2022 MLB Draft

Part of the problems with those drafts is that without our picks, we had zero bonus pool money. Both times, we went all in on an overslot high schooler (Santos, Whitaker) then had to pick seniors in order to pay them. Extremely risky proposition as it all but guaranteed a terrible class if the high schoolers floundered.

But not signing our 4th round pick last year should have gotten someone fired.

 

Borden hit 20 HR for Ga Tech this year. Huge strikeout problem tho.

 

Honestly, what I am most excited about this draft is the Astros cutting some of the trash out of their system. So much meh in the lower levels.

 

This is true unless there is a 3B option either from within the organization or from outside the organization. To be honest, Bregmans hamstring problems work against the idea.

 

I mean, we have been missing draft picks, so that hurts the lower levels. What I hate about the Astros system is the lack of young top prospects, which this draft doesn't do anything to change.

 

I would bet this pick is insurance in case something falls thru with Clifford. But would be great if they were able to sign both.

 

I wander what the story was behind that besides "we had a deal in place and then we didn't."

 

Clifford qualifies as a young top prospect; he's a HS draftee with 2nd round pedigree.

 

Really really like what they did on Day 3 assuming they can sign Clifford. If they are able to sign both Clifford and Jackson that would be even better. I like the infielders they took today. None of the pitchers they took really excite me but I don't know much about them. For now I have Gilbert ranked in the 2-5 range for Houston, Melton in the 4-9 range, and Clifford in the 7-12 range. The first few college pitchers (Taylor, Knorr, and Dombroski) would fit in the very back end of the top 30. Price would be an honorable mention just outside the top 30. If Jackson signs he would fit in the very back of the top 30 or honorable mention range.

The deadline to sign is 8/1 so we will know pretty quick if Clifford and Jackson are getting signed.

 

Agree on the 4th rounder. They already are without their top pick and then they waste a 4th rounder by not signing him. What I also find concerning is the player they used the pick on went to school and was not very productive.

 

Astros need to vet their prospects better in some cases.

 

Tampa Bay didn't even draft all that well for most of Click's tenure (2006-2019), but here's Tampa's record for drafting first rounders under Click as VP of baseball ops:

2017: Brandon McKay, who's just made the majors at 23, TBD. Didn't sign their other pick.

2018: Matthew Libratore, who's just made the majors at 22 in Saint Louis, TBD.
Their Comp pick for last years failure to sign turned into Shane McClanahan, the current AL Cy Young favorite.

and nobody from 2019's made the majors yet.

It's not promising so far here for Click, but losing his firsts and seconds really didn't help.

This is the Make-Or-Break year for him, a failed draft here means a swift end to the competitive window by 2025.

 

fyi, Tieran is a good follow and put out this epic length draft preview with some good tidbits on Clifford and others