Astros' Justin Dirden: Continues to impress in camp

Astros manager Dusty Baker said that Dirden has "impressed from day one" in spring camp, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

"[Dirden] has that quiet confidence," Baker said. "He can play all three outfield positions, he can run, he can throw. There's not much he can't do on the baseball field." In 14 games with the Astros during the Grapefruit League, Dirden has slashed .333/.462/.714 with a pair of homers and a stolen base over 26 plate appearances. The 26-year-old also impressed in the minors in 2022 with a .924 OPS and 24 homers with Double-A Corpus Christi and Triple-A Sugar Land, so this does not completely come out of nowhere. Dirden is still battling for a roster spot, but even if he doesn't make the Astros out of camp, he has put himself on the radar for coming seasons.