This is one of my favorite series of the season. Where Did These Guys Come From will be updated as the minor-league assignments for the full-season affiliates are released (sometime this week), but let's begin with the Opening Day roster of the Big League Club...
Pitchers
Matt Albers - Signed as a free agent on December 17, 2013.
Anthony Bass - Acquired via trade from San Diego for Houston's 1st Rule 5 pick on December 11, 2013.
Kevin Chapman - Acquired via trade from Kansas City with D'Andre Toney for Jason Bourgeois and Humberto Quintero on March 20, 2012.
Jarred Cosart - Acquired via trade from Philadelphia with Jon Singleton, Josh Zeid, and Domingo Santana for Hunter Pence on July 29, 2011.
Jesse Crain - Signed as a free agent on December 31, 2013. (Note: Will begin the season on the DL)
Scott Feldman - Signed as a free agent on December 6, 2013.
Josh Fields - Selected in the Rule 5 draft on December 6, 2012.
Lucas Harrell - Selected off waivers from the Chicago White Sox on July 8, 2011.
Dallas Keuchel - Drafted, 7th Round of the 2009 draft.
Brett Oberholtzer - Acquired via trade from Atlanta with Juan Abreu, Paul Clemens, and Jordan Schafer for Michael Bourn on July 31, 2011.
Brad Peacock - Acquired via trade from Oakland with Chris Carter and Max Stassi for Jed Lowrie and Fernando Rodriguez on February 4, 2013.
Chad Qualls - Signed as a free agent on December 7, 2013.
Jerome Williams - Signed as a free agent on February 6, 2014.
Catchers
Jason Castro - Drafted, 1st Round of the 2008 draft.
Carlos Corporan - Signed as a free agent on November 11, 2010.
Infielders
Jose Altuve - Signed as an amateur free agent on March 6, 2007.
Chris Carter - Acquired via trade from Oakland with Brad Peacock and Max Stassi for Jed Lowrie and Fernando Rodriguez on February 4, 2013.
Matt Dominguez - Acquired via trade from Miami with Rob Rasmussen for Carlos Lee on July 4, 2012.
Marwin Gonzalez - Acquired via trade from Boston for Marco Duarte in the Rule 5 draft on December 8, 2011.
Jesus Guzman - Acquired via trade from San Diego for Ryan Jackson on December 18, 2013.
Jonathan Villar - Acquired via trade from Philadelphia with Anthony Gose and J.A. Happ for Roy Oswalt on July 29, 2010.
Outfielders
Dexter Fowler - Acquired via trade from Colorado with a PTBNL for Brandon Barnes and Jordan Lyles on December 3, 2013.
Robbie Grossman - Acquired via trade from Pittsburgh with Colton Cain and Rudy Owens for Wandy Wandy Rodriguez on July 24, 2012.
L.J. Hoes - Acquired via trade from Baltimore with Josh Hader and a 2014 Round A Competitive Balance pick for Bud Norris on July 31, 2013.
Marc Krauss - Acquired via trade with Bobby Borchering from Arizona for Chris Johnson on July 29, 2012.
Alex Presley - Claimed off waivers from Minnesota on March 27, 2014.
Summary
Acquired via trade: 14 (Bass, Chapman, Cosart, Oberholtzer, Peacock, Carter, Dominguez, Gonzalez, Guzman, Villar, Fowler, Grossman, Hoes, Krauss)
Free agent signings: 6 (Albers, Crain, Feldman, Qualls, Williams, Corporan)
Developed through organization: 3 (Castro, Keuchel, Altuve)
Claimed off waivers: 2 (Harrell, Presley)
Rule 5 picks: 1 (Fields)