Astros draft J.B. Bukauskas in the first round with the 15th pick!

The future starts with a J and a B as the Astros select J.B. Bukauskas with the 15th overall pick.

The pick has come and gone and the Houston Astros select the seventh overall prospect by MLB Pipeline. The Astros select J.B. Bukauskas with the 15th overall pick in the 2017 draft. Why did he drop to the Astros? He could have sought more than others were willing to pay for a signing bonus. No matter what the reason, he is now a member of the Houston Astros.

Some scouts ranked him one of the top pitchers all year in college baseball. The reason for the drop has to do with Bukauskas struggles at the end of the season. His last college start was one of his worst of his career losing the Regional game for the UNC Tar Heels. There may have been some concerns that he was injured, but the Astros went with the best available.

Enter the great Bukauskas!

According to Al Leiter on the MLB Network, Bukauskas throws in the Mid-90s with an 80s slider that scouts rate as a 8 on the 10 rating scale. With the success of the Stros this season relying on the breaking pitch, Bukauskas is the perfect fit. Mock drafts had him going in the top ten, but he falls to the Astros at 15.

According to Jake Kaplan, “Elias said the team regards both Bukauskas’ fastball and slider as plus pitches.” Kaplan also said that the Astros think that Bukauskas’ changeup could be above average as well. With the University of North Carolina, Bukauskas was 9-1 with a 2.53 ERA while striking out 116 hitters in 92 2/3 inning according to The Baseball Cube.

"“To get that kind of power stuff in the middle of the first round is a coup for us,” Elias said. “We had him rated as an early first-round talent.” – Via Jake Kaplan."

Best raw stuff in the class from Baseball America.

For his college career, Bukauskas had a 21-6 with a 3.17 ERA while striking out 294 hitters in 244 college innings. He was seen as one of the best pitchers in the college ranks so it looks like a good get for the Astros. Leiter also said that he could be fast-tracked to the big leagues quickly.

When some of the Astros hitting targets went early, it was obvious that the Astros would go after a pitcher. According to MLB Pipeline, Bukauskas has a 70-grade fastball with a 60-grade slider. He does throw a changeup, but they only rank it as a 50-grade. His overall grade is a 55, with room to grow.

While some may see the three pitches and think that he will be a bullpen arm, the Astros could see another Lance McCullers type steal. Baseball America had Bukauskas ranked as the sixth overall prospect in this year’s draft. The Stros did not take the safe route, but they could have drafted one of the best pitchers in this draft. According to Brian McTaggart, he will be developed as a starter.

Next: Lance McCullers is the latest Astros starter to be hit with the injury bug.

Astros fans are already asking if he can start the next week for the Astros. No, but he could in the next two years. Bukauskas might not help the Stros in 2017, but late 2018 could be a possibility. I don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves. We all remember how Mark Appel was supposed to be fat-tracked. Let’s be patient with the 20-year-old pitcher.

***Stats from The Baseball Cube and the MLB Network broadcast***