The Astros have moved on from Nelson Velázquez, and the former Cubs slugging prospect is heading toward an overseas opportunity.
Houston released the 27-year-old on Tuesday night as teams begin clearing space with the World Series nearing its finish, potentially as soon as Wednesday night. The expectation is that Velázquez will now pursue a chance in Asia.
Velázquez split the 2026 season between the St. Louis Cardinals and Astros. Cubs fans got a reminder of his pop earlier this year, when he homered against Chicago on May 29 in his Cardinals debut.
But the overall line looked a lot like the version of Velázquez that kept him from ever locking down a regular job in the majors. He hit .188/.257/.406 with six home runs in 2026, and he struck out more than 33% of the time. That swing-and-miss has followed him throughout his career and played a big part in why he never became a fixture in the Cubs’ starting lineup after reaching the big leagues.
Velázquez’s path is also the kind of cautionary tale Cubs fans now connect to Kevin Alcantara.
Like Velázquez once was, Alcantara has been viewed as one of the more intriguing names in the Cubs system, with enough upside to make people dream about a ceiling. But with each passing season, his floor has seemed to slip a little lower.
That doesn’t mean Alcantara is bound for the same overseas road. He brings speed and plus defense in the outfield, which should give him a path to hanging around as a fourth outfielder somewhere.
The issue for the Cubs is roster math. Alcantara is out of minor-league options, which means he has to be on the Cubs’ roster to open the 2027 season or he’ll be exposed to waivers.
Because of that, the likeliest outcome may be a trade this offseason, just as Velázquez eventually moved on from Chicago. The return, though, likely won’t be much.
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