Houston Signs Top Pick, Makes Me Feel Old

I don’t think I’m old enough to feel old but this story has proven me wrong. The Astros have signed their first round pick, Delino Deshields Jr. It seems like just yesterday I was watching Delino Deshields Sr. tearing up the basepaths in Baltimore before his career went to Wrigley to die (like so many that came before him and would come after). Deshields was a burner who could also hit for average and play above average defense at second base. Junior is a similar player who although played outfield in high school, will follow in his father’s footsteps and make the transition to second base while joining Houston’s affiliate Kissimmee, Florida in the Gulf Coast League.

Deshields Jr. was taken 8^th overall in the 2010 Rule IV player draft after hitting .415 with 9 homeruns, 40 RBIs, and 29 steals as a centerfielder for College Park, Ga’s Woodward Academy where he also starred in football. Deshields Jr. projects as a solid defensive second baseman with plus speed. Sound like another Delino Deshields you might know? In an interesting note, Deshields Sr. averaged 46 SBs a season over 13 seasons yet never made an all-star game. Scouting reports think Junior could develop more power than his father had. Senior hit just 80 homeruns in his career so it wouldn’t take Bagwell-like power splits to make these scouts correct. Deshields Jr. is just 17 and will not be rushed along any level of the Astros farm system but the signing caps off a very positive couple of weeks for the future of the Houston Astros.