With their first base performance lacking and the AL West competition intensifying, the Houston Astros have promoted infield prospect Zach Dezenzo, as announced by the team on Tuesday.
The Astros, having lost nine of their last 14 games, are currently 1.5 games behind the Seattle Mariners in the AL West and five games out of the third wild-card spot.
As a corresponding move, outfielder Trey Cabbage was sent down to Triple-A.
Dezenzo, 24, was picked by Houston in the 12th round of the 2022 draft. He had a breakout season last year, hitting .305/.383/.531 with 18 home runs and 22 stolen bases across High Class-A and Double-A.
A wrist injury delayed the start of his 2024 season until early June, but since being promoted to Triple-A, he has hit .391/.472/.739 with four home runs in 11 games.
R.J. Anderson ranked Dezenzo as the No. 2 prospect in the Astros’ relatively thin farm system before the season. Dezenzo, who played four years at Ohio State, has quickly climbed the prospect rankings, partly due to the Astros’ weak farm system.
Known for his power, Dezenzo hit 14 home runs in 63 Double-A games last season. He also has a keen eye at the plate, though his tendency to work deep counts could lead to a higher strikeout rate in the majors.
The Astros have experimented with him at various infield positions and even in the outfield, but he might end up splitting time between the infield corners.
Astros first basemen have struggled this season, hitting just .203/.269/.321 with 12 home runs. Jonathan Singleton, who took over after José Abreu was released in mid-June, has posted a .230/.311/.354 line.
Although Dezenzo has mostly played third base, he has some experience at first, where Alex Bregman currently holds the starting spot.
The Astros endured a walk-off loss against the Texas Rangers on Monday, marking the start of a nine-game road trip that includes stops in Boston and Tampa.
