Jake Meyers and Isaac Paredes both entered 2026 with their names in trade discussions. Houston ultimately kept Paredes, who finished among the team’s most productive hitters, while Meyers ended the season outside the club’s plans after injuries and a difficult year at the plate.
The Astros exercised Paredes’ $13.35 million option for 2027 on Monday. Meyers, outrighted from the 40-man roster, elected free agency.
Paredes Made His Place in a Crowded Infield
Paredes came to Houston in the December 2024 trade that sent Kyle Tucker to the Cubs. By the next spring, the Astros’ infield had little open space: Carlos Correa was at third base, Jeremy Peña at shortstop, Jose Altuve at second, and Christian Walker at first.
Houston explored trading Paredes, but he expected to stay. “This is where I thought I was going to be the whole time, so let’s just see what happens,” he said at spring training.
He moved among positions early in the season, starting at three spots in his first four games. Correa’s season-ending ankle injury in May opened regular work for Paredes at third. He responded with a .262 average, 25 home runs, 94 RBIs, and an .807 OPS in 155 games, finishing second on the Astros in bWAR behind Yordan Alvarez.
The option keeps Paredes under Houston’s control for 2027, though his role is unsettled with Correa expected back. The option could become mutual if Paredes finishes in the top 10 in American League MVP voting.
Meyers’ Route From Prospect to Free Agent
The Astros drafted Meyers in the 13th round in 2017. He reached the majors in 2021 after Houston traded Myles Straw, took over in center field, and then injured his shoulder making a catch in the American League Division Series. The injury kept him off the World Series roster.
Meyers returned to become Houston’s regular center fielder. His defense earned him a Gold Glove finalist spot in 2024, and in 2025 he hit a career-best .292 in 104 games. In a May 2025 interview, he described his revised batting stance as “more natural.”
He opened 2026 as Houston’s center fielder, but an oblique strain interrupted his season and his offense did not rebound after he returned. The Astros optioned him to Triple-A in July. A knee fracture ended his season in September. He hit .213 with three home runs in 57 major-league games before electing free agency.
Paredes remains under team control after adapting to the Astros’ crowded infield and delivering a strong season. Meyers leaves after six years and 522 games with Houston, including several seasons as the club’s primary center fielder. Their paths now split: Paredes’ Houston role is still to be determined, while Meyers will seek his next opportunity as a free agent.
