Houston Astros Free Agent Ranks Inside Top Five Among Third Basemen

The Houston Astros have received years of production from their fan-favorite third baseman, but that may be coming to an end with the veteran entering free agency this winter.

Oct 2, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros third base Alex Bregman (2) warms up before game two of the Wildcard round for the 2024 MLB Playoffs against the Detroit Tigers at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images / Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

The Houston Astros took fan-favorite third baseman Alex Bregman with the second overall pick of the 2015 MLB draft. Just one year later, on July 25, 2016, he would make his Major League debut and never look back.

Bregman has played nine seasons with the Astros and has been a consistent part of their lineup in every one. That could change after this winter, however, as the veteran is now a free agent for the first time in his career, and it is widely believed that he will not be returning to the franchise that he called home for the better part of a decade.

The fan-favorite has never put up a season with less than a 110 OPS+, and that remained the case this year as he posted a 118 in that metric.

It was such a good campaign from Bregman, that Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report ranked the third baseman inside the top five of his final third base power rankings of 2024, with the veteran placing fourth.

"Have we seen Alex Bregman in a Houston Astros uniform for the final time?" Reuter asks, "The 30-year-old has spent the first nine seasons of his career with the team after it selected him No. 2 overall in the 2015 draft. And after turning in the sixth 4-WAR season of his career in 2024, he is now set to hit the open market. On top of his usual solid offensive production, Bregman also won his first career Gold Glove this year while turning in strong defensive metrics (6 DRS, 2.6 UZR/150). He underwent right elbow surgery to remove a bone chip, and while he is expected to be ready for Opening Day, his agent, Scott Boras, told reporters he is willing to move to second base if needed."

If there is one thing that Bregman has been known for over the years, it is his durability.

Even in his "down" seasons offensively, Bregman has been able to take the field more than most.

He has missed an extended amount of time in only one campaign, 2021, where he only played in 91 games. In every other full-length season, however, he has played in 145 or more games.

Bregman enters free agency as a .272/.366/.483 hitter with 191 home runs, 663 RBI, and a 132 OPS+ across 4,832 plate appearances in 1,111 games. He has been an All-Star twice, won one Silver Slugger Award, and finished in the top 25 of the American League MVP four times, with two top-five finishes.

It has been a fantastic career for the veteran, and it is far from being over just yet, but the remainder may be coming with a different team.