By Joshua Koch
Public Communications
HOUSTON - As Brice Matthews stepped out of the dugout at Constellation Field on a Tuesday afternoon in September, the Houston Astros’ No. 3 overall prospect was met with the nerves of being just hours from his Triple-A Sugar Land debut.
“I’d be lying if I told you I wasn’t nervous,” Brice said about his debut on September 10. “I was as nervous as I could get. I couldn’t eat breakfast or anything.”
But there to ease the nerves just like they did when they coached him at Atascocita High School were Eric Matthews and Jeremy O’Neill – his high school baseball coaches.
“I’ve always told Brice, there’s no reason to be nervous, you’ve worked too hard to be nervous,” Eric said.
From 2017-2020, Brice played for Eric, who now serves as an Humble ISD Assistant Athletic Director, and O’Neill, who was Eric’s assistant and now serves as the Eagles’ head coach.
He signed to play at Nebraska and did for three years before being taken with the 28th overall pick by the Houston Astros in the 2023 MLB Draft.
Through all of it, Atascocita and his former coaches have been a part of his journey.
“It means a lot just to see the support that they’ve given me since I started high school there,” Brice said. “Them just being supportive. Me going back to [Atascocita] every offseason, every winter. Just giving me help, courage and support.”
On September 10, Brice’s former coaches settled into their seats with the rest of the Space Cowboys fans at Constellation Field and watched as he ran out to his spot at shortstop and batted sixth in the lineup in his debut.
In the 8th inning, Brice lined a 3-1 pitch into centerfield over a leaping second baseman to register his first career Triple-A hit. He finished 1 for 3 with the single in his debut.
“It was really special,” Eric said about watching Brice’s Triple-A debut. “Brice is a phenomenal young man. The fact that he was drafted in the first round and that he’s doing the things he’s doing is no surprise. I can’t undervalue how amazing he is as a person.”
This season, Brice has flown through the minor league system of the Houston Astros.
He spent four games in FCL-Rookie ball, then 21 games with Advanced A-Asheville before being promoted to Double-A Corpus Christi on June 18.
“I’m just getting myself ready to play everyday and have fun with the guys pretty much,” Brice said about his approach. “It’s been really fast. I’ve been really grateful for it.”
In a matter of less than a year, Brice had reached Double-A and he didn’t waste the opportunity.
Brice hit .252 with the Hooks with eight doubles, nine homers and drove in 21 runs over a short period of time. Then on September 9, the next promotion came. This time to Triple-A Sugar Land – a mere 46 miles from his hometown.
“I was kind of surprised, I thought I was going to finish out the year in Double-A. But, the Lord always has something planned for you that you don’t expect for yourself,” Brice said. “I’ve been very grateful and blessed to have the teammates that I’ve had through all three levels and my coaches. They’ve helped me tremendously to help me get where I am now.”
As Brice made each step up on the farm system ladder to the next, Eric kept tabs on his former player.
The quickness of his elevation to Triple-A Sugar Land didn’t come as a surprise to Eric due to the fact that he knows the type of player and person that Brice is.
“He was a special athlete and still is a special athlete,” Eric said. “Being a football-baseball kid, he was able to learn so much about athletics and competition. Leadership skills he got from being a quarterback and then taking that to the baseball field. Brice has done things right. Because of his experiences he’s become the type of player that he is.”
As Brice plays with Triple-A Sugar Land, he knows that the next call up – when it comes – would be the biggest of his career. It will be the call that every kid dreams of. The one to The Show with his hometown Astros.
But Brice isn’t thinking about that next move. Instead, he’s playing where he’s at today and not where he could be tomorrow.
“I’m just trying to be where my feet are,” Brice said. “Play games and help these guys win the second half, make a playoff push and try to win a championship. That’s where I’m the best at is where my feet are being present day-in and day-out.”
As Brice plays through this next chapter of his career, his advice to current high school baseball players who want to reach this level – “Nothing good comes without hard work”.
“You have to work every day. It’s a hard game,” Brice said. “You go 0 for 4 one day, then you go 4 for 4 one day. But having the same mindset, work ethic and routine, it’s a big part of the game. This game is hard and has gotten increasingly harder as I’ve been playing pro ball. It tests your mind, your body and you spiritually. Starting a relationship with the Lord, that’s where it all starts. It takes the pressure off knowing that everything is set in stone and you just have to go play.”
Triple-A Sugar Land is preparing for their final regular season six-game series on the road against Triple-A Sacramento which starts Tuesday, September 17. The Space Cowboys open the 2024 Pacific Coast League Championship Series on September 24 at Constellation field.