2023 Projection - Jake Meyers and Jeremy Pena

What could have been and The Kid

Jake Meyers

Jake Meyers seemed destined to be the Astros centerfielder of the future until he got injured.

When he came back in 2022, he certainly didn’t look the same and I wonder if he’ll ever be. 

I was never exceedingly high on Meyers, but he was certainly in the same ballpark as Chas, perhaps a half-tick better, give or take.

I’m not sure either of them is the center fielder of the future at this point.

Jeremy Pena

How can a player surpass expectations and disappoint before becoming the postseason hero?

The expectations were fairly low at the beginning of last season and Pena had some strange numbers (101 OPS+, but 22 HR and a 3.4 WAR).

Some of Pena’s peripherals are concerning (O-Swing% = 41.0, 3.9% BB rate) and some are good (7 OOA).

Overall, I think Pena’s slightly overrated, but the lasting impression from the World Series will stick with Houston fans for a long time, despite what they may see on the field and at the plate.

Next up, Kyle Tucker.