Astros 2011 draft

[T-Slack]

Surprised no one made a thread about this yet. I don't have no news but anyone that do has the space to put it in now. Seeing how bad they were last season, I was surprised they are in the 11th spot.

[rockets934life]

Actually they were close to a .500 team after their 0-8 start so not that bad just medicore.

I've seen Taylor Jungmann, Archie Bradley and Taylor Guerrieri attached to the Stros over these last few weeks. Although today I saw Francisco Lindor (ss) on a mock draft, with so much pitching to be had, a SS wouldn't make me happy.

[xcrunner51]

If I recall correctly, they played decently after the Roy and Lance were traded.

Also 1 or 2 compensation picks were awarded ahead of ours for teams that didn't sign their first round pick last year.

[LongTimeFan]

Good ole late season surge. If they were the Rockets, people would be expecting them to continue that surge all throughout this year. I'm supposed to go golfing with Anthony Rendon this summer, but now I can't even talk to him about the Astros due to their late push.

[juicystream]

I was planning on starting this thread Wednesday. Hopeful to see the next Astros great. I'm hoping we focus on power for any potential position player pick. We have plenty of speed in the minors right now.

[juicystream]

Potential Picks:

Jed Bradley, LHP Georgia Tech
Sonny Gray, RHP Vanderbilt
Taylor Guerrieri, RHP HS
Taylor Jungmann, RHP Texas
Trevor Bauer, RHP UCLA

[No Worries]

Mocking the Mock Draft

My MLB Draft

Houston Astros Select: RHP Taylor Jungmann, University of Texas

Draft Site.com

Houston Astros Select: RHP Taylor Guerreri, North Augusta High School (SC)

Mock Draft Mania

Houston Astros Select: Pitcher Dylan Bundy, Owasso High School (OK)

What they say: Houston needs an ace. Wandy Rodriguez can be the Astros pitcher for now, but I do not believe Rodriguez provides a long term answer that the Astros need at pitcher. Dylan Bundy’s value as a pitcher is too good to pass up on if he falls to #11 with this pick. Dylan Bundy should be a top 5 pick, but it would not shock me if he fell to #11 because this is a really strong pitching class.

Prospect Junkies

Houston Astros Select: RHP Archie Bradley, Broken Arrow High School (OK)

What they say: Like Starling, Archie Bradley is a star in both the gridiron and the diamond providing him leverage not afforded to his peers, but MLB teams will have the luxury of spreading his bonus over multiple years to buy him away from his college commitment.

Yahoo! Sports

Houston Astros Select: SP Alex Meyer, Kentucky

What they say: Meyer reminds me of Alex White, a pitcher who took a few years to put things together, but now looks like an outstanding prospect. The Astros need a frontline pitcher badly, and Meyer has the tools and imposing presence to be just that.


It should be an interesting draft as each mock draft had the Astros taking a different player but the consensus seems to be the Astros need pitching. I am hoping the Astros select Taylor Jungmann out of Texas as he had a lot of success pitching for Texas, has some great stuff and would be a great PR move drafting a local product.

[Ottomaton]

The Rays have this draft covered - including the suplimental round, they have something like 10 first rounders.

From what I've read, this draft is notible for depth of power righthanded arms.

[Uprising]

wrong thread

[rockets934life]

If Crane wants to make a splash with fans and energize the organization then drafting Josh Bell would be the way to go. Kid can hit, reminds me of Jason Heyward maybe faster but he already told teams he was signing with Texas. Who knows where he goes but it would be HUGE get for Crane if he can pull it off.

[T-Slack]

I hope they select a pitcher. We need an ace for the future but thats wishful thinking.

[juicystream]

11)Houston Matt Barnes

RHP UConn 6-4, 203

Analysis: Has a 4-seamer that sits around 93 to 94 mph and can reach 97. Has 11 to 5 curve with sweeping slider. One of the few pitchers who could be major league ready late in 2011 or early in 2012.
http://www.atssportsblog.com/2011-mlb-mock-draft

11. Houston Astros
OF George Springer (UConn) - The Astros offense is among the worst in the league and their system isn't exactly brimming with premium hitting prospects. 2010 first-rounder OF Delino DeShields Jr. is a start but Springer is a legit 5 tool talent to add to the depth chart.
http://www.mlbprospectportal.com/201...raft-v-20.html

The Houston Astros have some major rebuilding to do, and should probably go for a pitcher. However, George Springer’s five-tool capabilities and college experience are too attractive to overlook at No. 11. Springer grades out like an upgraded version of Eric Byrnes, including the constant balls-to-the-wall attitude and playing style.
http://www.thesportsbank.net/basewar...n-1-0-5-24-11/

[No Worries]

Originally Posted by rockets934life If Crane wants to make a splash with fans and energize the organization then drafting Josh Bell would be the way to go. Kid can hit, reminds me of Jason Heyward maybe faster but he already told teams he was signing with Texas. Who knows where he goes but it would be HUGE get for Crane if he can pull it off.

Bell is a Scott Boras client, so one has got to think that is just a matter of $$$, on whether Bell goes to UT or not.

Josh Bell and Ariel Ovando have the potential to be allstar corner OFs for a very long time.

[No Worries]

Draft rich in intrigue and talent

Gerrit Cole and his million-dollar gamble. Cole grew up a New York Yankees fan. They chose him with the 28th overall pick in the 2008 draft in hopes of convincing him not to attend UCLA. They failed. While a firm offer never materialized, the Yankees were willing to pay upwards of $4 million to sign Cole.

He’s going to get more this year as the player with the draft’s best stuff. Cole is Strasburg Lite, which is to say he’s an excellent version of the highest-touted prospect in the draft’s history. Like Strasburg, Cole regularly hits 100 mph on scouts’ radar guns. Like Strasburg, he’s got a ruthless breaking ball. Unlike Strasburg, the stats don’t match the scouting reports.

Four UCLA pitchers have started eight or more games this season. Cole’s 3.28 ERA ranks last among them. While his walk rate is down significantly, so is his strikeout rate – 108 in 107 innings, a good number, yes, but for someone who throws 101 mph not so much.

Early in the season, Cole had, at very least, drawn even with …

Anthony Rendon as the top candidate to go No. 1 overall, though his struggles this season have damaged the perception that he’s a no-doubt star. The skills remain, particularly a .523 on-base percentage . A shoulder injury sapped his power, however, and limited him to DH duties nearly all season. Rendon dropped from 26 home runs last year to six this year. Even more, the injury threw into question his ultimate position.

A third baseman during his first two years at Rice, Rendon played second base last week. Whether it was to compensate for his shoulder issues – the extent of which remain unclear – or simply showcase versatility, it nevertheless interested one scouting director, who opined: “Is he trying to tell us something is wrong?”

He doesn’t have to say it. Scouts smell it, like when …

Matt Purke started throwing in the high 80s this spring. The TCU left-hander joined Rendon and Cole in the first-pick discussion before the college season after going 16-0 last year, and he just as quickly dropped – and dropped and dropped and dropped – almost certainly out of the first round.

Like Rendon, Purke is suffering from an uncertain shoulder ailment. The difference: shoulder injuries devastate pitchers’ careers, and any questions about a pitcher’s health raises flags red and white – stay away from the kid, who ought to surrender any idea of a big bonus coming his way.

Already Purke has seen one come and go. The Texas Rangers drafted him 14th overall two years ago and offered him $6 million. He agreed. MLB vetoed the bonus, saying it was too much. The Rangers lowered the deal to $4 million. Purke rejected it, a move that looked smart before this year.

Purke does have options, even if clubs are balking at his 1.51 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 47 2/3 innings. A draft-eligible sophomore, he can pitch in a summer league to build his value before the mid-August signing date. Or he can just return to TCU and hope the new collective-bargaining agreement doesn’t include mandatory slots that would drive down bonuses.

Wherever he goes, it’s not going to be where he thought, leaving a left-handed-starting vacuum that …

Danny Hultzen was happy to fill. Hultzen, in fact, was a lot like Purke his sophomore season. His stock dropped alongside his velocity, and while his numbers at Virginia remained strong, his hype disappeared.

The mph returned to his fastball this spring, and Pittsburgh is now considering Hultzen with the top pick. His stats certainly play the part: 10-3, 1.59 ERA, 136 strikeouts and 16 walks in 96 1/3 innings. His handedness (left), his intelligence (high), his polish (like a freshly shined shoe) and his path to the major leagues (short) only increase the attractiveness.

Hultzen is not as much low-ceilinged as he is a finished product, and he comes with leather seats and the Bose stereo. He doesn’t include the V8 engine that …

Trevor Bauer brings to every start. Bauer draws the greatest differences of opinion in the draft. At least one team doesn’t have him on its board, fearful of the injury risk. Another has him No. 1. The rest are trying to figure out whether he’s really Tim Lincecum 2.0 or Dr. Thunder to Lincecum’s Dr. Pepper.

Bauer looks the part. He stands a lithe 6-foot-1. He patterns his delivery after Lincecum’s, and it’s a mighty good imitation, long stride, limbs flying all over the place, everything. His fastball tickles mid-90s regularly, his curveball is slow and angry, and he’s also got a slider and changeup he throws for strikes.

He’s one of the three starters at UCLA whose numbers dwarf Cole’s. Actually, they’re better than anyone else’s in the country. In 127 2/3 innings, Bauer has struck out 189 and allowed 107 baserunners. Opponents are hitting a silly .152 off him. His ERA is 1.27.

Bauer is Mr. Upside, a title regularly reserved for the best high school pitcher in each draft and one that mistakenly gets assigned to …

Dylan Bundy and his high-level repertoire. Bundy, out of Owasso, Okla., is the best high school pitcher in the draft, and not just because he has hit 100 mph this spring. He also resembles older players in stuff, body and work ethic.

Trained by his diligent father, Denver, since he expressed an interest in working out at 13, Dylan grew into a 6-foot-1, 200-pound machine who looks more running back than pitcher. He comes with a ready-made cut fastball – a pitch almost always learned on the cusp of the major leagues or once in them – and an arm that through years of long toss, his advisers believe, is conditioned to handle heavy workloads.

Bundy has been described as a college pitcher in a high schooler’s body, while his friend …

Archie Bradley is a high school pitcher in a college quarterback’s body. Yes, Bradley is one of the annual two-sport stars who must choose between millions of baseball dollars and the hundreds of thousands college football teams offer.

(Kidding. But not really.)

Bradley committed to Oklahoma, where Bob Stoops recruited him as perhaps Landry Jones’ successor. For an Oklahoma kid, there is no better job, and it’s why Bradley’s name comes with a $20 million price tag. Absurd? Sure, especially considering Strasburg received $15.1 million. An indication that they expect well over the recommended slot? No doubt.

Even if Bradley gets one-third of what Strasburg did, it’s going to be nothing compared to what …

Bubba Starling can ask. Starling – the third of the Great Plains’ Great Trio, out of suburban Kansas City – is a Nebraska commitment as a dual-threat quarterback. He’s also a 6-foot-5, 200-pound center fielder who Brian McRae, a coach of Starling’s this summer, called “the best high school player I’ve ever seen.”

Just how high Starling goes depends on a team’s willingness to play chicken. One plus: Clubs can spread out dual-sport athletes’ bonuses over five years. Another: Once players enter the realm of multiple millions of dollars – Starling would demand upwards of $7 million, a record for a high school player – it’s almost impossible to turn down, especially if the NFL institutes a rookie salary cap and neuters the salaries of young players.

[juicystream]

I wonder what the organization sees as our weakest position in the minors. Kvasnicka is our only 3B prospect, so I would imagine that is where we need help most. We have some decent pitchers, but you can never have too many arms. I feel pretty comfortable with what we have at SS/2B/C.

[couple of d's]

Don't really follow the baseball draft, but looks like we will be picking #1 overall in the 2012 draft. God its depressing being a Houston sports fan.

[juicystream]

Originally Posted by couple of d's Don't really follow the baseball draft, but looks like we will be picking #1 overall in the 2012 draft. God its depressing being a Houston sports fan.

Except that the Twins are the worst team in baseball right now, and the Cubs, Nationals, Padres, and Royals aren't making it any easier. Also wouldn't be a shock to see the Mets fall further, especially if they have a firesale this summer.

[rockets934life]

Originally Posted by juicystream I wonder what the organization sees as our weakest position in the minors. Kvasnicka is our only 3B prospect, so I would imagine that is where we need help most. We have some decent pitchers, but you can never have too many arms. I feel pretty comfortable with what we have at SS/2B/C.

I really think you can never have enough power arms but we lack a power bat. I'm all for toolsy middle of the diamond guys but we need to look at power bats that could develop.

Saying that, I think you go pitching in the 1st and go over slot after to get some power in the organization. Use some of that money being saved to load up on HIGH upside guys.

[rikesh316]

Originally Posted by juicystream I wonder what the organization sees as our weakest position in the minors. Kvasnicka is our only 3B prospect, so I would imagine that is where we need help most. We have some decent pitchers, but you can never have too many arms. I feel pretty comfortable with what we have at SS/2B/C.

Kvasnicka is having a good year down in Lexington. I didn't like the fact they didn't allow him to be a switch hitter in pro ball though. I saw him a few times last year in the super regional’s and he had a nice swing as a left hander so I don't know why they made him an exclusive right handed hitter but if he hits like he is right now who cares. Same thing was done to Jonathan Meyer who was a switch hitter in high school but with Astros drafted him in 3rd round of 2009 they made him be righty exclusive. I always prefer switch hitters and left handed hitters over righties.

[juicystream]

Originally Posted by rockets934life I really think you can never have enough power arms but we lack a power bat. I'm all for toolsy middle of the diamond guys but we need to look at power bats that could develop. Saying that, I think you go pitching in the 1st and go over slot after to get some power in the organization. Use some of that money being saved to load up on HIGH upside guys.

Telvin Nash is the one guy in the system I know that has incredible power and a high upside.

Kody Hinze, Chris Wallace, and Adam Bailey have all shown power, but I've never read any scouting reports on them before, so I don't know anything aside from their stats.

Only Koby Clemens and Brandon Barnes have shown regular HR power at the higher levels.

Would be nice to see an Astros player hit 30 HR again. Amazingly this is probably going to be our 4th consecutive season without a player hitting 30HR.