MLB mock draft connects Astros to prospect with convincing Dodgers first-round comp

Mock draft season is in full swing as fans anxiously await the Houston Astros selection, with thoughts of replenishing a barren farm system that ranks near rock bottom of the league. One of the biggest questions Houston will need to answer is whether or not they will go for the high-risk, high-reward play by taking a talented teenager out of high school, or whether they'll take the safer route by choosing a near-ready-made college player.

The team is trying to thread the needle between rebuilding and contending, and adding a prospect who can quickly move through the ranks and make an impact with the big league club very quickly might be too enticing an option to pass up once pick No. 21 of the first round rolls around.

With the College World Series fast approaching, the latest MLB.com mock draft connects the Astros to exactly that sort of college player, one with polish who draws comparisons to a former top prospect in all of baseball. Will Tennessee infielder Gavin Kilen be the Astros' first-round pick this year?

Houston Astros mock draft selection Gavin Kilen comps favorably to former Dodger Gavin Lux

While Gavin Lux may have never lived up to his billing as one of the top prospects in all of baseball, the former Los Angeles Dodger and current Cincinnati Red has carved out a nice career for himself, and is having the best offensive season of his career with a .748 OPS through June 13.

Lux has been known for having some excellent contact skills, and that bat-to-ball performance is exactly what makes Kilen such an intriguing prospect. His quick left-handed swing and exceptional hand-eye coordination should allow him to rise through the ranks fast, even as he works out some of the kinks with his plate discipline and works to develop more power.

For the Astros, it could be a picture-perfect fit. Kilen has experience at shortstop, but defensively is best suited for second base. Jeremy Peña's breakout should have him entrenched at shortstop for the foreseeable future, but he needs a double-play partner.

Jose Altuve's declining defense and aging bat won't be the answer at the keystone position long term, even if slugging outfield prospect Jacob Melton forces him back to second in the interim.

Former first-rounder Brice Matthews has been tearing up Triple-A this season, and likely looks to take over second sooner rather than later, but the Astros could still use some insurance and depth in the system behind him.

In the best case scenario, the future would see Matthews take the reins at second alongside Peña at short, while Kilen could then become the Astros' own version of Lux — a super-utility player who can make an impact all over the field and most importantly, bring left-handed balance to the lineup with his contact-focused approach.

With a month to go before the draft, expect to see a lot of other names thrown at the wall with the Astros' pick. There are a variety of ways that they could go, but if they do end up taking Kilen and he becomes the next Lux, that would certainly be a boon for Houston's future.

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