This week, the Astros quietly put a line under their catching depth mix. And the fact that they did so without saying anything caught people’s attention. There was no big trade. No drama at night. Just a clean cut that showed confidence, clarity, and a roster that was ready for the playoffs.
The Houston Astros made a clear choice when it looked like they could keep three catchers. Instead, they let go of an experienced player through a simple minor-league release. He was part of the All-Star team in 2021. He hit .266 with 11 home runs and 49 RBIs in 123 games for Milwaukee, and he had a .342 on-base percentage and a .402 slugging percentage. But now, forget the majors; he has been released from the minors.
The catcher that the Astros released was Omar Narvaez. On August 3, 2025, Ari Alexander of KPRC2 shared an update on his X handle. It wrote, “The Astros released veteran catcher Omar Narvaez. Narvaez played 27 games for the Sugar Land Space Cowboys with a .735 OPS.”
Source: The #Astros released veteran catcher Omar Narvaez.
Narvaez played 27 games for the Sugar Land Space Cowboys with a .735 OPS. pic.twitter.com/sE5Tk79zhE
— Ari Alexander (@AriA1exander) August 3, 2025
Narvaez signed that minor league agreement on June 4, 2025. And before coming to the Astros, he played over 11 games in the majors with the White Sox. There he had 24 at‑bats, 2 homers, drove in 3 RBIs, scored 1 run, and slashed an .286 batting average, .400 OBP, and .286 OPS.
However, after coming to Houston, he was sent to Triple-A. While he was there, he had 156 at-bats, hitting .244 with three home runs, 18 RBIs, and a .710 OPS. Those numbers show that he had average power and run output, but his on-base skills weren’t very good. No appearance in the majors while with the Astros.
Releasing him was a calculated move with Yainer Diaz as catcher. Diaz has played 98 games and is hitting .252/.284/.420 with 15 home runs, 45 RBIs, and an OPS of about .704. He is the best choice since he possesses a good balance of pop, plate discipline, and steady defense.
Veteran Victor Caratini backs him up and steps in when Diaz needs a break or a left-handed stick comes into the lineup. That left no place for Naravaez in the Astros’ roster for the future.
The Astros are doing everything to make their roster playoff-worthy. From releasing the former All-Star catcher to acquiring some smart picks during the trade deadline.
Depth trimmed, not diminished: Astros release Omar and win big at deadline
The Astros may have thought they were losing depth in their catching when they quietly removed Omar. But they cut people off the roster to keep it sharp. In this case, Houston did it quickly and without any problems, sticking to their mantra of “clear minds, clear roles.”
During the trade deadline, the Astros picked up very precisely. They brought Carlos Correa back from the Twins in exchange for Matt Mikulski. Even though Minnesota paid part of his money, they still got a bat that was good enough to be an All-Star to replace the void at third base created by Isaac Paredes’ injury.
The Astros didn’t stop there. In addition, they added Jesus Sanchez from the Marlins to provide some left-handed pop to a lineup that needed it. In exchange, they sent a mix of prospects. And to round things off, Ramon Urias, a dynamic infielder, came to the team, giving them more depth and flexibility in the infield.
The takeaway? Houston let go of a veteran catcher to improve their depth chart. Their performance before the trade deadline, on the other hand, got good scores. Correa‘s return and the acquisitions for Sanchez and Urias made Houston’s lineup and versatility stronger, so it doesn’t affect much when one depth piece has to depart.
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