Going into the offseason, there were two questions surrounding the Houston Astros: who was going to be the new general manager to replace Dana Brown, and who was going to replace Joe Espada in the dugout as manager?

Randy Flores was hired as GM in late October, while the search for Espada's replacement came to an end this week when New York Yankees bench coach Brad Ausmus was tabbed as the next bench boss. Now that they have the two important pieces in place, they can start planning for 2027.

The GM Meetings are wrapping up this week in Las Vegas, and there are just a couple of weeks until the December 1 potential lockout looms, and all business will shut down across the league. There will be no Winter Meetings in December, and all free agency decisions and trade decisions will either have to happen in the next couple of weeks or when a new agreement is done.

As far as Houston goes, they have some players who could be considered sought-after trade chips, but Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report listed one surprise trade candidate for the Astros, catcher Yainer Diaz.

Astros Catcher Yanier Diaz Named Surprise Trade Candidate This Offseason

When it comes to Astros trade candidates this offseason, some of the first names that come to mind are Isaac Paredes, Jeremy Pena, or even Christian Walker, but Diaz? Reuter makes a valid point, however, about why dealing the backstop could be an option.

"A Diaz trade would likely be accompanied by an outside addition to fill the catcher position, but a short-term bridge to top prospects Jason Schiavone and Walker Janek might be all they need,'' Reuter wrote.

While this does make some sense, this would only be a move if Houston is ready to go into a rebuild mode, something that is far from a given. Would Houston see Jason Schiavone and Walker Janek as MLB-ready catchers?

Schiavone made his way through the minor league system for the Astros in 2026, beginning in Single-A and ending up in Triple-A. He slashed .252/.391/.531 with 32 home runs and 90 RBIs combined. Sure, those are impressive numbers, but the Astros have to figure out if he can translate some of the success to the majors.

Janek also moved up three levels this season, and the 24-year-old ended the season in Double-A. He slashed .250/.320/.413 with 10 home runs and 48 RBIs in 72 games. If we're being honest, Schiavone is a more MLB-ready backstop.

If Houston does trade Diaz, there would have to be a replacement brought in rather than quickly transitioning to a youth movement behind the plate, whether that's through a trade or free agency. That doesn't mean Schiavone wouldn't be ready to make an impact in 2027 and beyond, but right now, trading Diaz would be a risky move unless the return is worth it.