The Houston Astros underwent some major changes to their lineup this offseason.
Right fielder Kyle Tucker, entering the final year of team control before free agency, was traded to the Chicago Cubs. Another stalwart, third baseman Alex Bregman, signed with the Boston Red Sox.
Replacing those two is going to take a complete team effort since they brought more than just production on the field.
Their leadership in the clubhouse and championship experience will also be missed.
Finding help in the outfield is the team’s most pressing need, as it was a weakness entering the winter even with Tucker in the fold. At least in the trade for Tucker a replacement for Bregman was acquired, as Isaac Paredes will slide right into his spot.
The Astros also signed Christian Walker in free agency to shore up first base, which has been a mess.
Ultimately, if Houston is going to continue contending in the American League, they are going to need players to step up and help replace the production that was lost.
One of the players who seems capable of doing that is catcher Yainer Diaz, who is quickly rising the positional ranks put together by Buster Olney of ESPN.
He is viewed as one of the best players at his position in baseball, receiving the No. 5 ranking mostly because of the production he provides at the plate.
“Diaz is among the best-hitting catchers in the majors — one who can hit in the middle of a lineup — and batted .299 last season,” Olney wrote.
After finishing fifth in the Rookie of the Year voting in 2023, the talented backstop took his production to another level in the second season of his career. His numbers improved essentially across the board, recording a .299/.325/.441 slash line with 16 home runs, 29 doubles and 84 RBI.
The power production dropped from his rookie campaign, but he made improvements in underlying statistics.
Diaz cut down his strikeout rate from 19.6% to 17.3%. His walk rate also went up from 2.9% to 3.9%. When he makes contact, he is hitting the ball hard with an average exit velocity of 90.2 mph and a hard hit percentage of 47.6%, which is up from 43.9% as a rookie.
The most glaring difference in his production, which certainly plays a part in his drop in home runs, is that he wasn’t lifting the ball nearly as much.
Diaz had a ground ball rate of 51.2% and fly ball rate of 18.7% in 2024; in 2023, those numbers were at 44.3% and 29.6%, respectively.
If he can get those figures moving in the right direction, along with the improvements in line drives hit, he can take his offensive production to another level.
The Astros certainly will need it, as internal improvement will help replace the losses of Tucker and Bregman as much as the external replacements who were brought.