Astros 2026 MLB Draft: Complete list of picks, bonus pool, everything else you need to know

The Houston Astros are in desperate need of an infusion of talent into their minor league talent pipeline. Their farm system still ranks near the bottom by nearly every measure, and they have an aging roster that is beset by injuries and ineffectiveness. Thankfully, the 2026 MLB Draft has arrived just in time to help their cause.

With Dana Brown running out of chances to save his job after some high-profile misses, there is outsized importance in getting this draft right. If the Astros do well, they could set themselves up for the future and potentially free up other prospects to be used as trade chips at the deadline. If not, well...things could get ugly. Guessing exactly what direction(s) the Astros will go is difficult based on their draft position, but here is what we know.

Astros 2026 MLB Draft: What is Houston's draft bonus pool and where are they picking in the first round?

Unlike many teams, the Astros are going to be busy early in the 2026 MLB Draft. In addition to the regularly assigned draft pick based on their 2025 record at No. 17 overall, they were awarded an additional pick that is basically a first-round pick via the Prospect Promotion Incentive (PPI) thanks to Hunter Brown placing third in the AL Cy Young. That pick comes in at No. 28 overall.

As to explaining the Astros' draft bonus pool for 2026, that is pretty simple. Every draft pick in rounds 1-10 is given a slot value well before the draft ever happens. Once you add up the slot values of all picks a team has, you get their total draft bonus pool. Thanks to a couple of extra draft picks courtesy again of Brown's Cy Young finish, in addition to losing qualified free agent Framber Valdez, the Astros have the 11th-highest 2026 draft bonus pool at $13,712,700.

Who are experts predicting the Astros will pick?

Unsurprisingly, the Astros have been heavily connected to college players with their first pick in the 2026 draft. Most of the buzz has been around college bats this spring, although there are a few arms that they could pop if they fall to Houston's pick at 17.

In the most recent expert mock drafts, a few names stick out. Virginia OF AJ Gracia was a popular name for the Astros for a while, but he may go before they get the chance to snag him. Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron has been pegged as an option recently if he falls as far as some think he could. Georgia catcher Daniel Jackson has seen his stock rise in a hurry, and Houston could be in play, while Florida RHP Liam Peterson is a college arm to watch, although it is debatable that he will be available when the Astros pick.

Complete list of Astros' 2026 MLB Draft picks

• First Round - No. 17
• First Round (PPI) - No. 28
• Second Round - No. 57
• Third Round - No. 93
• Fourth Round - No. 121
• Fourth Round (Comp Pick) - No. 133
• Fifth Round - No. 153
• Astros pick 18th in every round in rounds 6-20

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