Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll be rolling out a series of prospect previews for Spring Training. We begin with arguably the Astros’ top prospect in camp this year: Brice Matthews.
Brice Matthews, a Houston native and Atascocita High School graduate, went on to play college baseball at Nebraska. After solid freshman and sophomore campaigns, he broke out as a junior, slashing .359/.481/.723 with 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases. Viewed as one of the best overall athletes in the 2023 draft thanks to his rare power-speed combination, the Astros selected him with the 28th overall pick in the first round.
Matthews’ first full professional season in 2024 got off to a slow start when he missed about a month with lower back issues. Once healthy, he returned to High-A and immediately made an impact, hitting six home runs in his first seven games back to earn a promotion to Double-A. He finished the year with 15 home runs, 32 stolen bases, and an .865 OPS across the three levels.
Assigned to Triple-A out of Spring Training in 2025, Matthews continued to validate the scouting reports. He hit .283 with 10 home runs and 25 stolen bases in 73 games, earning a call-up to Houston. His big league stint exposed some swing-and-miss concerns as he struck out 20 times in 42 at-bats, but he also flashed his upside with four home runs.
Matthews possesses some of the highest upside in the system, pairing impact power and speed with the versatility to move around the diamond. He played games at second base, third base, shortstop and center field last year. His long-term defensive home may not be settled yet, but with a strong spring, he could carve out a super utility role for the Astros in 2026.