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The Houston Astros selection of Xavier Neyens was met with universal praise from most fans. The high school infielder will need several years to develop into the type of player Astros fans are hoping to see, but with so many infielders already on Houston's roster, the organization can afford to wait for the 18-year-old to fully evolve into a complete player.
Neyens did, however, give Astros fans something to chuckle about on Sunday night following his selection. During his post-draft comments with the Houston media, Neyens revealed that he grew up as a fan of the Seattle Mariners. His childhood memories, however, were haunted by the Astros' consistent dominance over the Mariners and the entire AL West Division.
“I know they whip the Mariners every year in the AL West, so that’s what I know most about the Astros. I've been to quite a few Mariners-Astros games. I watched a bit of it on TV, but I just know they always run the West," Neyens told reporters after going No. 21 overall to Houston during the 2025 MLB Draft.
Astros draft pick Xavier Neyens trolls childhood team (and now AL West rival) with savage comments
While Neyens' comments are quite humorous — especially in light of the fact that he grew up just north of Seattle — they're also incredibly accurate. The Astros have owned the AL West for the past decade, and even this season — though many counted them out following the losses of Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman — Houston has distanced themselves from the competition.
If there was ever a season in recent memory when the Astros didn't have the horses to compete for the AL West crown, it was this one. Houston lost two of their top bats from a year ago, have seen umpteen different starters land on the IL over the course of the season, and have an abundance of rookies (Cam Smith, Jacob Melton, and Brice Matthews) making their Major League debuts.
Despite all of that, however, the Astros own AL West once again. Heading into the All-Star break, Houston is 56-40 and five games clear of their closest competition in the division. Houston has a +56 run differential, the highest among any team in the AL West, and have been dominant at home (33-19).
Neyens' honest comments could be bulletin board material for his hometown Mariners, but even a subtle (and honest) jab from one of their own might not be enough to fuel a second-half surge from Seattle. Astros fans are hoping another AL West title is in sight once play resumes later this week.