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When it comes to the MLB Draft, the Houston Astros have proven to be risk-takers. The latest MLB.com mock draft foresees Houston taking a major gamble during the upcoming event. With the 21st pick in the MLB Draft, the Astros are projected to take Florida high schooler Sean Gamble.
Gamble is a versatile prep prospect out of the IMG Academy in Florida. The teenager is viewed as a bat-first second baseman who can also play the outfield. With above-average tools across the board, many Astros fans may wonder why Gamble is such a, well, gamble.
Taking prep players always carries some measure of risk. Elite-level high schoolers look great against certain levels of competition, but the development process separates the good from the bad, and there's a long road filled with failed ex-high school players who never made it to The Show.
Astros add prep prospect Sean Gamble in latest MLB mock draft
Gamble is also ticketed to play for Vanderbilt next year. One of the premiere college baseball programs in the country, it oftentimes takes a boatload of cash to lure such players away from their commitment to the Commodores. Would Houston have the guts to make this type of bold move?
The hangup on Gamble is his defensive home. He's probably not quite athlteic enough to play shortstop, and though he spent much of last summer in the outfield, there's concerns about whether or not he'll stick in center field.
While Gamble has some pop in his bat, it's not the type most teams dream of pushing into a corner spot, meaning that his best position could be second base. That's not typically how most organizations choose to utilize their first-round pick. Pitchers, catchers, centerfielders, shortstops, and slugging third basemen almost always take priority in Round 1.
After surrendering their second-round pick in 2024 as compensation for signing Josh Hader, Houston went with a high-upside backstop in Sam Houston State's Walker Janek. Most fans would probably prefer to see the Astros take a similar route this season and nab a college player in Round 1 that could be fast-tracked to the big leagues. Selecting a player like Gamble easily becomes a four to five-year plan.
MLB Pipeline views Gamble as the No. 21 overall prospect in the upcoming draft — right in line with the Astros' 21st selection. Adding Gamble in the 2025 MLB Draft is certainly risky, but that's never stopped the Astros before.