Prospect Cam Smith is going to make the Astros’ Opening Day roster as their right fielder, reports Chandler Rome of The Athletic. The youngster isn’t yet on the 40-man roster and they will need a spot for him, as well as Rafael Montero and Steven Okert. They have two openings already and several candidates for the 60-day injured list, meaning they shouldn’t have trouble finding room for all those guys.
It’s been an incredible whirlwind for Smith, who was a student at Florida State a year ago. In July, the Cubs selected him with the 14th overall pick in the draft and signed him to a $5,070,700 bonus. The Cubs put the young third baseman to work right away, getting him into 15 Single-A games, 12 at High-A and five at Double-A. He walked in 11.2% of his plate appearances and was only struck out at a 17.9% clip. He launched seven home runs in 134 plate appearances and had a combined .313/.396/.609 batting line.
That made him one of the top prospects in baseball going into 2025. The Cubs went into the winter with a loaded farm system but a big league roster that had struggled to push beyond the mushy middle, finishing at 83-79 in each of the past two years. They were looking for a big splash and the Astros were reportedly open to moving Kyle Tucker. He’s a tremendous player but was slated for free agency after 2025, with Houston seemingly having no hope of getting an extension done. The Astros also had a preference to avoid the competitive balance tax this year.
The Cubs, as mentioned, had a very strong farm system. That included a couple of infield guys who were viewed as ahead of Smith. Matt Shaw and Owen Caissie are both on many top 100 prospect lists and each of them reached the Triple-A level in 2024.
All those stars aligned to make the trade happen. The Astros sent Tucker to Wrigley in exchange for third baseman Isaac Paredes, pitcher Hayden Wesneski and Smith. From the Cubs’ perspective, they were giving up a lot in the long term in order to make a big upgrade in 2025. Smith, as a prospect, was obviously a long play. Paredes still had three years of club control and would be an affordable replacement for Bregman at third base. Wesneski, with five years of club control, gave the club some affordable rotation depth.
Arguably, the Astros were making themselves worse in the short term, in order to save some money and come out ahead in the long run. Bregman and Tucker were two big losses. Parades could make up for some of Bregman’s production but likely not all. The outfield looked clearly worse on paper when compared to last year, especially with Yordan Alvarez slated to spend more time as the designated hitter. But beyond 2025, they weren’t going to have Tucker anyway. Now they would have Paredes, Wesneski and Smith’s contributions.
The short-term picture has changed a lot since camp opened. Smith put up a massive line of .342/.419/.711 in Grapefruit League action. As he started building those impressive numbers, there were whispers that the club wanted to get him work in right field, with Paredes blocking Smith’s natural third base position. It seems he has impressed the decision-makers enough to get the Opening Day nod, despite his very limited professional track record of just 32 professional games, none at the Triple-A level.
The outfield picture also changed in another way. Jose Altuve, who has been Houston’s second baseman for over a decade, is now going to be the left fielder. His glovework at the keystone was never great but has declined significantly as he has pushed into his mid-30s.
Overall, it’s a fascinating gambit for the Astros. Moving Alvarez out of left field makes sense, given all the health scares he has had over the years. Trading Tucker was also risky in its own way. Now they seem likely to feature a regular outfield mix of Jake Meyers in center, flanked by Altuve and Smith. Meyers hasn’t hit much in his career but is a strong defender. That glovework figures to be important, as he’ll be flanked by two converted infielders with no real experience on the grass.
The Altuve/Smith combo seems to have a good chance of outhitting a corner mix of Ben Gamel and Chas McCormick, which seemed like a possible Opening Day alignment as recently as a few weeks ago. Then again, even the best prospects often struggle when first promoted to the majors, so there are no guarantees Smith will immediately flourish. Still, it’s understandable bet on a higher ceiling.
If Smith does thrive, that would obviously help the club in 2025 but it could also benefit the Astros in another way. The current collective bargaining agreement added measures to discourage service time manipulation. One of those prospect promotion incentives is that clubs can receive an extra draft pick just after the first round under certain conditions. If a player is on two of the three top 100 lists from Baseball America, ESPN or MLB.com, they are PPI eligible if their club promotes them early enough in the season to earn a full service year. If such a player wins Rookie of the Year or finish top three in MVP or Cy Young voting in their pre-arbitration years, the club earns an extra pick. Smith is ranked 55th overall at BA, 73rd at ESPN and 59th at MLB.com and is therefore eligible.
Turning to a few other roster decisions for the Astros, Zach Dezenzo will get a bench spot but Cooper Hummel will not, per Ari Alexander of KPRC 2. Hummel is out of options, so he should be designated for assignment or traded in the coming days.
Hummel has an awful .159/.255/.275 batting line in the majors but has been much better in the minors and has interesting defensive versatility. He has a .285/.419/.480 line over the past four minor league seasons and hit .316/.435/.447 in camp this year. Defensively, he’s an option at all four corner spots. He didn’t play behind the plate in 2024 but did in previous seasons. That could make him attractive to other clubs but he cleared waivers in April of 2024 when he still had an option remaining.
One final bench spot will come down to Brendan Rodgers or Zack Short, manager Joe Espada tells Rome. Both players were signed to minor league deals, so that will be another 40-man spot the team will need to open. But as mentioned, they have lots of 60-day IL candidates and should be fine there.
Images courtesy of Reinhold Matay, Imagn Images
Wow
Yep, the trade of Cam Smith for ONE year of Tucker will go down as the worst in Cubs history – IMO. They could have kept Belli – and still had Smith.
I do not expect Tucker to put up his usual numbers playing half of his games in Wrigley. That will give Ricketts an excuse not to spend the money. And if his numbers are his usual, then Ricketts will never pay his true value.
Plus keeping Belli would provide protection against any regression from PCA or Busch. And Paredes would provide insurance incase Shaw needs more development.
I still firmly believe that this trade “for a big name” was mandated by Ricketts greed to sell the Wrigley experience.
Paredes would have negated the need to sign Turner. They make about the same of money.
Parades hit 30 HRs in a season in major league baseball. Everybody discounts how good of a hitter he is. He has a good eye at the plate, doesn’t strike out too much, has good power, will likely hit for average in time, and he is only 26 with three years of team control. Cam Smith is a nice prospect, and from the sound of it could be a big-time player but Parades is a real good player too. Cubs saved 40M if they don’t resign Tucker and stick a prospect in right field next season but they lost two top flight players in Smith and Parades, and they threw Wesneski when they had Bellinger in place. What a bad trade. Matt Shaw is no Isaac Parades.
All right. But the fundamental problem was that Hoyer thought Shaw was better than Smith.
It is mind-blowing that the Cubs were smart enough to draft Smith, but then dumb enough to trade him.
And we’ve been sold a lot of nonsense about Tucker. He is a pretty good hitter who will put up pretty good numbers–nothing more.
Not sure if you follow baseball very closely Alan. But Tucker is a total package as a baseball player. One of the best hitters in the game over the last four or five seasons. And a good fielder.
That said, I still wouldn’t have made the trade.
If you think Tucker is just “pretty good” you have not been paying attention.
Karma for ripping the Mets off on the PCA/Baez deal.
PCA still hasn’t proven he can hit in the majors. Still, it was a steal of a trade just for his speed & defense alone.
Cubs didn’t rip the Mets off. Mets did that to themselves.
Tucker floor is all star. Ceiling MVP votes.
They traded a pitcher they couldn’t figure out. A 3b who’s swing only fits a few places Houston being one of them.
Smith all comes down to defense. If he can be a solid defender they messed up. If he has to play 1b the trade looks better.
The only problem with the Cubs trading for Tucker is whether they can retain him.
King Tuck is a 5 tool guy who will probably get over $500M next year. Last year he was hurt for more than half a season and still over 4 WAR. He was on pace for the MVP before he got hurt and has improved every season he’s been up. You clearly don’t know what you’re talking about.
I hope you are right about Tucker. When I lived nesr Houston a few years ago and went to 20 games or so a year at their park, and saw the rest on TV, I never got the impression he was as good as his press. He wasn’t the guy in the lineup who got the key hits. He didn’t cover the outside corners well. I think he’ll be good for the Cubs, but I think his great half-season in 2024 was just that: a good half-season. And if he had 23 homers and just 49 rbi’s, that means he didn’t get a whole lot of rbi’s apart from his homers. I predict he’ll hit about 25-26 homers for the Cubs this years, and probably drive in 75 or 76 runs. That is about what Bellinger would have done.
I hope you’re right. We’ll see. I get the feeling a lot of people are just repeating what they have heard about Tucker, and don’t really watch or know–but I hope I’m wrong, of course.
Maybe. What do you think his HR and RBI numbers will be this season? (That’s a sincere questio, Kong, not a loaded or rhetorical one.)
@dclivejazz I disagree. The trade was for one year of Smith. Him staying wasn’t part of the deal. Even if they are able to retain him you could just as easily argue they should have kept Smith and signed Tucker as a FA a year from now.
Bellinger is as good of a player as Tucker, Parades is a better hitter than Shaw. The Cubs wanted out of that second player option that Bellinger had in ’26. Why though? You save 10M this season, maybe you save 25M next season, quite a bit of dough, but it cost you big, and there is no guarantee you save any money at all, you might have to sign a 3B, you might have to sign a veteran OF. When you look at the roster in ’26, the savings isn’t stupendous moving on from Bellinger unless the Cubs are planning on plugging both Alcantara and Cassie in the lineup, and see Shaw as a long term option at 3B. While that’s likely their plan, all could go bust, and the trade doesn’t make them nearly as competitive this season. Probably use that dough to sign a starter in ’26 but still, Parades was a good player, and it looks like Cam Smith is going to be all world. And Wesneski is a throw in.
The worst trade in Cub’s history is the trade of Lou Brock to the Cardinals in 1964 for a washed up pitcher Ernie Broglio. No contest!!!
Mookie Betts trade is up there …
He said in Cubs history. Since when did Mookie ever play for the Cubs?
I was there, I was 11. The Cubs brass thought that Brock was “uncoachable.” There were inferences that Cubs “head coach” Bob Kennedy didn’t like his attitude either.
It will be an Astros coupe when Tucker resigns with Houston in ’26 for less than the Cubs offer him and joins Cam Smith in the Astros OF. So funny.
LOL, you’re right. But I suspect that the Astros might not even want him by the time he finishes what will end up being a good year, sure, but not a superstar-level year. I saw him play up-close when I lived near H-town for several years, and he simply isn’t the lineup-tranforming type that he is being presented as. I doubt any team will give him anything like the money the media has been talking about.
For the Astros– this may end up rivaling–
Reliever Larry Andersen to the Red Sox for Jeff Bagwell.
The Tigers fan base feels that way with trading prospect John Smoltz for Doyle Alexander. Alexander had a great year that year but Smoltz had a great career!
Smith hasn’t played one game yet. Sure, he looks good, but maybe we should tap the brakes on his election to the Hall of Fame just yet.
You’re the one who brought up Hall of Fame. That’s your responsibility, not mine.
I don’t know about that. Andersen was a nice bullpen piece and was 37 years old.
Comparing Tucker to Anderson is dumb. Tucker is one of the top 10 players in baseball. The Cubs should worry more about resigning him than how well Cam does.
Josh Fields for Yordan and JV for Jake Rogers are arguably better deals.
Or Josh Fields to the Dodgers for Yordan Alvarez.
Or Glenn Davis to the Orioles for Curt Schilling, Steve Finley, and Pete Harnisch.
Jed he gone and rickets gone downhill fast in eyes of cub fandom since 2016!
Reds fan here (obviously). If Tucker ends up loving being a Cub — which is highly likely IMO — and you guys sign him long term, it will have been a good trade for you. He was the best player in the deal and the team that wins the trade always gets the best player in the deal (in retrospect).
Kyle Tucker will be a Yankee in 8 months, and the Cubs are seriously going to regret this one.
MLB’s next superstar.
So they’re ready with an excuse for 2025. Play ball!
“Be a Yankee”…With the Yankees tax situation I doubt they’ll be interested in a $400M+ contract(Kyle Tucker) and also a MASSIVE tax penalty of possibly a similar amount.
@mlb, Yanks offered competitive contracts to Soto and Yamamoto the past 2 off seasons. Being in on Tucker is not off the table for them.
He’s definitely going to the Dodgers. Dodgers have more to spend and will need an outfielder next year
As a Cubs fan, I would love to see Kyle Tucker Re-sign with the Cubs but he’ll be 29 before the start of next season. For me that’s a red flag for a 10 year contract. He’ll likely want. And I’m guessing well over 400mil. I wouldn’t bite if he is dead set on 10 years. I’d go max 8 with incentives to get to the 8th year.
Cubs might wanna test Tucker’s greed barometer and offer him 450-500. That way if he turns it down then they won’t look cheap. I’m certain he’ll need more than that though because the one universal thing with the vast majority of us Americans and our system is it breeds greed. And before anyone replies with the Ole, “you want the owners to have it”….they’ll get it back anyway, when they raise the price on everything. So yeah, if that allows us to be able to go to a game without practically having to get a loan first.
The owners will charge the max they think people will pay.
Silly wabbit. Have you seen Ricketts’ market cap, before and post purchase, and current frqnchise value?
dsett, Your comment has zero understanding of how the world works and zero understanding of basic economics. You are incredibly naive and I hope you are a child. Read some Ayn Rand or Thomas Sowell.
Dsett, everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.
LOL! The ‘loan’ comments always make me laugh. I’m just checking on Stubhub. On 4/1, DBack tickets AT Yankee Stadium are selling for $3 each behind homeplate.
If Dsett can’t afford $6 for a pair of tickets, then attending a BB game might not be his priority.
He want vip too much can’t afford
Regardless of what the owners offer if the deal doesn’t get done the simpleton fans will say the owner is cheap. That’s how these things work.
This is cool, obviously, but I’m really not sure it’s a good idea? You’re playing a guy who’s currently projected to be a well below-average hitter and putting him in a position he’s never played. He could take the lead by storm, but it’s more likely to me that he’s in Sugar Land by the end of April.
That’s the beauty of baseball…you never know until you put him out there. Smith could crash out and need to go to AAA, or he could take this chance and run with it.
Great article at MLB.com
Quickest jumps from Draft to Opening Day roster in baseball history.
mlb.com/news/hitters-who-made-opening-day-roster-t…
You don’t want to keep these types down on the farm. Feel like this season is already a rebound season for the Astros. If Cam is one of those as in this article– do you really want to be known as the GM who keeps Zach Dezenzo over Cam Smith breaking camp?
Fun article, but the guys he really should be compared to are Nolan Schanuel, Wyatt Langford, and Andrew Vaughn. Every body else is from over 20 years ago.
Exactly. It was exactly one year ago when Langford arrived with far more hype than Smith. And he needed a huge September against the always-inferior pitching of the final month of the season to salvage his rookie year. If Smith can replicate Langford (and do it with more consistency), the Astros would be thrilled. Chances are he won’t even do that.
I thing every team in BB would be thrilled with Langford. I cannot imagine anyone not trading their best minor league prospect for him.
I like to see organizations ignore the service clock game and push guys. You still have multiple options if it doesn’t work out. The only danger is if his stay in the big league club hampers his long-term development, but if he’s playing every day and holding his own, the problem sorta takes care of itself.
Smith projects as a “well below average hitter”?
All he’s done in college and as a professional is hit the crap out of the ball. I’ve seen no scouting reports that refer to him as a below average hitter.
@buy Mets
You are so correct about Smith’s hitting abilities. He’s always hit.
Also the writer is wrong about Owen Caissie. Up to this point, Caissie has been an outfielder.
Should look for the video of Cam legging out a triple to RF yesterday against the AAA Astros affiliate Sugar Land Space Cowboys.
You could light up a major city with the energy this guy brings.
Which is, perversely, what the Cubs didn’t like about him. Hoyer has a regrettable tendency to equate energy with being a hot dog. Some have said he reacts that way especially to energetic black players; I don’t know if that is true. But it surely is true that the Cubs are bland and boring by design. Hoyer doesn’t understand that putting a little swagger into the mix helps the team too–if the talent is there too, of course.
Sugar land? Is that the land of sweets? Sounds like fun.
Sugar Land used to be a company town for Imperial Sugar. It’s right in the middle of quite a bit of sugarcane farming and it is harvested and processed there in town. When I was a kid, Imperial had 2 large, tall buildings there in a smallish town. We left Houston in 1970, which was before Sugar Land became an upscale suburb. I no longer live in Texas, maybe someone else can update us on the city (town?).
It’s the Astros AAA affiliate also in Houston, Sugarland is a suburb in the Southern Houston Metropolitan area. Named SugarLand because the Imperial Sugar company is based there & was the main economic driving force for the city.
When willy Wonka day I’m there
Brian Cashman Fan
You’re playing a guy who’s currently projected to be a well below-average hitter
================================
Just for discussion purposes, care to explain why he projects to be well below-average? Has he ever not hit?
Astros could potentially gain another draft pocket with this move.
The trade that keeps on giving.
Dezenzo…???
I like the Tucker trade more every day. Go Astros!
I think this kid has done what needed to open eyes. I could not consciously see them sendingkid down.
I saw somewhere Dezenzo made team.
I know Brendan signed Minor league deal but he looked like he should stay. Probably platoon with Dubon
Hummel I would love to see make team. Can be emergency catcher, outfield and first if needed. Short not sure on. Chas needs to go. I think Hummel is a switch hitter and could be a lefty bat and is out of options.
Read the article. Hummel is out of options and will be designated for assignment this week.
I did and time I did Hummel decision was not in there. I would have taken over Chas of anyone. But if traded hopefully can get a need.
SO…who is going to win the World Series? I’m headed to the Casino to bet my mortgage since you seem to know everything that’s going to happen..
He doesn’t know anything.
Tucker for one year cost Cam Smith. I have very little hope that Ricketts and Hoyer can re-sign him in free agency.
I don’t think they want to resign him, they wanted out of 27.5M of Bellinger in ’26. They likely want to spend that dough on a starter and move Alcantara and/or Cassie into the roster.
Keeping in mind all things are possible, but the Cubs trade of Lou Brock would be the all-time worst trade. I’m wondering if Smith, Parades and Wesneski will collectively total 41.7 WAR in their careers with the Astros as Brock in his career with STL. Also, it depends on Tucker. If he produces 5.5 WAR in 2025 and then signs a long term deal with the Cubs, then it is certainly not a bad trade. But in spring training Tucker is not going well and the Astros acquisitions look good. It will be great to revisit this trade after Tucker signs a long-term contract with some club..
The odds are against it, but it could happen.
3 years of Paredes who has averaged 3.1 WAR per season since 2022 and now in a perfect park for him. Lets say he gets 9 WAR.
Wesneski has averaged 0.7 WAR in 17gs per 162 for his career. 5 seasons= let’s say 4 WAR.
That means Cam would need to average 4.8 WAR for his 6 years.
I’m not going to sit here and say it is likely, but it’s possible.
MarkTwain60;
Interesting.
The Cubs and Red Sox have a lot in common currently. They have the best historic / traditional baseball parks. They play in sports-crazed cities that cannot be explained unless one lives or visits there. They’ve been building up their farm systems for years. After the 2024 season the owners and Baseball FO people have been getting heat from season ticket holders, fans, and local media (in the Cubs case – the manager as well) wanting to know when their teams would actually contend again. So both added payroll and batched up prospects to take on expensive veterans coming off good seasons. How this works out will be interesting to follow in 2025.
Kind of was the case with the Lou Brock trade. The Cubs had not contended for at least a decade. They had good position players but lacked starting pitching. Brock had been a bit of a disappointment. Ernie Broglio was regarded as a superior ML starter, and while on his last legs Bobby Shantz was still respected as a veteran that could eat innings. The trade was made in-season (June). Of course the Cubs came up short in 1964, while Brock unexpectedly caught fire (partially because he was both allowed and encouraged to steal bases) and along with Bob Gibson leading the Cardinals to the NL pennant as well as winning the WS. The Brock kept going and became a HOF’er.
Not so sure this sort of thing happens in 2025 for either the Cubs or Red Sox.
It’s interesting
Bobby Schantz is officially the first player in Houston MLB history.
SP in 1st ever game for the Hoyston Colt 45s. He got the honor rather than the leadoff hitter because it was a home game.
Bobby Shantz approaching 100!
Tucker tends to start slowly. It’ll be interesting to see how people react if he does so this season.
I think he’ll have his best season ever in his walk year.
Tucker usually starts the season slowly. Opposing pitchers are in trouble.
Bellinger is as good of a player as Tucker when he wants to be, probably smoking too much weed in ’24. No guarantee Tucker resigns in Chicago. He has plenty of cash, might as well test free agency.
It looks like a rushed decision here, but he may adapt to MLB pitching but there is a huge step between AA and MLB and he had very little of AA experience.
He did push with hitting in ST but its ST where anything can happen as soon as season starts it gets real and pitchers hone in on your bald spots fast.
I agree. Add up his AA stats from last year with the spring training (which is about AA quality pitching) and multiply by rule of thumb of 0.7 and he’s about a .700 OPS. Factor in his defense in RF, I’d guess about 1 WAR for 2025. That may be better than any one else can do in the Astros org this season. So, they’re going to force Cam and Paredes to fill Tucker and Bregman’s shoes this year. Good luck!
More top prospects need to be “rushed.” What other sports hold their future stars down in the minors like baseball does? He’s ready to take this job and run with it
Just so you know, other sports don’t have minor leagues to develop their players.
I’ve been saying all off season I loved this kid as a prospect and wish the Angels had snagged him last year.
Houston is going to love Smith’s bat in the middle of their lineup soon and for a long time.
Or I’ll be wrong like I have before, ha ha.
He just needs to see MLB breaking balls– and hit them.
To me (a Stros fan) this season is a sunk cost. Whatever comes from it will be weighed out for the next several years.
If exposing Cam Smith to MLB pitching is what Dana Brown feels will push him to next-level? Then results be-damned.
Cam Smith will at some point thrive. I’ll be here waiting and watching.
Third base has been a graveyard for the Angels outside of a few years of Glaus and maybe Figgins.
Smith fit this team like a glove.
Meanwhile the Astros have killed us since joining the AL. So this can only mean Cam will crush the Angels for years to come.
Rendon is still on vacation that sums up the Angels.
Questionable if Smith can play 3b.
Lights, Cam…era, action!!! Houston, we have lift off! Go rock-it!!! 😉
“Cubs struggled to push beyond the mushy middle”. That’s what she said – M.Scott
Enjoy your Kyle Tucker rental Cubbies. Movie’s due back on Monday otherwise it’s $3.99 a day late fee. And remember: Please be kind. Rewind.
Hey Darragh, “a couple of infield guys”? Uh, Shaw, yes, but Caissie is an outfielder.
Lifelong Astros fan, 40 plys years. Generally speaking most fans were sad to see Tucker traded, but are very happy so far with the return. Tucker is going to take the highest offer. If Chicago makes the highest offer he will sign there. If Houston offers the same, he will sign here. He just wants max value, whatever that is. That’s why he would not resign here without testing the market. Barring injury, I think he hits around .270 in Chicago with 25 HRs, 75 rbi, and 15 SB. He’s a little lazy on defense but an absolute solid clubhouse guy. He’s been a marginal playoff performer.
Tucker’s going to go all out to maximize those offers. I think he hits more like. 290, 35 homers, 110 RBIs, and 30 steals. That’s in line with his normal production before he was injured last year.
.280/30/100 incoming
The farm system of the North Siders has been written, talked, texted, faxed, and DM’ed to death. Maybe consider playing them for a change. On second thought, they’ll trade them away like they always do. Except the crappy ones like Happ.
Check the back of Happ’s card before you say he’s crap. 3 gold gloves. Above average offense. Decent player.
Yea, a 1st rd pick who is “decent”. That’s Cub baseball. lol
Yet another disastrous short sighted move by my Cubs. I hate being a fan of this team.
Promoting Smith now isn’t just about 2025—it’s a chess move to stack future value via the CBA’s prospect promotion incentives (PPI), and no one’s connecting the dots. Smith, ranked 55th (BA), 73rd (ESPN), and 59th (MLB.com), qualifies for PPI: a full service year in 2025 plus a Rookie of the Year win or top-3 MVP finish pre-arbitration nets an extra draft pick. The Astros aren’t merely betting on his bat (.711 SLG in spring); they’re gaming the system.
Cubs will be buried by May and Tucker gone at end of year and cam smith AL rookie of year not to mention wesneski who will do complete turnaround now that he’s away from cubs. Say sayonara to Jed as rickets deflects any blame from him.
What would the chances have been for smith to have made the cubs whether this year or in 2 or 3 years in the name of more seasoning?
I wouldn’t have done it, but if the Astros are willing to let Cam start in RF, I’m not sure why the Cubs could not have done so.
If happ has good year along with the inevitable tucker loss after this year, what are chances cubs deal away happ to open playing time for Caissie and alcantara?