The Houston Astros are creating waves throughout the baseball universe by promoting No. 1 organizational prospect and No. 98 MLB prospect Brice Matthews, Astros beat writer Brian McTaggart writes. 

The 23-year-old shortstop, who was selected in the first round of the 2023 MLB Draft from the University of Nebraska, will be making his major league debut on Friday and introducing his thrilling skill set to a club that has been in desperate need of some help in the infield as it has been nursing injuries to important players such as Jeremy Pena. To fantasy baseball owners, Matthews is an attractive stash prospect with huge upside. Now let's get to his fantasy situation, statistical history, and prospect status.

 

Brice Matthews Prospect Status

Originally from Houston and a former Atascocita High School phenom, Brice Matthews has been an elite pitcher since his college days at Nebraska, where he became the first player in school history to achieve 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in a season (2023). Selected 28th overall by the Astros, Matthews possesses plus power, a above-average runner, and is a switch-hitting, defensive utility player. He has quick hands that produce exit velocities of up to 113 mph, and he can play shortstop, second base, and possibly center field, although he is now primarily relegated to second base in 2025 with the Triple-A Sugar Land Space Cowboys.

As the Astros top prospect and No. 98 in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline, Matthews received an invitation to the 2025 All-Star Futures Game, a sign of his proximity to the major leagues. Despite concerns regarding strikeouts and pull-heavy tendencies, his raw ability and improving plate discipline have scouts projecting him as an everyday player. Astros manager Joe Espada complimented Matthews' development, saying he could be a long-term second baseman, with Jose Altuve entrenched in left field. With Pena out after fracturing a rib, Matthews' promotion to fill an urgent need provides a glimpse of the future of Houston's infield.

 

Brice Matthews Stats

Matthews' minor league career reflects both his potential and areas for improvement. Below is a summary of his performance statistics from 2023 to 2025, based on the information given:

  • 2023 (MiLB, CPX/A): Matthews appeared in 35 games and batted .208/.365/.352 with 4 HR, 11 RBI, and 18 SB. His 16% BB% reflected good plate discipline, but his 26.3% K% and .275 BABIP indicated issues with the swing-and-miss rate. His 115 wRC+ reflected improved offense above average for a 21-year-old during his first pro season.
  • 2024 (MiLB, CPX/A+/AA/AAA): Matthews played in 79 games across four levels, hitting .265/.384/.481 with 15 HR, 44 RBI, and 32 SB. His 13.4% BB% and 142 wRC+ reflected his offense, but a 31.4% K% (with a season high 39.6% in AAA) was a concern about contact predictability. He hit .321/.423/.580 with 6 HR in 21 High-A Asheville games, dominating before struggling over a small Triple-A sample (.143/.250/.190).
  • 2025 (AAA): At 73 games in Sugar Land, Matthews batted .283/.400/.476 with 10 HR, 39 RBI, and 25 SB. His 15.4% BB% and 131 wRC+ suggest more to come, even if a 30.2% K% and .405 BABIP suggest some luck-influenced production. His .193 ISO suggests good power, especially away, where he's excelled in hitter-friendly PCL parks (.331/.434/.655).

Matthews' Triple-A play in 2025, including a .960 OPS in June and a May 10th cycle, earned Astros' player of the month upper-level distinction. His 25 steals show his plus speed, and his power-speed combination earns him the distinction as a five-tool player with contact issues against advanced pitchers.

 

Brice Matthews Fantasy Baseball Outlook

To fantasy baseball general managers, Brice Matthews is a high-ceiling prospect to hold in dynasty and deep redraft leagues, especially in situations where stolen bases and home runs are highly valuable. His 2025 Triple-A line (.283/.400/.476, 10 HR, 25 SB) points to a 20-20 possibility at the MLB level, which is a precious and highly desired commodity. His transition to second base adds his fantasy worth since the position is more shallow than shortstop, and his speed makes him a multi-category threat.

There is risk, however. Matthews' 30.2% K% in Triple-A and 67.3% contact rate profile him to swing and miss at breaking pitches in the big leagues and hard fastballs and thus bring bat averaged volatility into play. His pull-oriented profile (most power to left) might be exposed by pitchers, and his home/road splits (.218/.358/.257 at Sugar Land and .331/.434/.655 on the road) show hitter-friendly environment dependence. With Mauricio Dubon projected to man shortstop and with Shay Whitcomb also in the mix, Matthews' playing time in the immediate future would be a matter of matchups, perhaps at second base or as a utility infielder.

Matthews is a top-100 dynasty prospect with potential to become a top-50 asset by 2026 if he refines his contact skills. In redraft leagues, he's a splash pickup for managers who need speed and upside, but don't anticipate 2025 due to possible growing pains and restricted at-bats. Long-term, his ceiling is that of a .260/.350/.450 bat with 20-25 HR, 25-30 SB, and excellent OBP, and if he stays at second base, he's a fantasy superstar.

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