Astros Prospect Making Waves In Camp; Could Land Roster Spot

Houston Astros prospect Justin Dirden is making waves at Spring Training with his impressive offensive and defensive skills.

He has already hit two home runs in his first three Grapefruit League at-bats and has also made two outstanding defensive plays - a diving catch in left field and a throw to home plate from right field to get a runner out.

Justin Dirden dinger!

The @Astros prospect is now 3-for-3 with 2 homers in two Spring Training games. pic.twitter.com/1sJYVrZQ4y

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) February 27, 2023

Dirden, who arrived in the Astros' system three years ago as a $20,000 free agent, has shown his potential as a "regular" in the major leagues with his simple swing that allows him to keep his barrel in the strike zone for longer than most. He dominated at Class AA Corpus Christi last season with a .324/.411/.616 slash line and 20 home runs in 407 plate appearances.

While most of the hype surrounding Dirden has been focused on his offensive skills, the Astros view him as an average defender in both corners with an above-average throwing arm. His hitting from the left side is also seen as an added bonus for a team seeking some thump from that side on its bench.

This is Justin Dirden.

Justin Dirden hits Dingers. That is all.#AstrosST pic.twitter.com/v7A7N00UuK

— APOLLO @ SPRING TRAINING 🌴 (@ApolloHOU) February 25, 2023

Overall, Dirden's impressive performance at Spring Training has put him on the precipice of the major leagues and has garnered praise from Astros' field coordinator Jason Bell, who describes him as a "simple guy" who "just executes whenever you need him to." With his offensive profile and defensive prowess, Dirden is definitely a player to watch to make a roster spot to begin the season. Photo Credit: Lucas Boland/Caller Times / USA TODAY NETWORK