Houston Astros Have Just One Elite Player in Latest Team Core Rankings

The Houston Astros were rated as having one of the Top 10 core group of players in MLB, led by one elite player.

Sep 1, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros left fielder Yordan Alvarez (44) holds a baseball after hitting a home run during the fourth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Minute Maid Park. / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Houston Astros have taken some hits lately about their talent pipeline in the minor leagues. But what they have in the Majors is doing just fine.

Recently, ESPN ranked all 30 teams based on their core of players and the Astros — who lead the American League West going into Friday’s season opener with the Arizona Diamondbacks — were ranked No. 7.

Houston was led by one elite player, who was outfielder/designated hitter Yordan Alvarez.

ESPN sorted players in three categories based on WAR (wins above replacement). Elite players were defined a WAR of  5+ or more. Those are players ESPN considers to be MVP-level players.

Plus players were defined by players with a WAR between 3-5+. Solid players had a WAR of 1.5-3+ or those that are lower end starters or role players.

The team rankings were determined by the number of players each has under team control for at least the next two seasons. That can be pre-arbitration players, arbitration eligible players, veterans under long-term deals or prospects that haven’t reached the Majors yet.

Houston has dropped slightly in each year of the rankings, which started in 2022. The Astros were No. 3 in 2022 and No. 5 in 2023.

Alvarez, who is signed through 2028, certainly passes the elite test. He’s batting .311 with 30 home runs and 73 RBI this year. He’s been named an All-Star each of the last three seasons and finished third in AL MVP voting in 2022. He was the 2019 AL Rookie of the Year.

Second baseman Jose Altuve led the players on the plus tier, along with closer Josh Hader, who signed a five-year deal with Houston in the offseason. The other three plus-tier players are young stars — pitcher Hunter Brown, catcher Yainer Diaz and shortstop Jeremy Pena.

Among the Major League players on the solid tier are pitchers Ronel Blanco and Spencer Arrighetti, along with outfielder Chas McCormick. Prospects who made the list included outfielders Jacob Melton, shortstop Brice Matthews, infielder Zach Dezenzo and infielder Shay Whitcomb.

Noticeably absent from the list are third baseman Alex Bregman, outfielder Kyle Tucker, pitcher Framber Valdez and pitcher Justin Verlander. They are not considered core players based on their contract status. Bregman and Verlander can hit free agency after the season, while Tucker and Valdez have less than two years of control after this season.

Age-related decline could be a real issue for this core as the seasons continue, ESPN wrote.