MLB Draft: Picks 53 and 56
The Astros selected high school third baseman Joe Perez and college pitcher Corbin Martin with the 53rd and 56th overall picks in the 2017 MLB Draft.
Joe Perez
Perez declared as both a pitcher and position player. Many scouts thought he was much more advanced as a pitcher than a hitter, but the Astros announced him as a third baseman on draft night. He will undergo Tommy John surgery this month and will be out for the considerable future. He’s committed to the University of Miami. Really good looking swing from the right side. Shows good power and the ability to hit to all fields. His swing reminds me of Carlos Gonzalez. He looked a little uncomfortable at third base, but he’ll have plenty of time to iron those issues out. Jonathan Mayo thought this pick was a little bit of a head scratcher, and it was certainly unexpected.
Corbin Martin
The Astros selected the Texan A&M product with the 56th pick in the 2017 draft. Currently has two plus pitches with his fastball and a filthy breaking ball, but he hasn’t developed a reliable changeup. He runs the fastball up to 98. Many say he’s destined for the bullpen with only two plus pitches, but I think he’ll be able to develop a changup. Many people compared Astros first round pick JB Bukauskas to Lance McCullers, but I actually think Martin is closer to McCullers than Bukauskas is. Martin is bigger than McCullers as he’s 6’3″ and 200 lbs. If he does indeed fail as a starter, he will be lethal at the back end of the bullpen.
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**Photo Credit: Getty Images**
