3 Astros Prospects Who Won’t Survive Trade Deadline If Houston Goes All-In On Investment

At one point in the season, many were starting to think that the Houston Astros would end up selling at the trade deadline. The same Houston Astros that owned the 2010 Astros were supposed to blow up their roster and sell at the trade deadline.

After considering selling, the Astros decided to do what they do best: win. And they’ve won a lot, putting themselves firmly back in the playoff race. With that in mind, it’s obvious they’re going to have to buy before the deadline, and they’re going to have to buy big.

Houston management has never shied away from spending big at the trade deadline and 2024 will be no exception. No prospect is safe from a trade in this organization.

The Houston Astros are going to be looking for big names at the trade deadline. They’re not the kind of team that’s content to win 80 games or make the playoffs. They want to win, and they want to win it all. To do that, they need to make a move toward big names.

If they want to acquire the big names, they’re going to have to part ways with some of their top 10 prospects. Zach Cole is the one the Astros would be willing to give up. Cole is the No. 6 ranked prospect in the Astros’ system, but he’s the No. 4 ranked outfielder, meaning he’s very replaceable for Houston.

Cole is hitting .226/.342/.395 this season, but he’s still shown signs of promise with the bat. He has the big upside that a lot of selling teams are looking for. He has tremendous raw power, an incredible arm, and is a tremendous athlete. He also has superior speed and a good glove in the outfield. The only thing he lacks is consistent hitting and hitting, which if improved would make Cole a true five-tool prospect.

When dealing with selling teams, they often ask for pitchers. Pitchers are like gold on the trade market, especially when the Astros are going for their own starting pitcher. If they want to acquire a starting pitcher in their own rotation, they’re going to have to part ways with one of their top pitching prospects. The top pitching prospect in the Astros’ system is right-hander A.J. Blubaugh.

Blubaugh owns a 3.53 ERA in 13 starts in Triple-A this year. The right-hander has a fairly well-developed arsenal and above-average control. He has several plus pitches, and if the Astros don’t make a move for a starter, he could very well get a chance in 2024. Regardless of which team Blubaugh ends up on, he’ll likely be a key part of the rotation by the end of next season.

There won’t be a blockbuster trade for a starting pitcher without the Astros giving up Blubaugh as part of the deal. Obviously, it’s not ideal for Houston, but it’s just what they need to do to get to the World Series they’re desperate to reach.

The Astros will certainly be looking for rental bats and relief arms, as well as the bigs we talked about earlier. That’s where Colin Barber comes in as a diversified trade piece the Astros can use.

Barber could be traded as a small player who would advance a deal as part of a big-money deal. He could be the last player to make a deal for a name like Jack Flaherty or Garrett Crochet. He could also be involved in a one-for-one deal, whether it’s for a rental bat or a relief arm like Tanner Scott.

This season, Barber is hitting .257/.304/.426 with 11 extra-base hits. He still needs to work on his approach and batting discipline, though, as he’s only walked eight times and struck out 40-plus times. Still, he has enough potential to be a key piece in a trade with the Astros.

Barber is the organization’s 19th-best prospect, but there are seven other outfield prospects ranked above him. He’s easier to trade than a name like Zach Cole, but he doesn’t have the same value as Cole in a trade. Still, when Houston gets aggressive in the coming weeks, expect Colin Barber’s name to be mentioned quite a bit.