Jake Meyers

Meyers was the Opening Day center fielder for the Astros last year and totaled 341 plate appearances during the regular season, chipping in 10 home runs and five stolen bases. He was dropped from the roster for the ALCS as the team welcomed veteran Michael Brantley back from injury, but Meyers is expected to get another chance as the primary center fielder for Houston to begin 2024. While he is not a high-OBP player, Meyers did well to trim his strikeout rate down to a more acceptable level last season (25.8 K%). His defense will buy his bat more time, though the clock is ticking for the 27-year-old. Meyers ranked in the 92nd percentile in terms of sprint speed last season, per Statcast, so there may be some hidden upside in the stolen base department. That said, if the bat doesn't improve, Meyers could shift into a reserve role for a team with World Series aspirations. Read Past Outlooks