Versatile Astros Prospect Is 'Easy Answer' When Projecting Team's Best Rookie

With roster questions surrounding the Houston Astros this offseason, one of their star prospects has a chance to be a huge impact player for them next year.

Sep 27, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Houston Astros designated hitter Zach Dezenzo (9) celebrates after hitting a home run during the fifth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The Houston Astros have some questions to answer this winter.

If they are able to re-sign Alex Bregman, that solves one of them at third base with him being locked in for the foreseeable future, but if he departs, the front office will have their work cut out for them when trying to assemble a roster that can compete for a championship.

Even if their franchise legend does return, the Astros have a major hole.

With Bregman's potential contract likely taking Houston over the luxury tax threshold for years to come, they might be limited in how aggressive they can be when pursuing first baseman free agents.

That's why Chandler Rome of The Athletic highlighted star prospect Zach Dezenzo as the "easy answer" for which rookie is going to have the best season for the Astros in 2025.

"He's a candidate to fill both vacant corner infield spots, perhaps whichever one the Astros don’t address with an external addition," he wrote when answering a mailbag question.

Dezenzo got his first taste of Major League action in 2024 when he appeared in 19 games after first being called up on Aug. 6, and later on Sept. 27.

Despite playing 120 contests at third base in the minors and only 26 at first, Houston utilized him at first base 14 times compared to just three at the hot corner.

A lot of that had to do with Bregman being healthy and available, so if he's no longer with the Astros in 2025, maybe that changes. However, there is a clear need for this team to find an everyday first baseman after rotating multiple players there throughout this campaign following the release of Jose Abreu, and there's a chance Dezenzo becomes that guy.

With a .242/.277/.371 slash line and two homers and eight RBI across his 62 at-bats, the 24-year-old was able to flash his hitting ability in the limited action he received that showed he could translate his .295/.377/.499 career minor league slash line to The Show.

Dezenzo will likely be in the mix for this team for a long time, and he'll have the opportunity to showcase that early next season.