The Houston Astros have optioned infield prospect Brice Matthews and outfielder Jacob Melton to Triple-A Sugar Land. This transaction opened a spot for infielder Jeremy Pena, who was activated off the injured list, and outfielder Jesus Sanchez, whom the Astros acquired shortly before the trade deadline. Matthews made his MLB debut earlier this season and flashed high power upside during this stint. Through 11 games, the top-ranked prospect in Houston has launched three home runs but held a rough 18:2 K:BB. Melton also made his MLB debut earlier this season and held a modest .206/.270/.265 slash line with just one extra-base hit. Fantasy managers should expect Sanchez to see nearly every opportunity in left field, while Carlos Correa and Pena will likely cover shortstop and third base, respectively.

Houston Astros second baseman Brice Matthews had struggled in his first four games in the majors, going just 1-for-15 with six strikeouts, but he broke through with a huge game on Monday night to power the Astros to a 6-3 win in Arizona. Matthews smashed his first two major league home runs, going 2-for-4 with two homers, two runs scored, and five RBI. Both his blasts came against Zac Gallen. The 23-year-old prospect totaled 10 homers and 25 stolen bases in 73 games in Triple-A this season, hitting .283 with a solid .393 wOBA. He has plenty of big-play potential with both his power and speed and should get a chance to claim the everyday job at second base the rest of the season. Matthews is a fascinating prospect to watch in standard leagues and is worth adding in deep leagues based on his upside.

Houston Astros infield prospect Brice Matthews has struggled to find his footing during his first taste of the major leagues. Matthews made his MLB debut on July 11 but has gone 0-for-7 during his first two games in Houston. During this stretch, he has struck out five times and drawn a walk. His rough start also sent him to the bench during Houston's final game before the All-Star break. Fantasy managers should continue to keep a close eye on his status as the Astros could option him back to Triple-A if these struggles continue. Through his first two games, Matthews has covered the keystone. However, once Jake Meyers, Yordan Alvarez, or Jeremy Pena return, Matthews could be in danger of losing his roster spot. Earlier this season at Triple-A, the top prospect in Houston held a strong .283/.400/.476 line with 10 home runs and 25 stolen bases. Given his five-category potential, he is worth holding in all deeper 12+ team leagues for the time being.

Houston Astros infield prospect Brice Matthews has yet to tally a hit during his first week in the major leagues. The top-ranked prospect in Houston was given the starting nod at the keystone in each of his first two games but went 0-for-7 with five strikeouts. He did not draw a walk. The Astors opted to keep him on the bench on Sunday during their final game of the first half. Fantasy managers should expect Matthews to remain on the team following the All-Star break. However, if he continues to struggle, they will likely send him back to Triple-A to further his development. Earlier this season with Sugar Land, Matthews posted a strong .283/.400/.476 line with 12 doubles, 10 home runs, and 25 stolen bases across 73 contests. Given his five-category upside, he is worth holding in all 12+ team leagues for the time being.

Houston Astros infield prospect Brice Matthews is starting at second base and is batting eighth in his major-league debut for Friday's series opener against the division-rival Texas Rangers and right-hander Jack Leiter at Daikin Park. Matthews, who is ranked as the team's top prospect per MLB Pipeline, was called up from Triple-A Sugar Land after slashing .283/.400/.476 with an .876 OPS, 10 home runs, 39 RBI, 51 runs scored and 25 steals in 73 games on the farm. It remains to be seen how long the 23-year-old right-handed hitter will be up with the Astros and if he'll stick around through the All-Star break, but the Astros need Jose Altuve in their banged-up outfield right now. At the very least, Matthews' raw power/speed combination is worthy of waiver-wire consideration in the short term in deep-mixed and AL-only leagues.

The Houston Astros are set to promote prized infield prospect Brice Matthews before their game against the Texas Rangers on Friday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports. Matthews joined the Astros as the 28th pick in the 2023 draft and has since become the top-ranked prospect in the organization. The 23-year-old had been set to play in the All-Star Futures Game on Saturday, but he'll instead make his way to the Astros' roster after posting strong production at the minors' highest level this season. Matthews earned his promotion by slashing .283/.400/.476 with 10 home runs, 39 RBI, 25 stolen bases, and 50 walks in 325 plate appearances with Triple-A Sugar Land. He now figures to slot in at second base for Houston, which will enable the team to move Jose Altuve from the keystone back to the outfield. From a fantasy perspective, Matthews' tantalizing blend of power, speed, and patience could yield appealing results if his propensity for striking out doesn't hold him back. Matthews has gone down on strikes in over 30% of plate appearances since last year.

Houston Astros infield prospect Brice Matthews went 4-for-4 with a double and two stolen bases during their contest on Friday evening against Triple-A Las Vegas. This was Matthews' fifth multi-hit game over his past 11 contests. This outing also extended his current hitting streak to four games. During this 11-game surge, the top-ranked prospect in Houston has been very productive, posting a .413/.481/.761 slash line with three doubles, two triples, three home runs, and four stolen bases. Through 60 total games with Triple-A this season, Matthews has been very productive at the plate, posting a .283/.400/.484 line with nine doubles, nine long balls, and 21 stolen bases. If Matthews continues this impressive production, he should remain in the mix to reach Houston later in the second half.

Houston Astros infield prospect Brice Matthews went 3-for-4 with a home run and a walk during Wednesday's contest against Triple-A Reno. This was Matthews's second-straight game tallying at least three hits and his second-straight game hitting a long ball. Prior to this recent surge, Matthews went 1-for-17 at the plate with an 8:4 K:BB over his last five games. The top-ranked prospect in the Houston system has spent the entire campaign with Triple-A Sugar Land. Through 51 games, Matthews has been productive, posting a .269/.397/.478 slash line with six doubles, four triples, eight home runs, and 18 stolen bases. During his first taste of the top level of the minor leagues last summer, Matthews posted a modest .143/.250/.190 line. The 23-year-old could be in the mix to join Houston in the second half.

The Houston Astros have placed infield prospect Brice Matthews (concussion) on the Triple-A 7-day injured list with a concussion. According to Chandler Rome, Matthews sustained this injury after a slide. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status as he slowly ramps up his activity. Through the first 37 contests of the Triple-A regular season, Matthews has posted a .234/.375/.375 slash line with two doubles, two triples, and four home runs. Matthews has tallied 23 runs, added 13 RBI, and swiped 16 bags. He was riding a three-game hitting streak prior to the injury. If he is able to return to form, the former 28th overall pick should be in the mix to make his MLB debut in the second half of the campaign. For now, he should not be stashed in any redraft leagues.

Houston Astros infield prospect Brice Matthews went 2-for-4 with a home run and two stolen bases during Sunday's contest against Triple-A Tacoma. This outing extended Matthews's hitting streak to four games. During this stretch, Matthews has gone deep twice and held a 2:3 K:BB. However, before this surge at the plate, the former 28th overall pick from the 2023 MLB Draft had carried a modest .213/.359/.293 slash line with one double, one triple, and one home run. During this 21-game stretch, Matthews held a modest 32:16 K:BB and only tallied five RBI. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progression at Triple-A as he appears to be turning the corner. If the Nebraska product continues to show growth, he should compete for a second-half MLB debut.

Houston Astros shortstop prospect Brice Matthews hit his first home run at the Triple-A level on Wednesday during their contest against Las Vegas. At the plate, he went 2-for-2 with a long ball and two walks. Through the first 15 games of the campaign, Matthews posted a .212/.379/.327 slash line with a double, a triple, and a home run. He has swiped eight bags during this stretch and held a 13:22 BB:K. Last summer, the former 28th overall pick spent most of the season with High-A and Double-A and held a strong .272/.388/.522 slash line before earning a small taste of Triple-A. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Matthews' progression with Triple-A as he could be in the mix for a late-season MLB debut if he continues to perform well.

The Houston Astros reassigned infielder Brice Matthews, the team's No. 2 prospect, along with catcher Bryan Lavastida and pitcher Brandon Walter to minor league camp on Thursday. The latter two have already made their big league debuts but will return to the farm to provide depth as they work their way back. Matthews has yet to debut but has been a fast riser in the Astros' organization after being drafted in 2023. The former first-rounder advanced from High-A to Double-A, then on to Triple-A just last season alone. The 22-year-old brings a little power along with a lot of speed, hitting 14 home runs in 2024 while adding 32 steals, not to mention a strong walk rate of 14.2 percent so far in his short professional career. While the spring wasn't a success by the numbers (3-for-16, 0 HR, 0 SB), expectations are that the right-handed hitter will make his debut in the majors by the end of the season and could make for an intriguing waiver wire pickup in deeper leagues whenever he gets the call.