Jun 20, 2015; Omaha, NE, USA; Virginia Cavaliers catcher Matt Thaiss (21) looks at his first inning home run in the first inning against the Florida Gators in the 2015 College World Series at TD Ameritrade Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports
Who Will The Houston Astros Pick in the First Round?
Jun 3, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; General action between the Oakland Athletics and the Houston Astros in the fifth inning at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports /
The Houston Astros are no longer in the driver’s seat of the MLB Draft after years of drafting with the first or second pick. The Astros controlled who was picked first for three years and last year decided who was picked second and fifth, but this year, the Astros will draft with the 17th overall pick. Last year, CTH was able to do full profiles of the top 10 or so draft prospects.
This year, it is hard even to predict who will be there with the 17th pick. If you were able to talk to Jeff Luhnow today, he would probably tell you that he will pick the best player available like they did last year with Alex Bregman in 2015. Get them in the system and make position adjustments as needed later when they are closer to the big leagues.
The one glaring need that the Astros have in their system is the lack of catching depth after the trade last year of Jacob Nottingham. The Astros have not drafted a catcher with a first round pick since Jason Castro with the tenth overall pick in the 2008 draft. As we near the possible end of Castro with the Astros, he should re-sign with them, and he has been an average catcher in his career. So an early round catcher would help the future.
The Astros can never have enough arms or bats in the Astros farm system, so anyone drafted should help replenish the farm system that has been weakened by recent trades. The Astros might also look into signability, most notably the earlier picks, to try to offer other players later in the draft above slot value as I wrote here.
Who are the six players that I think the Astros will draft with the 17th overall pick?
— Miami Hurricanes (@MiamiHurricanes) June 2, 2016
Collins will most likely not be on the board when the Astros draft at 17, but if he is available, the Astros need to jump on him quickly as the future Astros catcher/designated hitter. Several of the scouting reports say that he is a below average catcher defensively, but his bat will make up for that. This could lead to a change in positions in his future, but if he is available at 17, Jeff Luhnow has to take him.
He bats from the left side of the plate, which is the mold of the type of hitter that Jeff Luhnow generally covets. The Reds previously drafted him in the 27th round of the 2013 draft he but elected to play in college instead with the Miami Hurricanes. In a light catcher draft, Collins will be highly sought after.
Zuech is who Keith Law thinks the Astros will take, is a junior at Pittsburgh and is a right-handed flamethrower. If the Astros take Zuech, they will be taking someone who only allowed three home runs last season. He had 9.56 strikeouts per nine innings and walked 19 batters in the season. Limited by an injury in the first month, Zuech was limited to 10 games pitched this year, going 6-1 with an ERA of 3.10 while striking out 74 batters in 69 2/3 innings. (Pittsburgh website)
Despite missing the time, Pittsburgh’s ace Zuech still made the All-ACC second team. While he can reach 97 and 98 mph occasionally, he normally sits mid-nineties with his fastball. His breaking pitches show promise, but they are not consistent yet.
Whitley could be one of the few high school pitchers that the Astros are looking at with the 17th overall pick. He is a 6’7” high school senior who can throw the heat, with 113 strikeouts in 61 innings with a 0.34 ERA. Doing the math, that’s about 16.7 strikeouts per nine innings pitched. You can imagine that high school opponents were sick on the days Whitley took the mound. The thing he needs to work on at the next level is improving his command which you can get away with in high school, but professional baseball is a different story. (Max Preps)
If the Astros draft Whitley, they are saying that they are confident that they have the pitching depth to give Whitley the time needed to develop. He is a semi-local player as well, playing high school in San Antonio. What could impress the Astros the most is how he uses his tall frame to his advantage. Being a three-pitch pitcher with power pitching style, Whitley could be the Astros ace down the road. If the Astros are looking for a quicker option, choose someone else.
Prediction: My choice for the 17th pick, but he will be picked before the Astros.
The Illinois junior Sedlock pitched out of the bullpen in his first two college seasons but converted to the rotation during his junior season. He earned the Big Ten pitcher of the year award in 2016 shattering a school record for strikeouts with 116. While he was in the bullpen, his stuff fits more of what’s needed to be successful in the rotation. He throws four pitches, gets the ground balls, and has a strong pitching frame that scouts like. (Illinois website)
He throws a hard sinker at 92-94, with an 80 mph slider to keep the hitters off balance. On April 22, he pitched 10 2/3 innings while striking out 14 hitters showing that he is stretched out for the rotation. This guy has the “it” factor of all the college prospects coming off the season he did. He is someone that I can see helping the Astros rotation down the road. This is Baseball America‘s pick for the Astros.
Hearing the Astros are very high on Illinois RHP Cody Sedlock.
Prediction: This is the guy I think the Astros will go after, so does Brian McTaggart.
Next: Fits a need but a reach.
Mike Thaiss
Jun 20, 2015; Omaha, NE, USA; Virginia Cavaliers catcher Matt Thaiss (21) looks at his first inning home run in the first inning against the Florida Gators in the 2015 College World Series at TD Ameritrade Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports /
The 33rd draft prospect Thaiss according to MLB Pipeline is the catcher for Virgina, who is not highly regarded as a catcher, but better than Collins. Some see Thaiss as a top 10 pick in a weak catcher’s draft class in 2016. The left-hander was drafted later out of high school by the Red Sox (32nd round 2013). He may have only had ten homers this year, but he hits for extra-bases.
Thaiss earned All-American honors for the second time in two years, and while he may have only had ten homers this year, but he has extra-base power. He led Virgina to win the College World Series in 2015. (MLB Pipeline)
Hudson is another one of the tall college arms in the 2016 draft class, and the Mississippi State junior had a great year in 2016 that shot him up the draft boards. Before this season, Hudson struggled with control, which held him back when he was drafted in the 2013 draft by the Rangers in the 36th round. Won’t it be sweet to rub it in the Rangers face when he comes up?
Hudson can throw in the mid-nineties topping off at 97 mph and his second best pitch is a combo of a slider and cutting fastball. Hudson also has a curveball and changeup that puts him at four pitches that should help him be a successful starter. He apparently has a good pitching frame and throws strikes.
Prediction: Hudson is taken the pick before or after the Astros.
I’m now going to relax until the draft starts, Jeff Luhnow predicts that the Astros will draft somewhere around 7:30 pm tonight. Who the Astros pick, I don’t know, but I will guess one of the players above. I am predicting Sedlock, but only Luhnow knows.
***Most info and stats from MLB Pipeline or Baseball Cube***
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