WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Josh Reddick is heading back to CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches next month not as a player, but as a mentor.
The 2017 World Series champion has accepted an invitation from Astros manager Joe Espada to spend six days in early March working with Houston’s outfielders. Reddick shared the news during an appearance on Crush City Territory, telling Chandler Rome that Espada contacted him just days earlier.
“I never thought I’d be excited about going and doing a ‘coaching role,’ but I’m pretty stoked about it,” Reddick said.
Outfield Still Taking Shape
The visit comes at a useful time.
Houston’s outfield picture remains unsettled entering 2026. Cam Smith, Joey Loperfido, and Zach Cole are competing for roles, and none has completed a full major league season. Jake Meyers brings the most experience of the group, but the position remains fluid.
Reddick will not carry a formal title. He described the assignment as a rover-style role: running drills in the morning, observing games, and making himself available to players who want feedback or perspective.
“If they just want to talk, I’ll talk,” he said.
He is not there to rebuild mechanics in six days. His message is simpler.
“This baseball thing,” Reddick said, “it’s the exact same thing you’ve been playing since you were 5 years old.”
That steady reassurance mirrors the role he played during Houston’s 2017 championship season. Reddick appeared in 134 games that year, providing reliable defense and veteran presence in a clubhouse that blended youth with experience.
He admitted the return to camp stirs something.
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss it a whole lot,” he said.
For now, it’s a short March visit. But for a team still defining its outfield identity, bringing back a familiar voice from 2017 carries practical value—and a bit of history.
Photo: Keith Allison (CC BY-SA 2.0) via Wikimedia Commons
