pena at shortstop and Jose Altuve at second base.

Still, it's a positive the Astros were able to hold onto these two star prospects no matter how murky their futures might be.

Whether Matthews and Melton eventually do blossom into impact players for Houston or they are used as trade chips at a later date, Dana Brown was able to hold onto his best prospects, which is a great thing for this franchise going forward.

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