Houston Astros: Predicting Team's Starting Lineup in 2020
The Houston Astros have been one of Major League Baseball's most surprising teams so far in 2015. They made the leap from perennial doormat to the best record in baseball for a time. Though they have fallen on tough times of late, they are still in first place in the American League West and have a chance to make the playoffs for the first time since 2005.
One of the reasons that has fueled this turnaround has been the plethora of talented youngsters in the farm system. Thanks to high draft picks—Houston had the No. 1 overall pick in the draft three consecutive years from 2012-14—and smart trades, the Astros are a team on the rise.
According to MLB.com, the Astros have the eighth-best farm system, and they project to be competitive from here on out.
In this slideshow, I will assemble the Astros' possible starting lineup in 2020. Please comment with suggestions and any disagreements you have, as I'm sure there will be some.
Catcher: Jason Castro
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2020 Age: 32
The Astros' first-round pick back in 2008 out of Stanford, Jason Castro has been a steady player behind the plate throughout his career. He put together an excellent season back in 2013, and it looked like he was on the verge of becoming one of the game's better catchers, but he has fallen back to earth since then.
He will probably never hit for a high average—he hit .222 last year and is hitting .224 so far in 2015—but him being a solid player coupled with the fact that the Astros don't have a touted catcher currently in their farm system could be enough to keep Castro as Houston's backstop in 2020.
First Base: Jon Singleton
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2020 Age: 28
Jon Singleton was acquired by the Astros from the Phillies in the Hunter Pence trade in 2011, and he was one of the best prospects in all of baseball until he made his debut last season.
He struggled mightily, though, in his first taste of the major leagues. He hit .168 in 362 at-bats in 2014, and he has played all of 2015 in the minor leagues.
Singleton showed some power last year—hitting 13 home runs and 13 doubles—and he is doing much of the same this year. He has already hit 15 big flies and driven in 55 runs. His .922 OPS is impressive, and he should be ready for his next promotion whenever he is called up.
MLB.com's No. 19 prospect in 2013, Singleton has a chance to be a quality big league hitter for a very long time.
Second Base: Jose Altuve
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2020 Age: 29
Despite his diminutive 5'6" frame, Jose Altuve has quickly blossomed into one of the best hitters and second basemen in all of baseball. He won the American League batting title in 2014 when he hit .341, and he also led the league in hits that year with 225.
Even though he has built up an impressive resume, he is still a young player who should continue to be one of the league's best contact hitters for many years.
Altuve was an All-Star last year and is slated to be the starting second baseman this year. It doesn't look like anything will stop him from being an All-Star-caliber player in the future. He will be one of the veterans when 2020 rolls around and a pivotal piece of this Houston team that will likely be legitimate playoff contenders year in and year out.
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Shortstop: Alex Bregman
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2020 Age: 26
The Astros liked LSU shortstop Alex Bregman so much that they drafted him with the second overall pick in the 2015 MLB draft. He is an ultra-talented player with stellar fielding ability and hitting potential.
Here's what Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow told Brian McTaggart of MLB.com about Bregman:
"Alex Bregman has a proven track record of performance all the way from his high school days [in New Mexico]. We had a lot of time following him, and we feel pretty good about him joining the organization. We feel like he's going to continue to play a premium position, and he's one of the elite college bats that's done just about everything you can do at that level.
"
Bregman hit .312 this year with nine home runs, 22 doubles, a .940 OPS and 37 stolen bases for a Tigers team that advanced all the way to the College World Series for the second time in Bregman's career. He did this facing Southeast Conference pitching, which is just about as good as it gets at the college level.
He has performed tremendously against top competition throughout his life, and he should be able to continue his stellar production for the Astros.
Third Base: Carlos Correa
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2020 Age: 25
You may have been surprised that Carlos Correa was not listed as the team's shortstop on this lineup, but I think Correa will eventually make the move to third base. While Correa is certainly a solid defensive shortstop, his 6'4", 210-pound frame makes him a prime candidate to switch over to the hot corner.
It also looks like Correa has the bat to stick at a corner infield spot, where more power is expected than from the shortstop position.
He has been one of the game's top prospects since he was draft No. 1 overall by the Astros in 2012, and he will look to cash in on that potential with the big league club.
Left Field: Kyle Tucker
6 of 102020 Age: 23
The Astros' second pick in the 2015 draft, Kyle Tucker is heralded as one of the best hitters in this draft class. The brother of current Astro Preston Tucker, the younger Tucker was the fifth overall selection in the draft. He is committed to Florida, but with a slot value of more than $4 million, a professional signing bonus will be nearly impossible to pass up.
The only question for Tucker to really crack this list is whether or not he will be called up by then, but I think he will be. The organization certainly likes him. Here is what Astros scout John Martin said about Tucker to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com:
"I've known Kyle a long time with his brother, Preston, and he's a five-tool player across the board. He's going to hit and hit with power—and the makeup, like Jeff [Luhnow] said, is on the top of the charts, as is his brother's. It's a good family and good mother and father situation. The kid's just got all the intangibles and tools that we look for.
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Look for him to hit his way up the minor league ladder and be in the majors in no time.
Center Field: Brett Phillips
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2020 Age: 25
Brett Phillips was not a really high draft pick—sixth round in 2012—but he has thrived in the minors nonetheless.
He hit .310 with 17 home runs, 68 RBI, 27 doubles, 14 triples and 27 stolen bases en route to being named the Astros' Minor League Player of the Year in 2014, and he is currently the sixth-best prospect in the farm system, according to MLB.com.
Phillips is raking so far this year, too, at High-A Lancaster. He is hitting .327 with 12 homers and 47 RBI to go along with 17 doubles and seven triples.
According to his MLB.com scouting report: "Phillips' speed gives him a chance to stick in center field."
Don't be surprised if Phillips is in Houston before long, and he might be the team's center fielder of the future.
Right Field: George Springer
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2020 Age: 30
This one might have been the easiest one to choose. George Springer is one of the most talented young players in the game right now, and he will continue to be a star for many years down the road.
He hasn't hit for as much power this year as he did in 2014, but his .259 batting average is nearly 30 points higher than last year's mark. His power will eventually come, and if he can put it all together, he will be one of the most feared hitters in all of baseball.
His wRC+ of 127, per FanGraphs, shows that he is creating runs at a much higher rate than the average player—the league average wRC+ is 100. He has batted leadoff for much of this season, but once the host of talented youngsters cracks the big league roster, Springer will likely get comfortable in the middle of the order.
Once 2020 rolls around, he will be one of the veterans on the club and should be able to provide a valuable clubhouse presence that will bring out the best in the rest of the roster.
Designated Hitter: Preston Tucker
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2020 Age: 29
Preston Tucker started his big league career on a roll—he hit over .300 with two home runs in May—and even though he has cooled down considerably since then, he will hit.
He has made plenty of hard contact, and it can be expected that he will continue to evolve as a hitter as he gets more MLB at-bats under his belt.
Like Springer, Tucker will be one of the older players on the roster in 2020, and if he is a positive influence in the clubhouse, that will make him even more valuable.
The 2020 Lineup
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1. 2B Jose Altuve
2. SS Alex Bregman
3. RF George Springer
4. DH Preston Tucker
5. 3B Carlos Correa
6. LF Kyle Tucker
7. 1B Jon Singleton
8. C Jason Castro
9. CF Brett Phillips
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