Brice Matthews: Houston’s Next Power-Speed Threat Arrives
A Blog By Robbie
Brice Matthews, MLB Pipelines 98th ranked prospect, has officially received his well-deserved call to the show after lighting up Triple-A. Matthews is slashing .283/.400/.476 with 10 homers, 39 RBIs and 25 steals at Triple-A, while playing mostly second base. Matthews was set to play in the Futures All-Star Game in Atlanta this weekend.
Matthews, who is a pest on the basepath, had Triple-A numbers that were so overwhelming, the Astros had no choice but to find an opening. His career at the University of Nebraska, before being selected 28th overall, was not linear, as he batted to the tune of a .266 average during his first two seasons. Here, he was also battling the transition from second base to shortstop, a move that would eventually pay dividends for the young righty. In 2023, he lit up the Big Ten with a massive breakout, slashing a jaw-dropping .359/.481/.723 with a 1.204 OPS and 20 homers while driving in 67.
Matthews being selected 28th overall in the 2023 draft then signing for $2,478,200 was a result of his dominating year prior. Between four stops within the Astros system in 2024 (79 games), he slashed a combined .265/.384/.481 with 15 home runs and 32 steals. It’s pretty clear that Matthews is one of the best athletes in the system, as he was an all-state quarterback in Texas before fully committing to baseball. His speed is plus plus, which helps him swipe plenty of bags, turn doubles into triples, and cover lots of ground at shortstop/second base.
The Houston native’s 190-pound frame possesses a ton of raw power and strength, as he produces some of the best exit velocities in the minor leagues while being able to drive the ball in the air at a consistent rate. That being said, it took him a while to adjust to professional hitters, as he started out slow after his debut in Houston’s system. Between the Florida Complex League and High-A, he batted .208/.365/.352 with four home runs in 35 games. However, the following year, he started to find his groove again and returned to form, which led to his call up. Matthews has some great tools, however plate discipline is not one of them quite yet, demonstrated by his 39.6% strikeout rate and 6.3% walk rate in 2024 (Triple-A). That said, he has improved to a 30.2% strikeout rate this year, paired with a 15.4% walk rate. Albeit, these numbers still need to improve.
Scout the Statline (StS) projects Matthews to make his mark this year with the big league club. Their Peak Projections have him slashing .229/.329/.400, but they envision the power to transfer over, highlighted by a projection of 20 home runs and 65 RBI. StS also projects 34 bases for Matthews, however the plate discipline remains as a downfall, with a 11% walk rate and a 32% strikeout rate. As for the Prospect Larceny Formulated Ranking, Matthews is projected with a 131.4 wRC+ and a 0.405 BABIP.
Why Brice Matthews Should Be On Your Radar
✅ Dynamic Power-Speed Combo: In Triple-A Sugar Land, he’s slashing .283/.400/.476 with 10 home runs and 25 stolen bases in 2025. He has demonstrated his ability to impact games both at the plate and on the basepaths.
✅ Versatile Infield Defender: While mainly a shortstop at Nebraska, Matthews transitioned to second base, making a majority of starts there in this year. His athletic instincts allow him to juggle multiple infield positions, which helps to provide the Astros with flexibility as they manage injuries.
✅ Immediate MLB Impact Potential: Given his recent hot streak in Triple-A, he is poised to contribute right away. Houston’s need for offensive production at second base helps to position him for a key role in a contending lineup.
Brice Matthews’ arrival in Houston provides them with a spark both offensively and defensively. His ability to play a solid shortstop if needed adds helpful depth to the infield. You can expect him to start many games a week, especially against left-handed pitching, while he carves out a larger role if the bat stays hot.