The Astros will select infielder Raynel Delgado onto the major league roster for the start of tomorrow’s series in Kansas City, reports Francys Romero. Houston acquired him from the Rays in a minor league trade yesterday. The Astros initially assigned Delgado to Triple-A Sugar Land but have instead decided to jump him straight to the MLB level.
It’s the first big league call for the 26-year-old. A Havana native who moved to Florida as a child, Delgado was a sixth-rounder by Cleveland in 2018. He played in their system until 2024, topping out at Triple-A Columbus. He qualified for minor league free agency after that season when the Guardians elected not to add him to the 40-man roster.
The lefty-hitting Delgado spent 2025 in Triple-A on a minor league deal with Milwaukee. He hit .281/.363/.378 and didn’t get a major league look. Tampa Bay added him on a non-roster invitation early last offseason. Delgado struggled offensively with their top affiliate in Durham, hitting .250/.320/.362 with three home runs in 253 plate appearances.
Delgado has posted league average strikeout and walk rates at the Triple-A level for the past couple seasons. He has middling power but can steal a few bases and move around the infield. Delgado is more of a second/third base type than a true shortstop, but he has more than 500 minor league innings at all three positions.
Houston, which lost Carlos Correa for the season in May, is also down a pair of depth infielders in Nick Allen and Braden Shewmake. They’re operating without a great backup option at shortstop behind Jeremy Peña. Shay Whitcomb made his first MLB start at the position last night against the Angels. Whitcomb has logged almost 2000 career innings at shortstop in the minors but profiles more as a corner bat at the MLB level. That’s also true of Delgado, but he’ll offer a little more balance in a lineup that leans very heavily to the right side.
The Astros have a full 40-man roster. They’ll need to make corresponding active roster and 40-man moves tomorrow. Lance McCullers Jr., Bennett Sousa and LaMonte Wade Jr. all have uncertain return timelines from injury and could be options to move to the 60-day injured list.
