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The Houston Astros found themselves picking near the bottom of the first round once again thanks to finishing last season in the ALCS. Long gone were the top players in the draft, and most of the buzz surrounding Houston was that they were looking at college athletes, especially those who could play in the field.
The Astros had a few options available on both sides of the ball, and while college hurler Brody Brecht was available and would have been a welcome boost to Houston's farm system that doesn't have much in the way of arms, they did not go in that direction. Instead, amid a wave of boos from the very Rangers-friendly draft crowd, Houston picked college catcher Walker Janek out of Sam Houston State.
Astros News: MLB Draft's best catcher joins Houston's system
While not the sexiest pick on paper, Janek is a great value at the bottom of the first round. He was selected as a catcher and he might be the best defensive catcher in the draft, Janek is very athletic for a catcher and has the ability to play multiple positions. Combine that with a bat that just put up a 1.185 OPS in 58 games with 17 homers, and you have a guy that is just an all-around gamer.
Houston knows that their playoff window could close unless they acquire talent that can help them in the near-term. Yainer Diaz still has a bright future as the Astros' catcher, but he has struggled in 2024 at times, and even if he turns things around, the modern game of baseball rewards teams that have two quality catchers.
The only question now is if the Astros can still find a way to add some pitching talent in the rest of the draft, but picking Janek shouldn't mess up their small bonus pool too much.