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The Houston Astros are routinely one of the best teams in baseball.
They've basically been a dynasty for the last six or so years, so their Spring Training performance is largely irrelevent. They're probably going to be good no matter what. It's a good time for players to get ready, but it's not concerning if they struggle.
However, it's always a good sign when players do well in Spring Training. The Astros are not a team with a fully set roster as things can and do change often.
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That makes it a great time for some unheralded players to show what they can do, and these three have done just that so far.
Note: This is based on a very small sample size, which can often be unrelated to the future success of any player.
Three Astros players who've been red hot in Spring Training
3) Victor Caratini
Yainer Diaz figures to be the everyday catcher, and that's even though he's one of the players struggling the most in spring.
The situation behind him is anything but solidified. The Astros need to determine their backup catcher, and the veteran Victor Caratini is staking his claim to that spot early.
He has been quite good so far, hitting .364 in 11 at bats with an impressive 1.078 OPS. He has a lot of strong competition behind the plate, but he looks good.
2) Miguel Palma
The same situation applies to Miguel Palma. He's a very young prospect, so it's less imperative for him to carve out a role this season than it is for Caratini, but he has looked really good regardless. He's one of six players in spring to hit a home run for the Astros.
He has a .500 batting average, three runs and a walk to go along with a 1.850 OPS. He has been nothing short of excellent, perhaps showing that the future behind the plate in Houston is very bright.
1) Corey Julks
Corey Julks is a backup outfielder, one unlikely to breach the starting lineup of Kyle Tucker, Chas McCormick and Yordan Alvarez.
However, his spring showing suggests that he might be deserving of a lot of playing time this year. So far, he has hit .357 with a cool 1.000 OPS. He also has a home run and five hits to go with just one strikeout.
