Astros Future Round Table Mock Draft
With less than two weeks to go until the MLB Draft, teams are still scrambling to set up their draft boards in hopes of finding the next David Price or Mike Trout to add to their minor league systems. The Astros once again are in a prime spot to snatch up a number of talented players on draft night, as they have 5 picks in the first 3 Rounds to their name. None are more appealing than their #15 overall pick, in which they hope to land a dynamic young talent to add to what is already one of the deepest minor league systems in baseball. The writers of Astros Future have compiled a mock draft of the picks leading up to Houston’s #15 pick to get a feel for who we believe could be Houston’s selection come June 12th.
1. Minnesota Twins – Brendan McKay, LHP/1B, Louisville
There’s a lot of heat with the Twins and Kyle Wright right now, but I believe McKay’s versatility will ultimately be too enticing. -Grayson
2. Reds- Hunter Greene, RHP/SS, Norte Dame HS
This pick would have been McKay if he was still on the board. I can’t see them going for Wright. -RGBIII
3. Padres- Kyle Wright, RHP, Vanderbilt
He’s the ace of the SEC, and considered to be the 3rd best on the overall draft board. He could be yet another quick rising college arm to come out of Vanderbilt. -Johnny
4. Rays- Royce Lewis, SS, J Serra HS
The best player available at #4 and possibly the entire draft. May have a lot of untapped power as well. -Wayne
5. Braves – MacKenzie Gore, LHP, Whiteville HS
The Braves continue to load up on young talented arms, getting possibly the 2nd best prep arm in the draft. -Jimmy
6. Oakland Athletics – J.B. Bukauskas, RHP, North Carolina
There’s too much smoke between the A’s and Bukauskas for this to be no fire. He’s the best available pitcher. In my personal opinion, he’s the best pitcher in this draft too. -Grayson
7. Diamondbacks- Pavin Smith, 1B, Virginia
D-Backs had their eye on Bukauskas but take the best college hitter on the board. -RGBIII
8. Phillies- Adam Haseley, OF, Virginia
This one was tough but I’m going with Haseley from Virginia. He’s hitting around .400 this year, and hasn’t been too shabby on the mound, especially last year. The Phillies bite on him as another polished college bat is taken off the board. -Johnny
9. Brewers- Jordan Adell, OF/RHP, Ballard HS
He’s been up and down on draft boards, but is way up again after a monster spring and is working on his swing mechanics. He has too much upside to slide any further down the draft. -Wayne
10. Angels – Alex Faedo, RHP, Florida
Angels system is very underwhelming. They get one of the best college pitchers available and one that can help sooner rather than 3-4 years away. -Jimmy
11. Chicago White Sox – Jeren Kendall, OF, Vanderbilt
Months ago he was the “consensus” #1 pick. The White Sox add a toolsy outfielder to a rapidly growing farm system. Strikeouts are a concern with him, but the rewards outweigh the risk. -Grayson
12. Pirates- DL Hall, LHP/OF, Valdosta HS
Pirates go pure upside here. Hall gives the Pirates another lefty that can be a middle of the rotation arm. Could be the best pitcher in this class, but it will take awhile for him to get there. -RGBIII
13. Marlins- Griffin Canning, RHP, UCLA
A polished arm that rebounded from an inconsistent 2016 season at UCLA. Front of the rotation pitcher and potentially a quick riser in a system that needs pitching. -Johnny
14. Royals – Keston Hiura, OF/2B, UC Irvine
Could possibly need elbow surgery soon. But he’s also the best bat in the draft. And…I’ve seen a MLB comp of Altuve. I’m buying. -Wayne
15. Astros Selections:
Wayne- Brent Rooker, 1B, Mississippi State
Rooker has been the best player in College Baseball this season, putting up absurd numbers day in and day out for the Bulldogs. The only knock on him at the moment is his age, as being 22 at this stage makes him older than most players available in the draft. He’s polished and could be a fast riser, but he looks the part of a major league hitter. His athleticism has led some to think he could also slot into a corner outfield position, most likely in left field.
Jimmy- Shane Baz, RHP, Concordia Lutheran HS
The Astros get another talented high school arm to add to the system. Tempted to go college bat but Baz is good value, especially at #15. With a cannon for an arm, Baz looks like a great pitcher to pair up with 2016 first-rounder Forrest Whitley, as both will light up the radar gun and dominant the opposition.
Grayson- David Peterson, LHP, Oregon
Austin Beck and college bats Jake Burger, Brent Rooker, and Evan White are all possibilities. So is prep righty Shane Baz. However, Astros went prep arm last year and might go with someone more advanced this year. Peterson has elite command. Reminds me a lot of former second round pick Thomas Eshelman, but he’s left handed.
Johnny- Brent Rooker, 1B, Mississippi State
Rooker’s season has been one for the ages, as he leads the SEC in literally every hitting category that can be put on paper. Rooker looks like a Jeff Luhnow type pick, as Luhnow has been known to lean towards SEC hitters early in the draft with hitters like Alex Bregman (LSU), AJ Reed (Kentucky), Tony Kemp (Vanderbilt), and Preston Tucker (Florida) having all hailed from the southeastern conference. He may be 22, but he’s as ready for the next level as one can be after the season he has had.
RGBIII- Jake Burger, 3B, Missouri State
If someone doesn’t fall into the laps of the Astros, Burger could be a great fall-back option. Burger is a power bat that also hits for a high batting average, all while straying away from strikeouts. Burger might not play for a big school, but he’s up there with the best NCAA has to offer.
Verdict
At pick 15, the Astros have many directions they can go. If Shane Baz makes it this far the team would be hard-pressed to pass him up. Rooker is having a monster year in the SEC, but age makes taking him at 15 a reach, but his advanced bat could be worth overlooking his age. Peterson and Burger are both having great seasons that could see them go mid-first round and find their way to Houston. Ideally the Astros hope Keston Hiura or Pavin Smith can fall a bit to so Houston can get a few extra players from their big board to choose from. Either way, with Jeff Luhnow and his front office at the helm, Houston will find a dynamic talent to take at #15 overall.
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**Photo Credit: Getty Images**
